Matthew 18:1

“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

The disciples sense that things are coming to a head.  Jesus speaks in solemn tones about his death and resurrection. The disciples are not all that clear about how this is all going to work out but at least they envisioned some sort of government, like King David set up, a government with a cabinet of ministers, departments, etc.

After three years of living and ministering with Jesus and after hearing dozens of parables and stories about that kingdom that God was establishing on the earth, they simply could not bring themselves to believe that the Kingdom of God resembles no kingdom whatsoever on the earth – past, present or future. I have no idea about what they thought the Kingdom might look like because, unlike earthly kingdoms, it is detached from any tribe, language or nation.  That was too much for them. And it stretches me marvelously.  I see how irrelevant are the parameters of earthly kingdoms.  The kingdom of God is held together by the heavenly glue that binds people to Jesus Christ

That they thought in ordinary human terms reveals itself in a burning question they had as they looked into the future, it had to do with “who?” I suppose they realized that Jesus is the King, so to speak, of his kingdom.  But they must have asked themselves, if Jesus dies, then what? He had not prepared them for that!  They must have surely thought, “You can not have a kingdom without a regimented leadership, ready to take over.” It is now three years since the twelve were together with Jesus and he never made the slightest move toward even sketching out how the disciples will become, under Him, the new government of his kingdom.

We can only conjecture about their concerns but Jesus saw, in their question, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” a dangerous flaw.  They had not a clue about life in the kingdom. Their question proved that.

Jesus’ answer to their question about “Who is the greatest?” stretched their thinking beyond their capacity to imagine a new reality. He spoke, with feeling, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” I suppose the question that pleases Jesus is “Who is the least in the kingdom?”

So there it is!  I need a radical change of mind – of world-view – to see the Kingdom of God. I stand with the disciples – “Teach me more.”