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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Least in heaven	Joseph	Monday, January 6, 2014
Question: Brother, When Jesus said even the least in heaven is greater than John the Baptist, He must have meant the angels right? I ask this because Jesus did not rise yet and open the gates of heaven for us so none of us were in heaven yet. Am I correct? Or perhaps this included "Abraham's Bossom" as well? I would also like to thank you for all of your service it has helped me tremendously. I hope you have a much better 2014 in regards to your health!
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Joseph: I believe you are talking about Matthew 11:11 ~ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. A note to everyone: if you can remember please include the Scripture citation. That way I do not have to search for it saving time in answering and ensuring we are on the same page. Thanks. The least in heaven are those saints of the New Covenant, not angels, will be greater than those saints of the Old Covenant in Abraham's Bosum (which includes St. John the Baptist) until the work of the Redempotoin is accomplished. Here is the Navarre Bible Commentary on this verse: With John of the Old Testament is brought to a close and we are on the threshold of the New. The Precursor at all the honor of ushering Christ in, making him known to men. God has assigned him the exalted mission of preparing his contemporaries to hear the Gospel. The Baptist's faithfulness is recognized and proclaimed by Jesus. The praise he receives is a reward for his humility: John, realizing what his role was, had said, "he must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). St. John the Baptist was the greatest in the sense that he had received a mission unique and incomparable in the context of the Old Testament. However, in the kingdom of heaven (the New Testament) inaugurated by Christ, the divine gift of grace makes the least of those who faithfully receive it greater than the greatest in the earlier dispensation. Once the work of our redemption is accomplished, God's grace will also be extended to the just of the Old Alliance. Thus, the greatness of John the Baptist, the Precursor in the last of the prophets, will be enhanced by the dignity of the made a son of God. This seemingly disparity between Old Testament saints in New Testament saints is only temporary. Once a reduction is completed such disparity will no longer exist. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary P.S. My health continues to deteriorate. I appreciate your prayers. Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Least in heaven

Joseph

Monday, January 6, 2014

Question:

Brother,

When Jesus said even the least in heaven is greater than John the Baptist, He must have meant the angels right? I ask this because Jesus did not rise yet and open the gates of heaven for us so none of us were in heaven yet. Am I correct? Or perhaps this included "Abraham's Bossom" as well?

I would also like to thank you for all of your service it has helped me tremendously. I hope you have a much better 2014 in regards to your health!

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Joseph:

I believe you are talking about Matthew 11:11 ~

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

A note to everyone: if you can remember please include the Scripture citation. That way I do not have to search for it saving time in answering and ensuring we are on the same page. Thanks.

The least in heaven are those saints of the New Covenant, not angels, will be greater than those saints of the Old Covenant in Abraham's Bosum (which includes St. John the Baptist) until the work of the Redempotoin is accomplished.

Here is the Navarre Bible Commentary on this verse:

With John of the Old Testament is brought to a close and we are on the threshold of the New. The Precursor at all the honor of ushering Christ in, making him known to men. God has assigned him the exalted mission of preparing his contemporaries to hear the Gospel. The Baptist's faithfulness is recognized and proclaimed by Jesus. The praise he receives is a reward for his humility: John, realizing what his role was, had said, "he must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

St. John the Baptist was the greatest in the sense that he had received a mission unique and incomparable in the context of the Old Testament. However, in the kingdom of heaven (the New Testament) inaugurated by Christ, the divine gift of grace makes the least of those who faithfully receive it greater than the greatest in the earlier dispensation. Once the work of our redemption is accomplished, God's grace will also be extended to the just of the Old Alliance. Thus, the greatness of John the Baptist, the Precursor in the last of the prophets, will be enhanced by the dignity of the made a son of God.

This seemingly disparity between Old Testament saints in New Testament saints is only temporary. Once a reduction is completed such disparity will no longer exist.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

P.S. My health continues to deteriorate. I appreciate your prayers.

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum