By Joe Slater
“He who comes from above is above all; he who is of
the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who
comes from heaven is above all” (John 3:31).
John the Immerser deliberately made a play on the
word “above” in this passage. The first “above” pertains
to heaven being “above” the earth directionally. But the
second “above” is a reference to rank. Jesus is “above”
everyone else in rank. The Lord Himself said, “All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth”
(Matthew 28:18).
Why does Jesus outrank all others? The place from
which He came partially answers that question. John
and all the prophets before him were earthly men; but
Jesus had come from Heaven where He had been
eternally co-existent with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The point is not that John, Moses, Elijah, or the other
prophets were wrong or evil. In fact, there was a time
when God spoke through such men. But as Hebrews 1:2
says, God “has in these last days spoken to us by His
Son.” On the Mount of Transfiguration, when Moses
and Elijah appeared alongside Jesus, God’s voice
commanded: “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
(Mark 9:7).
In ancient times, kings led their armies on the battle field.
Loyal soldiers understood the importance of following
their king. Even the captain of the army knew the king
outranked him.
Jesus is our King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation
19:16). As His loyal soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3), let us honor
His supreme rank with our careful obedience!
Groveland, FL