Mat 18:1-9 | PNT | STEP | The Greatest in the Kingdom SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 18: Who Shall Be Greatest?. Becoming As Little Children. Causing the Little Ones to Stumble. Despising the Little Ones. How to Deal with an Offending Brother. Forgiving Those Who Injure Us. Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. At the same time . As Peter returned from paying the tribute money. Came the disciples unto Jesus . Compare and also . Mark says the conversation occurred at Capernaum ( ). Who is the greatest in the kingdom ? The disciples had disputed in the way was to which of them should be chief ministers in the earthly kingdom that they still supposed Christ would establish ( ). Mark also says that before calling the child, Jesus said: "He that would be greatest among you, let him become the servant of all" ( ), the rule of true greatness.

Matthew 18:1-9

The Greatest in the Kingdom SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 18: Who Shall Be Greatest?. Becoming As Little Children. Causing the Little Ones to Stumble. Despising the Little Ones. How to Deal with an Offending Brother. Forgiving Those Who Injure Us. Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

At the same time. As Peter returned from paying the tribute money.

Came the disciples unto Jesus. Compare Mr 9:33-50 Lu 9:46-50 and also Mt 19:13-15. Mark says the conversation occurred at Capernaum (Mr 9:33).

Who is the greatest in the kingdom? The disciples had disputed in the way was to which of them should be chief ministers in the earthly kingdom that they still supposed Christ would establish (Mr 9:33,34). Mark also says that before calling the child, Jesus said: "He that would be greatest among you, let him become the servant of all" (Mr 9:35), the rule of true greatness. And Jesus called a little child unto him. In order to enforce the words that Mark reports (Mr 9:35), he uses a striking object lesson. This method was a prominent feature of Oriental teaching. Thus it was that Christ washed the disciples' feet (Joh 13:4-17) and Agabus bound his hands and feet with Paul's girdle (Ac 21:11). Except ye be converted. The Revised Version translates, "Except ye turn", which is correct. The Greek word "strepho" translated in the Common Version "be converted" is found in the New Testament in the active voice in every instance but one, and means "to turn". It means something that the subject is "to do", not something that is to be done for him.

Become as little children. Humble, teachable and free from selfish ambition, like little children.

Ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Instead of discussing who should be greatest in the kingdom of heaven, they had better inquire whether they were going to get in at all. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child. This explains the great feature in which they must become as the child. Greatness in the kingdom is not secured by seeking to be greatest. There is a lesson here for Christians, and especially preachers who are ambitious of distinction. Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name. "Receiving in my name" is serving with Christian love, and as belonging to Christ.

Receiveth me. Observe that the true way to receive Christ is to receive into our heart, for Christ's sake, those who need our sympathies. Whoso shall offend. The Revised Version makes this plainer by rendering it "cause to stumble", or to go astray.

Little ones not only embraces children who have learned to believe in Christ, but all lowly and humble disciples.

Better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck. Better that a man should lose his life in so terrible a way than to destroy the souls of others.

Drowned in the depth of the sea. Which was within sight. This method of capital punishment was practiced by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, and possibly occasionally by the Jews. It is still practiced by the Turks. Woe unto the world because of offences! There will continue to be temptations and causes of stumbling in the world which will lead thousands astray and cause much sorrow. If thy hand or thy foot offend thee. Cause you to sin or stumble; ensnare you into evil. The meaning is, if an object dear as the right eye, and useful as the right hand, lead you into sin, that object however dear, you are to part with. See Mt 5:29.

Into life lame or maimed. The meaning is not that a man hath no better way to avoid sin and hell, but if he had no better, he should choose this. Into hell fire. "Into the Gehenna of fire". This phrase is synonymous with "everlasting fire", in Mt 18:8.

See PNT Mt 5:22, for Gehenna.