Least in the kingdom.
Greater in the kingdom.
In the kingdom it will NOT matter which position you hold- the least or the greatest. There will be NO resentment at all whatsoever for anything. There will be no boasting, no vying for a higher position, none of that will exist.
When we read about being the least in the kingdom we know that position is one we would gladly take, just to be in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said this-
Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
John the Baptist, the greatest born among women. Yet-- the least in the kingdom is greater than John the Baptist.
Why? Wouldn't we in our own intelligence place John right up there in the realm of the greatest to be in heaven? People, Bible scholars have interpreted this verse to mean different things. I can't help but wonder if right then as Jesus spoke those words the greatest prophet ever to walk the earth was at that moment asleep in His grave, not in the kingdom of heaven yet at all. And if John hasn't attained the kingdom, the least there WOULD in fact be greater than John because John had yet to go to the kingdom of heaven and will wait in His grave, asleep, until Jesus Christ comes again and raises the dead from their graves. We know factually that there are people in heaven right now that have ascended to heaven- Elijah for one. And others God has taken. Elijah didn't die, there was no grave for Him ever. We know God has the power to take those special few to heaven, just as we know this--
Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Mat 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
When Christ died many graves were OPENED. Why? Because the saints in those graves, those who died in the love of God and slept death's sleep, were awakened from that sleep! We don't know which ones, we have no way of knowing, and we know not ALL those who are God's were taken out of their graves and awakened because it says MANY, not ALL. These people who were awakened and taken out of their opened graves went into Jerusalem and MANY saw them. They weren't ghosts, they were real people, real bodies that could be seen.
John was NOT in the kingdom.
Those who were in the kingdom, the least in the kingdom were greater than John because HE was not in the kingdom of heaven yet. He would sleep in His grave.
Of course, not all believe this is what is meant.
Yet, John the Baptist, the greatest born of women the least in the kingdom?
The next verse...
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Wesley in His Bible Commentary wrote this-
'And from the days of John - That is, from the time that John had fulfilled his ministry, men rush into my kingdom with a violence like that of those who are taking a city by storm.'
Scofield in His Bible Commentary wrote this-
'It has been much disputed whether the "violence" here is external, as against the kingdom in the persons of John the Baptist and Jesus; or that, considering the opposition of the scribes and Pharisees, only the violently resolute would press into it. Both things are true. The King and His herald suffered violence, and this is the primary and greater meaning, but also, some were resolutely becoming disciples. '
Barnes in His Bible Commentary wrote this-
'And from the days of John ... - That is, from the days when John began to preach. It is not known how long this was, but it was not probably more than a year. Our Saviour here simply states a fact. He says there was a great rush or a crowd pressing to hear John. Multitudes went out to hear him, as if they were about to take the kingdom of heaven by force. See Mat_3:5. So, he says, it has continued. Since “the kingdom of heaven,” or “the gospel,” has been preached, there has been a “rush” to it. People have been “earnest” about it; they have come “pressing” to obtain the blessing, as if they would take it by violence. There is allusion here to the manner in which cities were taken. Besiegers “pressed” upon them with violence and demolished the walls. With such “earnestness” and “violence,” he says, people had pressed around him and John since they began to preach. There is no allusion here to the manner in which individual sinners seek salvation, but it is a simple record of the fact that multitudes had thronged around him and John to hear the gospel.'
*******
The kingdom of heaven.
The wonders of the kingdom are beyond our full comprehension. It is to be DESIRED greatly! The kingdom of heaven- perfection in ALL things, in ALL ways.
We need to earnest seek the kingdom of heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Daily we should be contemplating the kingdom of heaven as the hope our Savior came to give us. Our Savior died for us, died so we could inherit the kingdom of heaven. Something so incredibly valuable as that is something we must LIVE for. Eternity with Jesus Christ in His Heavenly Kingdom- this is our HOPE, our life now and everlasting.
Do we seek the kingdom earnestly enough? Do we want the kingdom with a real desperation?
IS the kingdom of God REAL to us?
By the grace of God may it become real to us! Our Lord died so we could have the kingdom!
Please LORD, we would have YOU, and in having YOU, have the kingdom you came and preached to all.
By YOUR LOVE!
Greater in the kingdom.
In the kingdom it will NOT matter which position you hold- the least or the greatest. There will be NO resentment at all whatsoever for anything. There will be no boasting, no vying for a higher position, none of that will exist.
When we read about being the least in the kingdom we know that position is one we would gladly take, just to be in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said this-
Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
John the Baptist, the greatest born among women. Yet-- the least in the kingdom is greater than John the Baptist.
Why? Wouldn't we in our own intelligence place John right up there in the realm of the greatest to be in heaven? People, Bible scholars have interpreted this verse to mean different things. I can't help but wonder if right then as Jesus spoke those words the greatest prophet ever to walk the earth was at that moment asleep in His grave, not in the kingdom of heaven yet at all. And if John hasn't attained the kingdom, the least there WOULD in fact be greater than John because John had yet to go to the kingdom of heaven and will wait in His grave, asleep, until Jesus Christ comes again and raises the dead from their graves. We know factually that there are people in heaven right now that have ascended to heaven- Elijah for one. And others God has taken. Elijah didn't die, there was no grave for Him ever. We know God has the power to take those special few to heaven, just as we know this--
Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Mat 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
When Christ died many graves were OPENED. Why? Because the saints in those graves, those who died in the love of God and slept death's sleep, were awakened from that sleep! We don't know which ones, we have no way of knowing, and we know not ALL those who are God's were taken out of their graves and awakened because it says MANY, not ALL. These people who were awakened and taken out of their opened graves went into Jerusalem and MANY saw them. They weren't ghosts, they were real people, real bodies that could be seen.
John was NOT in the kingdom.
Those who were in the kingdom, the least in the kingdom were greater than John because HE was not in the kingdom of heaven yet. He would sleep in His grave.
Of course, not all believe this is what is meant.
Yet, John the Baptist, the greatest born of women the least in the kingdom?
The next verse...
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Wesley in His Bible Commentary wrote this-
'And from the days of John - That is, from the time that John had fulfilled his ministry, men rush into my kingdom with a violence like that of those who are taking a city by storm.'
Scofield in His Bible Commentary wrote this-
'It has been much disputed whether the "violence" here is external, as against the kingdom in the persons of John the Baptist and Jesus; or that, considering the opposition of the scribes and Pharisees, only the violently resolute would press into it. Both things are true. The King and His herald suffered violence, and this is the primary and greater meaning, but also, some were resolutely becoming disciples. '
Barnes in His Bible Commentary wrote this-
'And from the days of John ... - That is, from the days when John began to preach. It is not known how long this was, but it was not probably more than a year. Our Saviour here simply states a fact. He says there was a great rush or a crowd pressing to hear John. Multitudes went out to hear him, as if they were about to take the kingdom of heaven by force. See Mat_3:5. So, he says, it has continued. Since “the kingdom of heaven,” or “the gospel,” has been preached, there has been a “rush” to it. People have been “earnest” about it; they have come “pressing” to obtain the blessing, as if they would take it by violence. There is allusion here to the manner in which cities were taken. Besiegers “pressed” upon them with violence and demolished the walls. With such “earnestness” and “violence,” he says, people had pressed around him and John since they began to preach. There is no allusion here to the manner in which individual sinners seek salvation, but it is a simple record of the fact that multitudes had thronged around him and John to hear the gospel.'
*******
The kingdom of heaven.
The wonders of the kingdom are beyond our full comprehension. It is to be DESIRED greatly! The kingdom of heaven- perfection in ALL things, in ALL ways.
We need to earnest seek the kingdom of heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Daily we should be contemplating the kingdom of heaven as the hope our Savior came to give us. Our Savior died for us, died so we could inherit the kingdom of heaven. Something so incredibly valuable as that is something we must LIVE for. Eternity with Jesus Christ in His Heavenly Kingdom- this is our HOPE, our life now and everlasting.
Do we seek the kingdom earnestly enough? Do we want the kingdom with a real desperation?
IS the kingdom of God REAL to us?
By the grace of God may it become real to us! Our Lord died so we could have the kingdom!
Please LORD, we would have YOU, and in having YOU, have the kingdom you came and preached to all.
By YOUR LOVE!
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