Matthew 18:10

“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.”  v 10

This chapter opens with the disciples asking Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” I suppose this is the question one might suspect when the air is filled with the prospects of great change, Jesus is setting up his kingdom!  Jesus continued to impress on his disciples to  be aware of the coming of the Kingdom of God, already here but also coming. They, as can be expected, could think only of the earthly kingdoms like that of King David with cabinet officers, and such.  I think their question reflects that when they asked, “Who is the greatest?”

Jesus is so gentle. After three years of teaching and living and ministering together they could not imagine a kingdom that looked like the one Jesus is constantly talking about. So when Jesus spoke of the coming of the Kingdom of God among mankind they certainly wondered why, if it is so near, has Jesus not organized for it. Who will be the Prime Minister, etc., they wondered. Who will be the most powerful person – under Jesus, of course!

Their question revealed that they had no idea of how the kingdom will work. Jesus must have disappointed them by not discussing the matter as they wished. Instead he brought a little child to explain the style of life in the new Kingdom, explaining that instead of asking who is the greatest, the question is, who is willing to be a child? Not only willing to be a child but to serve all people as though they were beloved children.