A.T. Robertson Commentary Luke 7:26

"But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet." — Luke 7:26 (ASV)

A prophet? (προφητην; ). A real prophet will always get a hearing if he has a message from God. He is a for-speaker, forth-teller (προ-φητης). He may or may not be a fore-teller. The main thing is for the prophet to have a message from God which he is willing to tell at whatever cost to himself. The word of God came to John in the wilderness of Judea (Luke 3:2). That made him a prophet. There is a prophetic element in every real preacher of the Gospel. Real prophets become leaders and moulders of men.