Advent Joy

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. Matthew 11:11

This verse is part of the lectionary readings for this coming Sunday, the third week of Advent. Jesus is telling the crowds about John the Baptist, and he cites Malachi 3:1, saying that John is the one who would prepare the way.

But then Jesus makes this statement above which seems both complimentary and disparaging at the same time! To say he is the greatest born of women is high praise, but is Jesus implying that John is not in the kingdom of heaven? Though both he and Jesus preached about the kingdom, and despite being the one preparing the way, did John somehow miss out?

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. Matthew 11:12

Actually, I don’t think that Jesus insinuates that John is outside the kingdom of heaven. In his very next statement as recorded in Matthew, Jesus states that from the time John began his ministry, people have been taking the kingdom forcefully. John was certainly one of those zealous and determined individuals, who despite fierce opposition, were “taking” God’s kingdom.

Even if we understand that Jesus isn’t excluding John from the kingdom, other questions persist. What is his point about greatness, and why specifically say “of those born of women”? Who isn’t born of women?

First, I believe that Jesus is making a contrast between two births, one which he names, born of women, and another which he implies, born of God into his kingdom. The first is our physical or natural, earthly birth, and the second a spiritual birth.

If we look at John as a human being, you will no one greater, according to Jesus. He was indeed a powerful prophet, and the people recognized that. A great prophet is who they went out to see (Matthew 11:7-9).

However, the point Jesus is making is that anyone who experiences a spiritual birth, into God’s reign of love, has become greater than even the greatest man in his natural state, that is, as we are born of a mother.

Jesus is not really talking about John at this point, nor suggesting he had not experienced this spiritual transformation. He could be talking about anyone we think is a powerful or great person. His emphasis is that even the least spiritually transformed person in God’s kingdom is greater than any human being, no matter how impressive they are, in themselves.

The theme of this third Sunday of Advent is joy. The joy in this passage is how being welcomed into God’s kingdom, a pure gift, surpasses all earthly achievements.