Q. 10.-"In what sense does the Lord say of John (Matt. 11:11), 'the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he' ? Does it in any way connect with Matt. 5:11 ? Could one say that John was in the kingdom ?"

Ans.-John occupies a peculiar position. He was connected with the old, not with the new dispensation. He brought out no new truth, only enforced what had already been revealed, and from it preached repentance. He was in all this as one of the prophets. The difference lies in the fact that while they pointed forward to the Messiah, John could say, He is among you. He thus occupies the highest place of privilege in the old dispensation, which, connected with his faithfulness and devotedness make him one of the greatest born. The kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of a glorified Christ. It was announced by John as at hand. The Lord proclaims its principles in the sermon on the mount, and showed its works in the following chapters. He presented Himself as King, but, being rejected, He takes His place in the heavens, for faith, over His kingdom, but in such a way as is called a mystery. (Matt, 13:) This being the beginning of his kingdom, John was not in it. The dignity of that position-subjection to Jesus, either as absent Lord or glorious King-being far above the highest place before. This, of course, applies to position, not individual character. In character, John was far above many of us who have privileges and a position beyond him.

The persecutions spoken of in Matt. 5:are not a result of the position in the kingdom merely, but of having a character answering to such a position, a character which John had, though, not in the kingdom.