With the recent death of Muhammad Ali, many of the morning shows on TV were paying tribute to him. Whether it was the Thrilla in Manila when he fought Joe Frazier, or the Rumble in the Jungle when he fought George Foreman, Muhammad Ali was known for his self-proclaimed “I am the greatest.”
BUT…
The only one who could ever say “I am the greatest” and in reality IS the greatest is Jesus Christ.
To the Jews of Jesus’ day, the temple represented the worship of God, yet Jesus Christ Himself emphatically declared…
“I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.”
Matthew 12:6
Jonah was one of God’s prophets, yet Jesus Christ Himself emphatically declared…
“The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”
Matthew 12:41
And king Solomon was so well known for his wisdom, yet Jesus Christ Himself emphatically declared…
“The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”
Matthew 12:42
Furthermore, if you thought like a Jew in Jesus’ day, you would have an exalted view of angels. According to the Talmud and rabbinical teaching, Jews viewed angels as the highest next to God. Above everything else, what exalted angels in the mind of a Jew was that the Law was brought to them from God by angels. They believed that the angels were the mediators of their covenant with God.(Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19)
Yet Scripture emphatically declares Jesus is superior to the angels.
“After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
Hebrews 1:3b-4
Jesus is superior to angels because He is…
1)…addressed by the Father as “My Son”(Hebrews 1:5)
2)…adored by the angles as firstborn(Hebrews 1:6)
3)…anointed by the Father as King(Hebrews 1:7-9)
4)…addressed by the Father as “God”(Hebrews 1:8-9)
5)…addressed by the Father as “Lord”(Hebrews 1:10)
6)…ascribed by the Father the divine act of creation(Hebrews 1:10)
7)…ascribed by the Father the divine attribute of immutability(Hebrews 1:12)
8)…ascribed by the Father the divine attribute of eternality(Hebrews 1:10-12)
9)…appointed by the Father to His right hand(Hebrews 1:13-14)
God raised up Moses to lead the Jews out of slavery in Egypt. Yet Jesus is greater than Moses.
“Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son.”
Hebrews 3:1-6
And the icing on the cake so to speak is that Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant.
“But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.”
Hebrews 8:6
So,
Jesus is greater than the temple.
Jesus is greater than Jonah.
Jesus is greater than Solomon.
Jesus is superior to angels.
Jesus is superior to Moses.
Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant.
HE ALONE IS THE GREATEST!!!
