The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 458

But he w:i.s more than a prophet, for he himself w11s the subject of prophecy, and he, was (what no other pro1 1het had been) the .immediate forerunner of the ,Christ. lie was the messenger of whom that prophet, whose name signifies "My messenger," had spoken. He was the messcni:er of God, and he prepared tho way of God. It fa worthy of notice that the words, " Thy way before thee," of the Gospel answer to the words,: "The way bcfOt"e 'ITUJ," in the prophecy. In the unity of Lhe Godhead there is a- distinction of P.ersonality. The Father sends the Son ; the Lord of hosts comes himself; for "in the beginning was the Word, and tho Word was with God, and the Word was God." Therefore John was more than a prophet, standing as he did in, such very close relations with the Lord of whom the prophets spoke. , 11. Hrs GREATNESS. 1. There had been. no grwter man than he. From the beginning,, through th.e long years of the world's history,,no one had surpassed John in· al1 that, constitutes real greatness. In loftiness of soul,in singleness of purpose, in disinterested- ness, in heroic self-denial, he stands almost alone, seldom equalled, never eurpassed. Such was the judgrnent of the Lord J-esus Christ. It throws a light from heaven upon· the confusion of the-world, and shows where real greatness is to be, found; not always, in king's houses, not always aruong the rich, the high bom, the luxurious. The· greatest-of men is he who is nearest to Christ, who humbles himself the most; who- most denies himself, who is the most steadfast, the most decided in the cause of religion. True greatness is measured by self..denial, by humility, by devotion, by purity of· heart and life. 2. Yet the lea..<t m t~ kingdom of ]u(IIIJen is greater, What encourage-- meat there is in these words I There had .. heen none .. greater than John r ·but the humblest Christian is fa some sense greater yeh-greater, that is, in privileges, m advantages, in gifts of grMC.. The kingdom of.heaven is the Church of Christ,. and all the members of that Otrnroh have very high and holy privileges-that fellowship which is with the Father and with bis Son Jesus Christ, the gift of the Spirit, the -Word of God, the holy sacramentB, all the precious means of grace. (' Many prophets ~d;:kinge. have desired to see those things which ye see. &nd have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not beard them." John had not seen what the: Lord's disciples saw, he bad not heard what we have heard; he knew not the blessed- story of the cross. He had not our privileges; he had not the helps which we have. He was not himself a member of the Church-of Christ, the kingdom of heaven upon earth. He announced it. Those who are in that kingdom are higher in spiritual privileges than the herald of the kingdom. If they used those .precious means of grace as they ought, they might be higher in sanctity even than the holy Baptist. 'l'hen to, be a Christian, to have those sacred privileges, involves an awful responsibility-a very high an<l holy hope. III. His 1,rnrrsTRY HAD DOJ\'E ITS wonx. 1. TJ,e lcingdom of heaven waa come. John had an.nouncod its coming; it was at hand, he said. • Now it was come; it ,was, manifested in the world. Tbe preaching and miracles of Christ had excited a wide and deep interest throughout Palestine. He was followed everywhere by eager multitudes. The enthusiasm for a time was boundless, the excitement intense. They sought to, take him by force to.make him a King. The kingdom of heaven was suffering violence. There may have been something of undisciplined zeal, of unchastened enthusiasm. It may be that many of these violent ones did not continue steadfast when the days of trial came. But now they crowded into the ranks of .Christ's disciples; they offered to follow him whithersoevcr he went. There was a mighty movement. The kingdom of God .was preache~, and every man was pr_essing into it. There is a holy violence; a sacred zeal; but 1t must be zeal according to knowledge-the zeal of St. Paul ·or St. John, not a troubled wave of popular aoitement. However, this enthusiasm, even if not lasting in all men, was better far than indifference; it showed a real interest fa. Divine things; it showed that the kingdom was come. 2. Propl,ecy was being fulfilled. 'l'he prophets bad foretold the coming kingdom; the Law, too, bad prophesied through its institutions, its ritual, its sacrifices. All was type and prophecy until John; John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. There was no need of types now that the antitype had appeared. Prophets were no longer raised up to predict the salvation of the MesHiah ; for he was in the world. 3 .. It waa fulfilled in John fhe Baptist. John himself was the Elijah of whom the Prophet Malachi had spoken; he had gone before, the L<1rd in the spirit and power of Elijah. He wa■ not, indeed, the Elijah whom th• OB. xi. l-30.] . TRE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MA.TTHEW. 455