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Is John > Jesus?

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joshua 1 9

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confusedmanxx said:
How come Jesus says that John is greater than Him?
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He said the works we do will be greater. This is the Holy Spirit dispensation. We have the mind of Christ and the Divine thoughts of God.

John 14:12 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

John 7:39 "By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified."
 
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ewq1938

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He was not including himself in the statement.
 
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confusedmanxx

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The Word "Work" is not in the verse and neither the Holy spirit.
Jesus simply said that John is the greatest man born of woman, doesn't that mean he is greater than Jesus?

Matthew 11:11 (KJV 1900)
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.
 
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Greg J.

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Heh, yeah, actually, Jesus is the exception to what he is saying, because Scripture is pretty clear in many places that God is greater than all. What he said only excludes Adam, who, before he sinned, was completely pure before God. However, anyone reborn in Christ (who has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him) is greater than everyone who didn't/doesn't have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. i.e., much, much greater than Adam before he sinned.
 
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confusedmanxx

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ewq1938 said:
Nope, it's just common sense.
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More like mental gymnastics.
Earthly Jesus is born of a woman and so was John
But Jesus claimed John is the greatest man born of a woman
And never said except me [like your interpretation] or never said "His works are" like your friend in the topic's interpretation. Still looking for all new interpretation to explain.
 
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ewq1938

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confusedmanxx said:
More like mental gymnastics.
Earthly Jesus is born of a woman and so was John
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It's not uncommon for him to exclude himself and speak of humanity as a whole. He was born a human male but he was also God which separates him from others.
 
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RoseCrystal

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11 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.

Jesus is making a point, he's saying John the baptist is awesome but "he that means nothing in the kingdom of heaven (is but little)" is greater than John the Baptist.

The greatest of all on this earth is nothing in comparison to the smallest of those in heaven
 
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Eloy Craft

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  1. Jesus is revealing that He is not generated by adam. Born of woman is a euphamism for being children of adam and Eve. By claiming John as greatest born of 'this generation' Jesus is revealing that He is the Son of God. That he is not of the generation of adam but of God. Then he goes on to talk about the next age or generation. That the least in His kingdom is greater than John.
 
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bcbsr

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Apparently not.

John 8:23 And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."

Not only Jesus is greater, but a multitude of others, such as myself who have been born of the Spirit.
 
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tdidymas

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The correct interpretation has to include the comparison between who is born of mankind only, and who is born of God (and of mankind, both). If one who is "least in the kingdom of heaven" is greater than John, then anyone who is born of God is greater than John (who was only born of mankind). Since Jesus is and was head of the church and God incarnate, the implication is that He is greater than John. Therefore He includes Himself when He says "he that is least in the kingdom" is greater than John, since He who is greatest in the kingdom is greater than he who is least. So then, the text is clear that Jesus is greater than John. Everyone who believes in the Messiah already knows that Jesus is the greatest one, and therefore greater than John, and this goes without saying. Jesus is not talking about Himself here, He is only comparing one who is born again with one who is great among men but not born again. The implication is also that John is greater than any of the OT prophets. Therefore, anyone who is born of God is greater than the greatest man born of women only.

So, from the text, we can observe:
* John is not in the kingdom of heaven
* Anyone in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John
* Jesus is greatest in the kingdom of heaven since He is Messiah
* John is greatest among men

Therefore we conclude that John was not born of God. He also showed doubts at that time, so whatever knowledge he had that Jesus was Messiah had faded.
TD
 
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ViaCrucis

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"he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he".

-CryptoLutheran
 
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ViaCrucis

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Everyone in the kingdom was born of a woman, since everyone has a mother.

Jesus establishes John as great--very great--but even the least in the kingdom is greater than John.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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