“He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.”~ Matt. 3:11
“One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose.”~ Lk. 3:16
“There cometh One mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.”~ Mk. 1:7
If you study the life of Paul you will find an on-going deepening humility over the years. Early on in his Christian life, he tells us he was “the least of the apostles”; later on in his life that he was, “less than the least of all saints”; then toward the end, “I am the chief of sinners,” (1 Cor. 15:9; Eph. 3:8; 1Tim. 1:15).
And so it was with John Baptist. He tells his followers, before the axe fell, “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease,” (Jn. 3:30). Generally speaking, this is a progressive act.
In Matthew's gospel (3:11), John tells us that he is not worthy to carry Jesus’ shoes. In Luke (3:16), that he is not worthy to help Jesus on and off with His shoes. But in Mark (1:7) that he didn’t even consider himself worthy to stoop, in helping with His shoes.
In Luke 1:15 and 32 we find these words concerning John and Jesus. “For he (John) shall be great in the sight of the Lord”…"He (Jesus) shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest.”
Both are great but One is greater! In Genesis 1:16 we find the answer. “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.” John was the lesser greater than the GREATER!
In Bible times, when one entered a home, it was customary and the business of the lowest of servants to help guests with taking off their shoes. John believed he was not even worthy to stoop as a servant to untie THE SERVANT'S shoe. He felt he was unworthy to even be a servant to THE SERVANT!