At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

Matthew 18:1 – 5

We have no idea what prompted the disciples to ask Jesus “who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  Was it because He took Peter and James and John with him to the mount of his transfiguration?  Or were the disciples beginning to feel that Jesus will not be with them always? Will they be left to organize themselves?

As I ponder their question again, I find myself moving my attention to the last few words of their question, “in the kingdom of heaven?”  Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven almost constantly yet the disciples had only the slightest idea of what he was talking about.  Maybe just the word “kingdom” colored their thinking.  Kingdoms have kings!  Under kings are a great variety of offices and titles.  Their idea of “king” in the kingdom of heaven must have reflected their own way of thinking. This is a bit strange because at the time Israel had no king, hadn’t for centuries.

After three years, Jesus stopped once again, to make his disciples aware of how the kingdom of heaven that he came to establish operated. His teaching is a huge surprise.  He brought an ordinary child to his side and, turning to his disciples, said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  He did not answer their question of who is the greatest in his kingdom but he focused on who will obtain entrance into that kingdom of heaven at all.

Then he dealt with the “greatest.” The greatest in the kingdom is as a little child!  I can feel for the disciples as they tried to digest what Jesus is talking about.  This idea baffled them completely.

How about me, and you?  Who is the greatest among the followers of Jesus?  Is what he said true?  That seems so contrary to everything in my culture and experience.  For that very reason I need Jesus to help me to take the “lowly position” and be changed into a little child!  That requires a miracle!