The Meaning of Luke 7:28 Explained

Luke 7:28

KJV: For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

YLT: for I say to you, a greater prophet, among those born of women, than John the Baptist there is not; but the least in the reign of God is greater than he.'

Darby: for I say unto you, Among them that are born of women a greater prophet is no one than John the baptist; but he who is a little one in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

ASV: I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  I say  unto you,  Among  those that are born  of women  there is  not  a greater  prophet  than  John  the Baptist:  but  he that is least  in  the kingdom  of God  is  greater than  he. 

What does Luke 7:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 7:24-35 - A Great Man And A Still Greater
The Master chose the moment of John's fainting fit to pass this high eulogium on the Baptist's stalwart character, his indifference to worldly bribes and his divine commission. When we write hard things against ourselves, He may be judging us with infinite tenderness and wisdom. Heaven does not estimate us by our passing moods. But the least believer in this Christian age has a clearer knowledge of Christ and a closer relationship to Him, than had the Baptist. He was a servant; we are brothers, sons, heirs, Romans 8:16-17.
If we will not accept the lower call of duty, as was manifested in the appeal of the Baptist, we shall never profit by Christ. Accept the dim light of the morning star and it will lead to the dawn.
It ill becomes us to observe the winds of human caprice. If we please one party, we shall displease the other. There is but one path through life, and that is to do the will of God, in which, as Dante puts it, is our peace. But the children of wisdom recognize her alike in the anxiety of the Baptist and in the graces of the Son of man. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 7

1  Jesus finds a greater faith in the centurion;
10  heals his servant, being absent;
11  raises from death the widow's son at Nain;
18  answers John's messengers with the declaration of his miracles;
24  testifies to the people what opinion he held of John;
31  compares this generation to the children in the marketplaces,
36  and allowing his feet to be washed and anointed by a woman who was a sinner,
44  he shows how he is a friend to sinners, to forgive them their sins, upon their repentance

Greek Commentary for Luke 7:28

There is none [ουδεις εστιν]
No one exists, this means. Matthew 11:11 has ουκ εγηγερται — ouk egēgertai (hath not arisen). See note on Matthew 11:11 for discussion of “but little” and “greater.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 7:28

John 1:15 Cried [κέκραγεν]
See on Mark 5:5; see on Mark 9:24; see on Luke 18:39. The verb denotes an inarticulate utterance as distinguished from words. When used is connection with articulate speech, it is joined with λέγειν or εἰπεῖν , to say, as Luke 7:28, cried, saying. Compare Luke 7:37; Luke 12:44. The crying corresponds with the Baptist's description of himself as a voice ( φωνή , sound or tone ), Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23. The verb is in the perfect tense, but with the usual classical sense of the present. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 7:28 mean?

I say to you a greater among [those] born of women than John no one is - yet the least in the kingdom of God greater than he
Λέγω ὑμῖν μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν Ἰωάννου οὐδείς ἐστιν δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ μείζων αὐτοῦ

Λέγω  I  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
μείζων  a  greater 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular, Comparative
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
γεννητοῖς  [those]  born 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: γεννητός  
Sense: begotten, born.
γυναικῶν  of  women 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
Ἰωάννου  than  John 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωάννης 
Sense: John the Baptist was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ.
οὐδείς  no  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δὲ  yet 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
μικρότερος  the  least 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular, Comparative
Root: μικρός  
Sense: small, little.
βασιλείᾳ  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: βασιλεία  
Sense: royal power, kingship, dominion, rule.
Θεοῦ  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
μείζων  greater 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular, Comparative
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
αὐτοῦ  than  he 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.