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NASB | Matthew 11:11 "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. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 11:11 "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater [in privilege] than he. |
Subject: "Least in the kingdom of God"? |
Bible Note: Hi Angel, No-no, of course I am not denying or even questioning the full and absolute Deity of Jesus!!! On the contrary, actually! But my answer to your question, "How can God be the least in heaven?", is this: that's what I call Grace... Every soul in heaven has actually been bought at the price of the blood of the Most High - it's a bit like the slave-stories we only read about today, with people bought and sold for one another... But something infinitely greater happened here: the Almighty Lord of heaven and earth willingly chose to free the slaves of sin by He Himself becoming a slave for them in submitting to human suffering and death! Phil 2:6-11 (you referred to it as well) probably sums up my point in the most beautiful way: "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but MADE HIMSELF NOTHING, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." The Almighty made Himself nothing, He became the very least - yet He is our Lord and God, and He is truly a marvelous Lord! At His Name every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, forever and ever, Amen! Hope this clarifies the way I look at it a bit more. God bless you, Zsuzsi |