greatness does not lie in the moral cowardice which bends before
every breeze; quite on the contrary, John was like a rock which no storm
could move.

Then there was a second question: "What went ye out to see? a man clothed
in soft raiment?" Surely greatness does not lie along the line of
self-gratification and indulgence. John endured all hardships and was
oblivious to all human delights because he was so devoted to his divine
task. Courage and consecration--these constitute prime factors in moral
greatness.

The real greatness of John consisted, however, in his mission. Jesus
declared that he was the messenger whom Malachi had predicted should
prepare the way of the Lord. Other prophets had appeared and had predicted
the coming of the Messiah. It was given to John not only to declare that
the Christ would come, but to point to him and to say, "Behold, the Lamb
of God! ... this is the Son of God." No greater dignity had ever been
conferred upon a human soul; and no higher privilege can now be enjoyed
than that of turning the thoughts and hearts of men to Jesus Christ, the
Saviour of the world. The present followers of Christ have a larger
knowledge of him than was possessed by John. What their relative positions
will be in the glory of the perfected Kingdom will depend upon the
comparative faithfulness with which they serve their Master.

The praise of John is sharply contrasted with the condemnation of the
Pharisees which Jesus now turned to express. He declared that these
professed leaders were like children sitting in the market place,
complaining one to another that they are willing to play neither at mock
funerals nor at mock weddings, for when John came they refused to follow
him because his aspect and message were too severe, and when Christ came
they criticized him as being too genial, "a friend of publicans and
sinners." The trouble with the Pharisees was that they made an excuse of
the demeanor of John and the conduct of Jesus for refusing what was
essential in their mission and message. They were unwilling to repent at
the command of John or to put their trust in Christ in response to his
promise of grace and life. Thus some men are still refusing to accept the
salvation which is offered because of something in Christianity which is
purely external, while they fail to appreciate its true essence; but there
were those in the days of Jesus, and there are those to-day who are
willing to accept both the call