In Honor Preferring Another by W. E. HANCOCK

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 22, 1909

In Honor Preferring Another

By W. E. HANCOCK

W. E. HANCOCK

“I INDEED baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose.” Luke 3:16. The multitudes were flocking to John, asking, “What shall we do?” And “the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts of John, whether he was the Christ, or not.” Luke 3:15. Human impulse would have led John to take advantage of this disposition of the people to regard him as the Christ. But instead we behold him saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Words more characteristically divine were never uttered by human lips. A life more in accord with the example of Christ, who left the glory of heaven to accept the degradation of earthly life, can not be found in the Bible than that of John's, in his resignation to so speedy a humiliation in order that Christ might increase. Of John, Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.”

What made John the Baptist great? Was it riches or position?—No; he had neither of these. His clothing was of camel's hair, his food locusts and wild honey, and his habitation the wilderness. His position was neither recognized nor sanctioned by any earthly organization. Even his fame was as the dew which vanishes before the rising sun, so this could not have made him great. John was comparatively a young man. He had not the prestige of a long experience as a preacher, but he had a mission and a message. He did not allow youth, inexperience, or the lack of recognition by the authorities of his nation to prevent his fulfilling the mission and his proclaiming the message committed to him.

His mission was an important one, and his message the greatest that could have been proclaimed at that time. No one recognized more clearly than John the greatness of the work of proclaiming the coming Messiah. Never did man more fully and fearlessly proclaim a message than did he. We hear him utter the most scathing denunciation against the religious leaders of the people: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” The impression made by his preaching was great upon the minds of the people. It was in marked contrast to the formal teachings of the Jewish leaders. Thousands were flocking to the preacher of the wilderness to be baptized of him. Even the Pharisees were forced to take some action regarding this humble and fearless teacher. The people were willing to proclaim John the long-expected Messiah. The priests and Jewish leaders were no less anxious to acknowledge him as the Christ, if he were to be the deliverer from the Roman yoke. Vainly did they hope he might be the deliverer from earthly bondage, but little did they realize their need of the spiritual deliverance which the true Messiah came to give.

They came to John with the dignified name of authorized teachers, demanding, “Who art thou?” Contrary to their hopes and expectation, “he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.” Art thou Elias?—No. Art thou the prophet? Again he answers, No. Their anxiety intensified, and they asked, “Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?” In the answer given, the greatness of John is revealed—the greatness of true humility. Contrary to human nature, and contrary to the desires of his hearers, he gives the answer, I am not the great one whom you think I am. I am simply a voice crying in the wilderness, “He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” Again these words are repeated by John on the day of Jesus' baptism.

At this critical point of John's work, his true character was revealed by his attitude toward Christ, as expressed in the preceding words, by which he struck the death knell of his greatness in the eyes of the Jewish people. “Though John's mission seemed about to close, it was still possible for him to hinder the work of Christ. If he had sympathized with himself, and expressed grief or disappointment at being superseded, he would have sown the seeds of dissension, would have encouraged envy and jealousy, and would seriously have impeded the progress of the gospel. John had by nature the faults and weaknesses common to humanity, but the touch of divine love had transformed him. He dwelt in an atmosphere uncontaminated with selfishness and ambition, and far above the miasma of jealousy.”—Desire of Ages, page 179.

Henceforth we see his fame quickly decrease, and the fame of Christ increase. His disciples are taken from him, he is imprisoned, and beheaded. His career is as short as it was great. The sudden rise of the great teacher is as suddenly ended by a speedy humiliation. Never was he greater than at this time when he voluntarily resigned his greatness to the One greater, in the words, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” These words express a spiritual truth which every Christian should personally accept and make his motto.

Guatemala City, Guatemala.