Verses 24-30 “24And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
25But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.
26But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
27This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
28For 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.
29And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
30But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.”Jesus defended John the Baptist because some people were likely to think that John was a vacillating and weak man now that he was a “jail bird” and was having doubts about whether Jesus was the messiah. Jesus said that it was not so, and He reminded the people of what they saw when they went out into the wilderness to be baptized. They had not seen a reed shaking in the wind. They had not seen a pantywaist who had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. No, they had seen a real man who lived off the land, one who had been alone with God in the wilderness, the greatest human prophet who had ever lived. No one could ever have a greater defender than the Lord Jesus, and He is our defender, our advocate, before the throne of God (I John 2:1).
25But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.
26But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
27This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
28For 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.
29And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
30But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.”Jesus defended John the Baptist because some people were likely to think that John was a vacillating and weak man now that he was a “jail bird” and was having doubts about whether Jesus was the messiah. Jesus said that it was not so, and He reminded the people of what they saw when they went out into the wilderness to be baptized. They had not seen a reed shaking in the wind. They had not seen a pantywaist who had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. No, they had seen a real man who lived off the land, one who had been alone with God in the wilderness, the greatest human prophet who had ever lived. No one could ever have a greater defender than the Lord Jesus, and He is our defender, our advocate, before the throne of God (I John 2:1).
Jesus then points out some dispensational truth that many find surprising, i.e., during the kingdom age the least and weakest disciple from this Church Age will be greater than John was during his first century ministry. This is because John was an Old Testament prophet, and he was limited in time and in the way that the Holy Spirit worked in that old dispensation. Our long life in the Millennial Kingdom and the righteous power of Christ perfectly manifested everywhere will make the kingdom age a most fruitful time. That time is yet future, awaiting the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The best days are yet ahead of us!