Matthew 18:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

NIV: Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

NASB: So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

CSB: Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

NLT: So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

KJV: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

NKJV: Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

The disciples have asked Jesus a question out of their own ambition for greatness (Matthew 18:1–3). They see themselves as twelve men on the ground floor of an organization that will soon explode into a kingdom. They seem to imagine themselves occupying the most significant positions in this new kingdom Jesus will establish on the earth and it is only a question of which one among them will be the most important. They do not understand yet that Jesus has not come to set up His political kingdom (John 18:36), but to suffer and die for the sins of humanity.

Jesus now offers His first direct answer to their question, and it must have baffled them in the moment. He points to the child He has placed in the midst of their group and says that whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

What does it mean to humble oneself like a child? Jesus is not saying that children are naturally wise, pure, innocent, and mature. We all know better than that. Children are humble in the sense that they recognize they are not in control of their own lives. They are dependent on others to receive everything they need and want. They have no power not granted by the adults in their lives. They have no status in society as a whole. They are, in reality, humble, no matter their attitude on any given day.

The greatest in the kingdom, then, is the one who is most humble, most aware of his or her lack of power, most dependent on God to provide all that is needed.

Matthew 18:1–6 describes Jesus' surprising answer to a question from the disciples about who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He calls a child to Him and puts that child in the middle of the group. He says they must become "like children" in order to enter the kingdom—a reference to humility and sincere obedience. The greatest is one who humbles himself in this way. Those who receive children like that in Jesus' name receive Him. Using the metaphor of drowning, Jesus warns anyone who would cause one of His followers to sin.

Jesus uses two questions from the disciples to teach important lessons. The "greatest" in the kingdom is the one who humbles himself like a child. Temptation is unavoidable in earthly life, but it's worth going to extremes to avoid falling for it. Even so, those who fall should not be hated and despised. God the Father values them highly and wants none of them to perish. In fact, Jesus lays out a clear, careful process to confront sin in others before removing them from the community. Christ also replies to Peter's question about forgiveness with a parable. This story represents both God's amazing forgiveness, and the way we ought to respond as Christians.

Matthew 18 follows the action of the previous chapter with teaching from Jesus on several issues. These include humility, using the example of a child. Jesus also teaches about avoiding sin and offering forgiveness to others. Interestingly, the following chapter will also feature references to children and to wealth, as Christ continues to explain the will of God to His disciples.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.