DOES MATTHEW 11:11 MEAN JOHN THE BAPTIST IS GREATER THAN MOSES AND THE PROPHETS YET THE "LEAST" IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS GREATER THAN HIM?

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The Lord Jesus declared in Matthew 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". 

Does this mean John the Baptist is greater than Moses and the Prophets or is there a deeper meaning here? Who is this "least" in the kingdom of heaven that is greater than John the Baptist? 

Let's take a second look at the first part of the verse:

Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.

The statement simply means no Prophet has risen above John the Baptist. He was to be ranked equal to any Prophet (or human being) in terms of work and energy. He is not less distinguished than the other Prophets. Please note that by His statement in this verse our Lord probably intended to tacitly meet the objection that Moses or Abraham was to be listened to rather than John.

Now let us also take a second look at the latter part of the verse:

Notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven.

Very many commentators and translators have thought, strangely enough, that our Lord in using the word "least" referred to Himself. That He was younger in age and in the eyes of men He was esteemed less than the Baptist, and yet was really greater. But this is surely not the meaning of the words for the following reasons:

It would be but a poor truism to have declared that the King was greater than the herald; and
There is no example of our Lord’s so speaking of Himself elsewhere. 

The word “least” in that verse is from Greek mikros which means small (in size, quantity, number or (figuratively) dignity) -- least, less, little ones. It is the same Greek word translated little ones in the following versions of the bible as well as other verses in King James Version (KJV):

(Matthew 11:11 ASV) Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

(Matthew 11:11 Aramaic Bible in Plain English) “Amen, I say to you, that among them born of women there has not arisen a greater than Yohannan The Baptizer, but a little one in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he."

(Matthew 10:42 KJV) And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. 

(Matthew 18:6 KJV) But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

(Matthew 18:10 KJV) Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 

(Matthew 18:14 KJV) Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

Who are these little ones? We see from the bible that Jesus often used this term while referring to His disciples. Also see Luke 10:21 and John 13:33. He calls his disciples little children, “little ones”, "babes" because most of them were under 18 years old. Please read our previous post on this subject.

The latter part of this verse can be paraphrased as:

Notwithstanding, these little ones are greater than him in the kingdom of heaven. 

It means that His disciples, rejoicing in His presence, in communion with Him, in His revelation of the Father, though less than John in fame, work, the rigour of ascetic holiness, were yet above him [in the kingdom of heaven] in the knowledge of the truth, and therefore in blessedness and joy.

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