Discussion on Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mat. 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48).

After the miraculous payment of the Temple tax in Capernaum, the disciples began an argument as to who is the greatest among them i.e. who will have preeminence in power and honor in that Messiah’s kingdom, which they expected to be revealed shortly. With that, they approached the Lord “saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’” The Lord’s response is direct and definite, aimed against any inclinations among His disciples toward supremacy: “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” It is as though the Lord is saying: “Don’t strive for primacy in My Church, because this carries extreme labor and extreme self-renouncement, and not peace and glory as you imagine.” Having called a little child — who, according to Nicephorus’, went on to become the holy martyr Ignatius God-bearer, Bishop of Antioch — the Lord set him in the middle of His disciples, and pointing to him said: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” In other words, if you don’t abandon your false opinions about the Messiah’s kingdom and your conceited hopes to secure primacy in that kingdom, then you shall not be able to enter it. Children are pure of heart. They do not have preconceived notions about being elevated or of acquiring. They are meek and humble, they are at present devoid of envy and vainglory, and the desire to be first — qualities that should be emulated by those who wish to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven” — he who humbles himself, acknowledges his unworthiness to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, regards himself as being lower than others, only he will appear as the greatest. Therefore, he who rids himself of his conceived self-importance, who will turn away from ambition and pride — toward humility and meekness, and become as diminutive as the diminutive child, he will carry greater significance in the Heavenly Kingdom. At the same time, the Lord taught His disciples a lesson on the interrelationship between the Members of Christ’s Kingdom: “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me,’ i.e. anybody who treats these little children — or any meek and humble people, akin to these children — with love in the name of Christ, he does it as though for Me Personally. In other words, he who fulfils My commandments on love toward the weak and humiliated.

This discourse by the Lord is narrated by Evangelist Matthew without a break in continuity, while Evangelists Mark and Luke interrupt their recitations with Apostle John’s words on the healing of a demoniac, by a man, through the use of Christ’s name.