John the Baptist was in prison.  It was punishment for privately telling King Herod Antipas he was wrong to divorce his wife and marry his brother’s wife (Matthew 14:1-5).  But Jesus publicly exalted John, saying that nobody else had such a significant spiritual ministry.  Such a bold statement appears to reduce the spiritual status of Abraham, Moses, David and the other prophets.  But why?  Because nobody else had publicly announced Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).  Although the angel Gabriel gave Mary and Joseph that message individually before Christ's birth, and Simeon and Anna spoke privately at Jesus' dedication, John's proclamation of Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:36) was uniquely public.
 
Then Jesus appeared to denigrate John by saying that even the least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than John.  What did that mean?  John was only the messenger: even the most insignificant person who accepted John’s message of repentance and welcomed Jesus as Saviour would become a child of God - and there is no more honoured status in heaven (Luke 9:46-48).
 
The gospel message was certainly being heard in Israel.  Initially many welcomed Jesus and His miracles but could not accept His teaching, and later turned away (John 6:60-66).  But those who accepted that Jesus was the ‘Holy One of God’ (a messianic title in John 6:68-69) were being prepared for the beginning of the church.  However, as people turned against Jesus, He predicted that the church would be their next target (John 15:18-21).  So, John's task of physically pointing people to Jesus heralded the beginning of the church; and his imprisonment was also prophetic of the persecution which awaited those who proclaimed truth and righteousness in Christ (2 Timothy 3:12).  John was the last runner in the 'prophetic relay' of the Old Testament.  When he announced Jesus, the prophetic job was done ... all that remained was for many people to believe in Jesus.
 
The world likes celebrities … the people who can make headlines.  The church still needs people to proclaim Christ to this generation, but the preacher is not above the penitent who welcomes the message.  We like to have our spiritual heroes, but the Lord Jesus said that the least influential person who believes the message is greater than the messenger.  If all heaven is longing to see even just one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7), why do we celebrate one minister over another?  It is worldly behaviour.  There is only one 'class of Christian' - a Christian!  Whatever else we may think is really idolatry!