A Tale of Two Ministries

John's disciples have departed but Jesus isn't done speaking on John the Baptist. So he puts the question to them, what did you travel outside the city outskirts to see? He extolls the role of John the Baptist and taunts anyone claiming that John was a weak or ineffective preacher.

Jesus makes it clear that not only was he a prophet, he was THE prophet spoken of 800 years before His birth. He was here to point us to Jesus. Among those born of women not one is greater than John. Jesus is saying that essentially John was the greatest man ever born.

Despite the glory of John's position as the final old Covenant prophet, the least member of God's kingdom is greater than he.
John's only mission was to point Israel to Jesus.

There were no miracles, no signs or wonders, John's ministry was a precursor to Jesus’. He was a wild man in the desert who spoke the truth.

And John the Baptist had followers up to the time of the book of Acts. And after Jesus, John's disciples were still preaching repentance. But John's message never saved a soul. It was never meant to.

Jesus then comments on the Kingdom of God being taken by violence and the violent take it by force. What is He speaking of here?

There are two possible interpretations of this passage. First, Jesus is discussing how God's kingdom has always been under attack. That God's enemies were currently attacking the men of God.

Second, the ‘violence’ is taken as more of a metaphor describing a zeal for God that is a call for believers to act in the face of persecution and attacks. This was the view of Saint Augustine and it is understandable, him wanting a more positive spin, sadly I believe he was wrong.

John is close to the time of his execution. Jesus is getting closer to his time for the cross. I believe Jesus is warning His disciples. ‘Following the kingdom of God comes with a cost sometimes.’ Sometimes the enemies will win, or appear to be winning. And Jesus knows that John's death will be a blow to his followers. He knows his own death will do the same for His followers before His resurrection. He is warning them, preparing them to understand that very difficult times are coming.

The enemies of God will kill to stop the message of the Gospel from spreading. Jesus says, that's the way the enemy has always done it.

He tells them plainly, John was the Elijah to come. And his ministry was to prepare you for messiah and you still won't listen.

He compares their behavior with children in a marketplace who did not respond in mourning for John's message of repentance nor did they respond to Jesus’ message of joy and forgiveness.

It quite simply didn't matter what message was being preached, by whichever ministry many of the Jews were never going to accept it.

What is the lesson here? Many will reject the gospel, many will reject you and do so violently, PREACH ANYWAY.

Many will reject calls for repentance because they wish to remain in their sin. Just as many will reject the love of Christ because they feel unlovable or unloved.

PREACH ANYWAY.

These were two different Ministries. With two differing messages. They worked together for one purpose: to reveal the Messiah.






Matthew 11:7-19

[7] As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? [8] But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces! [9] But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. [10] This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I am sending My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ [11] Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [12] And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force. [13] For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. [14] And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. [15] The one who has ears to hear, let him hear. [16] “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children, [17] and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a song of mourning, and you did not mourn.’ [18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ [19] The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ And yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”