Luke 7:26

26 `But what have ye gone forth to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet:

Luke 7:26 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 7:26

But what went ye out for to see?
&c.] What led your curiosity to go into the wilderness after him, since it could not be any of the above things? was it to see

a prophet?
which was the case; for John was a prophet, and was known to be one; and the fame of him, as such, drew vast numbers to see and hear him, there not having been a prophet among the Jews, for some hundreds of years:

yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet;
not that he was the prophet Moses did say should come; nor was he the priest that should arise with the "Urim" and "Thummim", that the "Tirshatha", Nehemiah spoke of; nor was he the king Messiah; but he was his forerunner, he saw him and baptized him, and so was greater than any of the prophets that went before him.

Luke 7:26 In-Context

24 And the messengers of John having gone away, he began to say unto the multitudes concerning John: `What have ye gone forth to the wilderness to look on? a reed by the wind shaken?

25 but what have ye gone forth to see? a man in soft garments clothed? lo, they in splendid apparellings, and living in luxury, are in the houses of kings!

26 `But what have ye gone forth to see? a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet:

27 this is he concerning whom it hath been written, Lo, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee;

28 for I say to you, a greater prophet, among those born of women, than John the Baptist there is not; but the least in the reign of God is greater than he.'