A religious culture has much to recommend it, sort of like John the Baptist in his early stages. He baptized in water, enforced some needed moralities, and, according to Jesus, neither ate nor drank (see Matthew 11:18). He was a good and religious man, as far as that goes, yet Jesus makes a most amazing statement that we have usually glossed over: “[Of] all the children born to women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11)
