received such commendation as Jesus here bestows on His imprisoned friend. " Among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.'' In time past John had boldly confessed Jesus before men, as the Lamb of God. Now Jesus openly declares John to be more than a prophet.
There were some, no doubt, who were disposed to think lightly of John Baptist, partly from ignorance of the nature of his ministry, partly from misunderstanding the question he had sent to ask. Our Lord Jesus silences such cavillers by the declaration he here makes. He tells them not to suppose that John was a timid, vacillating, unstable man, " a reed shaken by the wind." If they thought so, they were utterly mistaken. He was a bold, unflinching witness to the truth. — He tells them not to suppose that John was at heart a worldly man, fond of king's courts, and delicate living. If they thought so, they greatly erred. He was a self-denying preacher of repentance, who would risk the anger of a king, rather than not reprove his sins. — In short, He would have them know that John was " more than a prophet." He was one to whom Grod had given more honor than to all the Old Testament prophets. They indeed pro- ^. phe^ied of Christ, but died without seeing Him. John not only propheeied of Him, but saw Him face to face. — They foretold that the days of the Son of man would certainly come, and the Messiah appear. John was an actual eye-witness of those days, and an honored in- strument in preparing men for them. — To them it was given to j^redict that Messiah would be " led as a lamb to the slaughter," and " cut off." To John it was given to
Ill
point to Him, and say, " Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."
There is something very beautiful and comforting to true Christians in this testimony which our Lord bears to John. It shows us the tender interest which our great Head feels in the lives and characters of all His members. It shows us what honor He is ready to put on all the work and labor that they go through in His cause. It is a sweet foretaste of the confession which He will make of them before the assembled world, when He presents them faultless at the last day before His Father's throne.
Do we know what it is to work for Christ ? Have we ever felt cast down and dispirited, as if we were doing no good, and no one cared for us ? Are we ever tempted to feel, when laid aside by sickness, or withdrawn by provi- dence, '^ I have labored in vain, and spent my strength for nought ?" Let us meet such thoughts by the recollec- tion of this passage. Let us remember, there is One who daily records all we do for Him, and sees more beauty in His servants' work than His servants do themselves. The same tongue which bore testimony to John in prison, will bear testimony to all his people at the last day. He will say, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." And then shall His faithful witnesses discover, to their wonder and surprise, that there never was a word spoken on their Master's behalf, wliich does not receive a reward.
112