Matius 11:9-11

11:9 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more ¹  than a prophet. 11:10 This is the one about whom it is written:

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, ² 

who will prepare your way before you.’ ³ 

11:11 “I tell you the truth, ⁴  among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least ⁵  in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.

Matius 16:14

16:14 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, ⁶  and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

[11:9]  ¹ tn John the Baptist is “more” because he introduces the one (Jesus) who brings the new era. The term is neuter, but may be understood as masculine in this context (BDAG 806 s.v. περισσότερος b).

[11:10]  ² tn Grk “before your face” (an idiom).

[11:10]  ³ sn The quotation is primarily from Mal 3:1 with pronouns from Exod 23:20. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.

[11:11]  ⁴ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[11:11]  ⁵ sn After John comes a shift of eras. The new era is so great that the lowest member of it (the one who is least in the kingdom of God) is greater than the greatest one of the previous era.

[16:14]  ⁶ sn The appearance of Elijah would mean that the end time had come. According to 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah.