Who did Jesus have in mind when He said the least in the kingdom of heaven shall be greater than John?
Jesus had the Apostle Paul in mind. Paul called himself the least of the apostles, not meet to be called an apostle because he persecuted the church. Ephesians 3:8 calls him less than the least of all saints. The Holy Spirit twice identifies Paul as the least in the kingdom of heaven, greater than John.
Les explains that when Jesus said the least in the kingdom of heaven would be greater than John, He was pointing to Paul. In the same context, Paul says he is the least of the apostles and not meet to be called an apostle because he persecuted the church, the assembly of God—those Jewish believers in the early chapters of Acts. Then in Ephesians 3:8 Paul calls himself less than the least of all saints. Les notes that by Holy Spirit inspiration Paul is twice called the least in the kingdom of heaven, and he identifies “this man right here”—Paul—as the one Jesus had in mind. Earlier in the unit, Les also connects Paul to one born before the due time, a sampling of what Israel will yet experience.