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John The Baptist Was A Great Prophet, So What Does Least In The Kingdom Mean?

Originally Written: 2020-06-21

A Correct Understanding of Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28

Over the years, I've read or heard Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28 explained in a way where I wasn't 100% sure if what I was reading or hearing was correct, but I didn't know how to respond. Then, one Sabbath morning, I studied this matter out more and came to an understanding on these matters which eases my mind and, to me, makes more sense than what I've heard others say regarding these verses.

Doesn’t Matthew 11:25 say that truth is revealed to “babes”? Yes, the truth is revealed to “babes”. One believer told me the morning of 4/4/2020 on Sabbath, they saw "a clip of a young boy in the middle east who was persecuted -- He kept saying: I love Yahushua. I love Yahushua ... his life was in danger ...". Later that evening when sharing the first draft of this study, another believer told me that they’ve heard of a time in history where children in a certain country were even crucified for their faith in the Messiah. Children can be witnesses of Yahushua also and they are the most innocent and have great faith. Just because someone is a child doesn’t mean they can’t be a martyr for Yahushua. There are children who have faith in Yahushua. Have faith! It is written:

Matthew 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Yahushua, saying, "Who, then, is greatest in the Kingdom of the Skies?"
2 And Yahushua called a little child to Him, set him in their midst,
3 and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become as little children, you shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of the Skies.
4 Whoever then humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of the Skies.
5 And whoever receives one little child like this in My Name receives Me.
6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28 commonly have a translation error. The word should be translated as “little” or “little one”, but it is translated as “least”. This should be corrected to help illustrate this teaching and prevent misunderstandings about what Yahushua said:

Matthew 11:11 "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than Yochanan the Immerser except the little one in the Kingdom of the Skies is greater than he.” Luke 7:28 "For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than Yochanan the Immerser except he who is little in the Kingdom of Elohiym is greater than he."

The little ones in the Kingdom are the children. The word “little” in Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28 is not the same word as “least” from Matthew 5:17-19. Also, the word “great/greatest” is not the same between Matthew 11:11, Luke 7:28, and Matthew 5:17-19 either. In Luke 9:48 it is written:

Luke 9:48 and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My Name receives Me. And whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is little among you all, he shall be great."

The word for “little” in Luke 9:48 in the Greek is from the same word as what Yahushua was saying in Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28. Most translations put "least" in Luke 9:48, but it's from the same word in Matthew 18:6, 18:10, and other places where it means little or little ones, so it should be corrected in Luke 9:48 to “little” also. Yahushua was saying in Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28 that the little children will have a great place in the Kingdom of Yahweh. He was not saying anything negative about Yochanan the Immerser. I was so confused for so many years and I heard people’s teachings about this verse to explain it, and I was concerned and didn’t know how to respond but didn’t want to fully accept what I was hearing, and then that Sabbath morning as I was reading this was what I found and I believe was revealed to me. The Greek words support this view, and the Scriptures support this view, that this was a statement about how children will have a great place in the Kingdom of Yahweh!

Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and coming up she said, "Adon, are You not concerned that my sister has left me to serve alone? Speak to her then, to help me."
41 And Yahushua answering, said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many matters,
42 but one only is necessary, and Miryam has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."

Yahushua doesn’t want children to get busy thinking they have to be busy “doing something else” besides listening to his words, loving him, reading the word, praying, and focusing their heart on him alone. He is keeping it simple for us all and that means keeping it simple for children too. We don’t need to get busy about stuff, just love Yahushua.

He said in Matthew 11:30, “My yoke is gentle and My burden is light.” He knows children are going to pick up His word and read about him and he wants them to know that they don't have to worry about trying to be busy all the time, they can just focus on learning from him and loving him and being with him. There is no pressure put on the little ones to be busy all the time. They just need to have their heart in the right place and believe in Him. If hard times come, Yahweh will deliver them and rescue them. And even if we are persecuted to death, all children will have a great place in the Kingdom, and that’s what Yahushua was teaching.

Matthew 18:10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in the skies their messengers always see the face of My Father who is in the skies.”

NOW – dig into the Greek of Luke 7:28 and Matthew 11:11 and Matthew 5:17-19 and Luke 9:48 and Matthew 18:6 and Matthew 18:10 and you will see for yourself:

  • Luke 7:28 - littleG3398
  • Matthew 11:11 - little oneG3398
  • Luke 9:48 - littleG3398
  • Matthew 18:6 - little onesG3398
  • Matthew 18:10 - little onesG3398
  • Matthew 5:19 - leastG1646