Jesus, greater than Solomon
Summary:
King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom (1 Kings 10:23), yet Jesus declares that He is greater than Solomon (Luke 11:31). And indeed, He surpasses him in every way. Solomon possessed riches, yet Jesus owns all things. Solomon was wise and smart, but Jesus is the greater teacher of wisdom. Solomon’s reign brought earthly peace, but Jesus offers peace with God. Solomon built a magnificent temple, but Jesus has built through his blood an even greater temple in his people, the church. Jesus is the Greater King with a greater kingdom – one without borders, spanning heaven and earth, everlasting and unshaken by death. And as the perfect husband, Jesus is greater than Solomon, loving His bride, the church, perfectly and eternally.
The Greatest of All: Why Jesus Stands Alone in History
Today we begin a new series called Greater Than. Our goal is to look at the statements Jesus made where he compared himself to other biblical figures and declared that he is greater than them.
When you think about it, doesn’t it sound a bit arrogant for someone to say he is greater than others? I think of Muhammad Ali, the boxer, running around saying, “I’m the greatest!” It sounds cocky and arrogant, and nobody likes to hear someone talk about their own greatness. But Jesus stands in a category all by himself. In these statements, he claims to be the greatest figure in the history of the Bible and in the history of the world. That is quite a claim, isn’t it? When you consider the rich history of God’s redemptive work through Israel and all the magnificent figures of faith, Jesus says he stands central and superior to everyone. People argue about Jesus and his claim to be God. Either Jesus is crazy, a liar, or he is God. And because he is God, he can make such claims without ego, pride, or falsehood.
Today, we focus on Jesus comparing himself to Solomon. I invite you to open to the Gospel of Luke and the 11th chapter. We will focus on one verse, but we will read the entire section to give more context.
“This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the Prophet. For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise up in judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed, a greater than Jonah is here.” (Luke 11:29-32)
Now, there is also a reference to Jonah here, which we will look at next week. The Pharisees had been asking for a sign to validate his ministry, but there was already plenty of evidence in his words and his works. Jesus knew their intentions were evil, their hearts hard, and their question insincere. So he said no sign would be given except the sign of Jonah. But today we focus on Jesus comparing himself to Solomon.
A greater than Solomon is here
Then in verse 31, He declares that the Queen of the South will rise up in judgment against this generation, for she traveled a great distance to hear Solomon’s wisdom. And then He adds—and listen closely, because this is quite a statement: “A greater than Solomon is here.” Not a colleague, not a companion, not someone in the same category—someone who is greater. Jesus had already established His reputation as a teacher. People would come and say, “Teacher, what about this?” But imagine this: Jesus doesn’t say, “I’m comparable to Solomon. Maybe I’m as good as him.” No, He says He is an even better teacher than Solomon—the one who wrote the book of Proverbs. That is quite a claim.
Jesus: The Greatest in All of History
Jesus was telling His audience—and through them, to you—that as you survey the long line of sacred history preserved in the Bible, there is One who steps into that history unlike any other. Everybody who came before Him and anyone who comes after Him is essentially inferior to Him. Imagine being there and hearing Jesus make such a claim. The Jews were proud of their history: Abraham, the father of the people; Moses, the great deliverer; David, the greatest king; the Pharisees, the teachers of the law. Yet Jesus says He is greater than them all. That is exactly the claim He is making.
Jesus saw Himself accurately and described Himself appropriately. There is no ego in His words, no pride, only truth. He is the most important and most central figure in the history of God’s people—and always will be. He is the most central figure in all of human history—and always will be. This is the Christ I preach to you: not just another man, not just one among many good or holy people. He is the sum of all that human achievement was meant to be: walking with God, worshipping God, and obeying God fully.
He has no rival, no equal. As Revelation asks,
“Is there anybody worthy to open the scroll?” (Revelation 5:2)
Without Jesus, no. But we gladly affirm, because Scripture teaches it: He is worthy. Jesus truly is the greatest of all, and when He says it, we should appreciate it, because it helps us think more accurately about Him.
Now consider Solomon, the one Jesus says He is greater than. Solomon had a complicated history, much like you and I. He was a celebrated king of Israel with an expansive and prosperous kingdom, marked by peace. He had riches, influence, honor among Gentiles. He was wise, publishing works of insight, the son of David—a son of promise on the throne God had said would never be empty.
The Wisdom of Solomon
When God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon said, “Give me wisdom,” and God gave it to him. Early in his reign came the story of the two women fighting over a baby. Solomon said, “Bring me a sword. Cut the baby in half; each take a part.” The true mother begged to spare the child’s life, revealing her identity. Solomon had wisdom for complicated situations.
His wisdom filled the book of Proverbs:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10)
and
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
He was a celebrated author known throughout the world. The Queen of Sheba traveled from the ends of the Earth, saying, “I must see this for myself.” She was astonished, saying she had not been told even half of what she witnessed of his greatness, riches, and wisdom.
Yet Jesus says this queen’s actions in seeking Solomon’s wisdom will be part of the condemnation of the generation that heard Him. Because “a greater than Solomon is here.”
Seeking Wisdom but Ignoring Christ
Jesus says that the actions of the Queen of the South, who went through great trouble to come and listen and honor Solomon, will be part of the condemnation of the generation he was speaking to. She made the effort to seek wisdom, yet
“indeed, a greater than Solomon is here” (Luke 11:31)
and they did not recognize Him. They didn’t listen, and they didn’t believe the words Jesus spoke. The Pharisees, who revered Solomon, studied his teachings, and created literature about him, failed to see that one greater than Solomon was standing before them. You need to listen to what Jesus says and do what he tells you to do.
Jesus’ Wisdom Surpasses Solomon’s
Solomon was wise and smart, but Jesus is wiser and smarter. When you read Jesus’ teachings and watch how people react, you can see something different is happening. That is why the people, when they hear Jesus teach, say, “This is different. He has authority.” (Matthew 7:29) It is not like the long-winded speculation of the Pharisees and scribes. It carries the very authority of God from heaven. Authority in teaching is unmissable—it comes from a close walk with God and full confidence in his teachings. Jesus is the full embodiment of that authority.
Jesus taught on the Kingdom of God, gave parables that astonished people, and declared in the Beatitudes, saying, “This is the type of person that belongs to my Kingdom.” As the author of Hebrews says,
“God, in various times and in various ways, spoke in the past through the prophets, but in these last days, he has spoken through his Son, who is the express image of his person.” (Hebrews 1:1–3)
Jesus is the full revelation of God because He is God—embodying the word of God, teaching the word of God, living the word of God. Solomon gave you God’s word as a human conduit, but he could never say, “I am the very word of God.”
The Greatest Teacher of All Time
Jesus was not just a human instrument through which God speaks. He is God in human flesh. Through the incarnation, the divine nature was united with the human nature so that God could speak directly through his human mouth. Jesus is described in the early Christian creeds as “very God of very God and very man of very man in one person,” giving God’s word to man in human words. Jesus is the true and greater teacher of wisdom – wisdom personified, wisdom incarnated. The depth and riches of God’s wisdom are seen in Him. As Paul says,
“Oh, the depth and riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” (Romans 11:33)
What was once hidden in light inaccessible is now standing before you in the flesh. Jesus says to you: “I am greater because I am the greatest, because I am God”.
Even as a boy in the temple, Jesus’ insight and the questions he asked were met with astonishment by the teachers. He was recognized as the true rabbi—not just a teacher, but the teacher. He was seen as different from all others who claimed to teach wisdom.
At a funeral in California, someone once told me they loved to study the teachings of Buddha, Mohammed, and Jesus. I told him Jesus is different. Take Jesus at his word: Jesus claimed to be God, Jesus claimed to be your Savior. Buddha never did that. Mohammed never did that. So decide: Is Jesus right or wrong? If he is right, he must not be placed in the same category as those other teachers. Jesus is then the greatest—not merely a great teacher, but the greatest because he is God.
Listening and Obeying the Greatest Teacher, Jesus Christ
That is why, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25)
“Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” (John 12:50)
Today, the Queen of Sheba will stand up and judge the world in condemnation for not hearing, not listening, and not obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She came from the ends of the earth to hear it. And in contrast, Jesus, through his church, goes to the ends of the earth so that people would hear him. So we must listen, and we must listen in such a way that we obey.
It is vital that we are manicuring our hearts and doing the deep work there, so that we have hearts full of good soil for God to sow his word. The other morning, as we were reading the Bible before Aslan went to school, we came to the parable of the soil. I was just doing my duty as a dad. He was asking entirely too many questions—his mind going all over—and at the end of it, we prayed, “God, make our hearts the type of soil that you can sow in and bring fruit.”
That is why we pray before we preach, very seriously: “God, open our hearts, open our eyes, open our ears” so that this isn’t just some fruitless religious exercise.
Jesus: The Greater King
Jesus says, I am greater than Solomon. Let me elaborate on that. Solomon was not just a teacher, but he was a king. Jesus is the true prophet, the true king, and his kingship is better and greater than the kingship of Solomon. Solomon had an impressive reign—the man even had a zoo with apes. His reign was impressive and expansive, and the borders of Israel were large and influential during his time.
A greater Kingdom without borders
But Jesus has a better kingdom. His kingdom has no borders. It encompasses heaven and earth. Solomon died, but Jesus never dies, and his kingdom knows no end. Solomon’s kingdom was marked by peace, but Jesus’s kingdom is marked by true peace—peace with God and peace with fellow man through forgiveness in his blood. This is the type of peace that says, “Bless those who curse you” and “Love your enemies.” It is the type of peace that says, “Love forgives a multitude of sins.” He is the Prince of Peace. Jesus said, “My peace I leave with you.” It is the type of peace that brings together nations, tribes, and tongues around one central figure, worshipping him and giving him homage.
The only way to peace is Jesus
In this chaotic political season that we’re in, where are the answers? They’re not in the candidates, they’re not in the systems, they’re not in the governments—and they never will be. You will never legislate your way to find the type of peace that God intends. That peace can only be found in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. As scattered and divided as our world is, there will be nobody who says, “My campaign is so good, I’m bringing us all together.” No, you’re not, because you will divide me against those that disagree with me. Jesus alone can do this because he establishes peace on the vertical level with God, which is the basis for peace on the horizontal level with one another. The world needs Jesus. That is why when we sing, we don’t say the world needs political parties or leaders—we say, “People need the Lord.” Look at the world, what is going on—people need the Lord.
Jesus, richer than Solomon
Solomon was marked by riches. He was a very rich man. But Jesus is the owner of all things. He owns the cattle on the hills and blesses us according to his glorious riches. I remember, as an American, going to England for the first time. It was an experience because of the queen. I went to the London Tower and looked at the Crown jewels. I thought, “Wow, this is impressive.” Our leaders just live in houses where the air conditioning probably breaks often. But I was impressed, thinking, “I am in the presence of the symbols of royalty.” And yet, this pales in comparison to the riches of Christ.
Solomon’s Temple and Jesus’ Temple
I want you to see this clearly: Solomon built a temple, a magnificent temple. But Jesus is the temple. He is the place where God dwells, the temple where God’s glory resides and has never left. Through his work on the cross and his calling people to himself, he is establishing an even greater temple in his people—the church. At the end of it all, as we see in Revelation, God will once again dwell with his people as a cosmic temple.
The faithful bridegroom: Greater than solomon
Jesus is a greater husband than Solomon. Solomon was untrue, he loved many women, and his heart was led astray from God. Jesus, on the other hand, pursues his bride who has strayed and loves her sacrificially.
Jesus, a teacher who truly practices what he preaches
Jesus has greater wisdom than Solomon. Solomon was wise, but there’s a huge problem if you want to copy his life. Like anyone who teaches God’s word, the dilemma is not how well I teach it, but how well I live it. Solomon was an offender, a repeat offender, as we all are. He could only say, “Do as I say, but don’t do everything as I’ve done.” But Jesus can say, “Do as I say and do as I’ve done,” because he lived out everything he taught with full integrity.
Jesus: The Perfect and Greater Son of David
Jesus is the greater son of David. Solomon sat on David’s throne, but the true promise was about Jesus Christ, the obedient Son, the Messiah, who sits on David’s throne and reigns in righteousness and justice. He never disobeys the will of his Father—not a single act, not a single word, not a single thought. In totality, Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience.
Building a New Temple Through His Blood
As the Queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon’s wisdom, Jesus in his mercy sends his people to the ends of the earth to proclaim the gospel of the one greater than Solomon. He is the King who left his throne. He who had all riches became poor so that you and I could become rich toward God. He endured the wrath of God to give us peace. He was crucified outside the city because he is the true temple that cannot be destroyed, and through this, he creates a new temple in his people. He is the true Son who obeyed to the very end, so that through his obedience, your disobedience could be forgiven through his blood.
Our Messiah Who Conquered the Grave
He is more than just a greater teacher. He is more than just a greater example. He is the Messiah. He is the savior from sins. So is he greater than Solomon? You bet. He’s greater than all. He’s greater than your problems. He’s greater than your sins. And he is certainly greater than the grave, as he demonstrated by the resurrection. Blessed be his name.
