Luke 7:28-30 King James Version (KJV)
28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Luke 7:28-30 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
28 I tell you that among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than Yochanan the Immerser! Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he!”
29 All the people who heard him, even the tax-collectors, by undergoing Yochanan’s immersion acknowledged that God was right; 30 but the P’rushim and the Torah-teachers, by not letting themselves be immersed by him, nullified for themselves God’s plan.
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
These are my thoughts, please share yours.
28 This is what Jesus said about John. This seems to mean that He is saying John is greater then Himself but the truth is that if Jesus was just a man then He wouldn’t have been great, Jesus is great because He is the Lord.
Brethren, this is my thought, as how much we are taught through the 'All Scripture = HOLY BIBLE', by the anointing placed in us as man of GOD. As i would want to prophesy, for freely, freely i have received, therefore i am called to freely, freely give, as prophesying built up the church, as knowledge add/supplement partly to one's faith, thank you.
The truth in sound doctrine Scripture spiritual knowledge from above is that when JESUS CHRIST our LORD as a man, is also greater than John the Baptist. Let us not also miss out on what He said in the same verse 28, as well. He said whoever is the least in the Kingdom of GOD/Heaven is greater than John. Therefore if the least there is greater than John, then JESUS is even greater than John, since He is the LORD there from the beginning. And when the right time came for GOD the FATHER, from there JESUS the Word became man.
When our LORD from Heaven the Word became man, He was still representing fully the Kingdom of GOD/Heaven, here on earth as the servant of GOD. As the least important from there taking the place of man, (the least like the ministering spirits, angels from there sent here to minister to man, even in the form of man, if i may say and is the truth). And as a result, He is still greater than John, even to those who are born again not only of water but also of the HOLY SPIRIT and are spirit born from above. For theirs is the Kingdom of GOD/Heaven, beginning from the remnant chosen by grace from Israel, to the Gentiles.
Nevertheless, John the Baptist is greater than any Prophets of the Old Testament, born of a woman, even Moses; with all due respect to all of them because of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
29 This doesn’t mean that they were baptized by John, it could mean that but it means they were baptized as John did.
Oh my dear Mr Clark Thompson, please get this into your spirit, as add/supplement knowledge partly to one's faith. Verse 29, is very clear that John the Baptist preached and taught the people repentance and the Kingdom of GOD to come, who is CHRIST JESUS our LORD, from Heaven. As prophesied,
'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the LORD; make His path straight.'. And when all the sinners heard him, who preach and teach, they acknowledge GOD was right while allowing John to baptize them by water.
John the Baptist held authority over the first stage of the Gospel over sinners for their repentance beginning from Israel, and from them to all nations. They confess all their past and present sins, to the Jews based on the Law of Moses. And the Gentiles naturally based on their conscience and conflicting thoughts, being all sinners one with the world. When JESUS came along the river Jordan, John prophesied,
'Here comes the lamb of GOD who takes away the sins of the world.'. Apostle Paul later in his given ministry and wisdom gave the church the revelation teaching in regards to water baptism of John, taken up by a believer and how significant to one's faith. They acknowledge and agree that GOD was right, through the preaching and teaching of John in regards to repentance, the confession of all sinner's past and present sins (i believe, 'future sins', is added by some denominations to one's advantage, blindly). Therefore believers accepting GOD was right, they immerse themselves into the water, as one is burying the former guilty man. And then they come out the water a new man, as one resurrected with CHRIST from the dead, who were dead in sin separated from the only true GOD the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Even though John the Baptist prepared by GOD and given the ministry and authority even to baptize people with water, but when came to the LORD in ranking, he felt himself unworthy to baptize the LORD from Heaven. That is why the Scripture say,
'John would have prevented the LORD.' That was in humble and humility and unworthiness John said,
'rather himself be baptized by the LORD'. who is worthy and in ranking the LORD of Heaven. But JESUS said to him,
'For now let us do what GOD wants,' that the LORD must be baptize by John as will by GOD the FATHER.
And water baptism was also performed by JESUS' disciples, where He did not participate, on the other side of the river from John and his disciples, based on again through the same preaching and teaching of John in regards to repentance. Then based on what John henceforth preached and taught about the one who comes after him and will baptize with HOLY SPIRIT and Fire, and an axe is in His hands ready to divide. Therefore JESUS onward from the sermon on the mount teaches these baptized people about the Kingdom GOD and baptize them with HOLY SPIRIT, and Fire on the day of Pentecost.
30 The Pharisees had hard hearts and couldn’t accept the truth because of the pride they felt. Pride that they have many are kept from coming to God because of it.
Sorry, these are your own preception and opinion about them, and it is 'false'. How about perceiving that they resent 'heresy', as according to Law of Moses, if it is among their people, they are to put them to death, before it pollutes the community. And also where GOD HIMSELF 'blinded' and 'deafen' them from 'seeing' and 'hearing' the grace and truth brought by the LORD, thus revealed only to the remnant chosen by grace from them. So, as GOD will, that in their rejection then the Gospel shall go to the Gentiles. In Romans 11:25, Apostle Paul mentions the mystery of GOD revealed to him that,
'A 'partial blindness' has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles come in.'