Matthew 11:13-14
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The phrasing "all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John" isn't just saying that prophecy ended with John. It emphasizes that the entire Old Testament, including the Law, was pointing forward to something, and John marked the moment this anticipation was fulfilled.
For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is explaining John the Baptist's significance to the crowds after John sent messengers to ask if Jesus was the Messiah. He emphasizes that John was more than a prophet, fulfilling the role of Elijah and marking the transition from the Old Testament era of prophecy to the new reality of God's kingdom. This verse highlights that all previous scripture and law pointed toward this moment, with John serving as the final herald before the kingdom's arrival.
Did you know John the Baptist was more than just a prophet? Jesus said something remarkable about his place in God's plan, marking a clear shift in how God communicated with humanity.
Jesus declares that "all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John." This is a profound statement about the history of God's revelation.
The Purpose of Past Revelation
John's Transitionary Ministry
John the Baptist stands at a crucial intersection. He is the culmination of all that came before. Instead of merely predicting, John pointed to the actual arrival of the fulfillment. Jesus Himself says John is "higher than a Prophet" because he didn't just speak about the Messiah from afar, but stood face-to-face with Him and announced, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!'
This verse signifies that the era of prophecy and the Law, as the primary means of God's revelation and anticipation of the Messiah, had reached its fulfillment in John's ministry.
Ask a follow-up
Jesus describes a 'violent' movement towards the Kingdom of Heaven starting with John. What does this intense language mean for how people responded to God's message?
The verse immediately following Matthew 11:13 states, 'from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.' This isn't about aggression or destruction, but about fervent, passionate engagement.
A New Urgency
Why Such Intensity?
This intense response is a direct result of the climax Jesus describes. When the long-promised revelation (the Prophets and the Law) culminates in John, and the Messiah Himself appears, the urgency to embrace this new reality becomes paramount. It's the difference between hearing about a treasure and actually seeing it – the desire to possess it becomes overwhelming.
Understand the original words
nomos · Greek Noun
The authoritative body of divinely revealed Scripture given through Moses, representing God's moral standard, covenantal expectations, and the foundation of the Old Testament revelation.
prophētai · Greek Noun
The messengers of God who spoke under divine inspiration, conveying His warnings, promises, and the anticipation of the coming Messiah. They serve as the historical record of God's progressive revelation.
Ēlias · Hebrew/Greek Proper Noun
A major Old Testament prophet associated with zeal for God, reform, and specifically prophesied to return as a herald for the coming of the Day of the Lord. In the New Testament, he serves as the archetypal forerunner of the Messiah.
This verse highlights a pivotal transition in God's redemptive plan, marking the end of the era of prophecy and law pointing towards the Messiah, and the beginning of the age where the Kingdom of Heaven is actively proclaimed and entered through Christ.
c. 1500 BC - 400 BC
Old Testament Period
The Law (Torah) and the Prophets comprised the Hebrew Scriptures, containing prophecies and foreshadowings of a coming Messiah and a new covenant.
c. 5 BC - AD 28— this verse
Ministry of John the Baptist
John the Baptist emerged as a prophet, preparing the way for Jesus by calling people to repentance and announcing the imminent arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven.
c. AD 28
Jesus Begins Public Ministry
Jesus began His public ministry, building upon and fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament and John the Baptist's message.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus' atoning sacrifice and resurrection marked the definitive inauguration of the New Covenant and the Kingdom of Heaven in its fuller reality.
This verse echoes Matthew 11:13, stating that 'The Law and the Prophets were until John,' highlighting John's transitional role as the end of the Old Covenant era and the beginning of the new.
Malachi 3:1This Old Testament prophecy speaks of a messenger preparing the way before the Lord, which Jesus explicitly links to John the Baptist in Matthew 11:10, showing how John fulfilled the prophetic role pointing to the Messiah.
Acts 10:43Peter states that 'everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name,' which aligns with the idea that the prophecies of the Law and Prophets find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, the one John heralded.
Hebrews 1:1-2This passage explains that God 'in these last days has spoken to us by his Son,' emphasizing that Jesus is the ultimate revelation, fulfilling and surpassing all previous prophetic messages given through the prophets and the Law.
calvinMatthew 11:7-15: "And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?"
- And as they were departing, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, What went you out into the wilderness to see? A reed, which is shaken by the wind? 8. But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? [8] Lo, they who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings. 9. But what went you out to see?…
clarkeMatthew 11:13: "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John."
All the prophets and the law prophesied until John - I believe προεφητευσαν means here, they taught, or continued to instruct. They were the instructers concerning the Christ who was to come, till John came and showed that all the predictions of the one, and the types and ceremonies of the other were now about to be fully and finally accomplished; for Christ was now revealed. The word is taken in this sense, Matthew 7:22 .
The phrasing "all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John" isn't just saying that prophecy ended with John. It emphasizes that the entire Old Testament, including the Law, was pointing forward to something, and John marked the moment this anticipation was fulfilled.
Jesus is explaining John the Baptist's significance to the crowds after John sent messengers to ask if Jesus was the Messiah. He emphasizes that John was more than a prophet, fulfilling the role of Elijah and marking the transition from the Old Testament era of prophecy to the new reality of God's kingdom. This verse highlights that all previous scripture and law pointed toward this moment, with John serving as the final herald before the kingdom's arrival.
Jesus is explaining John the Baptist's significance to the crowds after John sent messengers to ask if Jesus was the Messiah. He emphasizes that John was more than a prophet, fulfilling the role of Elijah and marking the transition from the Old Testament era of prophecy to the new reality of God's kingdom. This verse highlights that all previous scripture and law pointed toward this moment, with John serving as the final herald before the kingdom's arrival.
"For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come." — The phrasing "all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John" isn't just saying that prophecy ended with John. It emphasizes that the entire Old Testament, including the Law, was *pointing forwar…
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Last reviewed October 2026
