Jesus Expresses His Full Appreciation of John But Points Out That Now Something Even Greater Has Come, The Coming In Force Of The Kingly Rule of Heaven (11:7-15).
Having sent His assurance to John Jesus now turns to the crowds, both in order to vindicate John and also to bring out an even more important fact, that what John had pointed to was now here. He declares that John is the greatest of all the prophets, because he has introduced what other prophets could only look forward to. As the introducer of the Coming One he is thus set in status above them all. He is the one promised in the Scriptures, the preparer of the way (Matthew 3:3; compare Isaiah 40:3), the coming Elijah (Matthew 11:14 compare Malachi 4:5).
But now what he has introduced is coming into fruition. The Kingly Rule of Heaven is forcefully coming in (Matthew 11:12). And all who enter that Kingly Rule will be greater than John, for they will enjoy a status that he as the introducer could not have. They will be directly servants of the King. And to be such a servant is to be the greatest in the Kingly Rule of Heaven (Matthew 20:26; Matthew 23:11). Precisely how forcefully His Kingly Rule will come in will shortly be revealed in Matthew 12:22-32. And it is coming in through Jesus (Matthew 12:28) in His manifestation of His power through the Spirit over all the forces of darkness.
Analysis.
a And as these went their way, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in delicate clothing? Behold, those who wear delicate clothing are in kings' houses” (Matthew 11:7-8).
b “But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet” (Matthew 11:9).
c “This is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, Who will prepare your way before you' ” (Matthew 11:10).
d “Truly I say to you, Among those who are born of women there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. Yet he who is least in the Kingly Rule of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11).
c “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingly rule of heaven has been forcefully advancing (or ‘suffers violence'), and men of violence take it by force” (Matthew 11:12).
b “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John” (Matthew 11:13).
a “And if you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:14-15).
Not that in ‘a' the question is as to what is basic about John, and in the parallel we discover it is that he is the coming Elijah. In ‘b the question is whether he is a prophet, and in the parallel mention is made of all the prophets. In ‘c' he is to prepare the way for the coming king, and in the parallel the kingly rule of the king advances. Centrally in ‘d' is the ‘greatness' of all who are under the Kingly Rule of Heaven.