Bible Brad

Matt 18 pt1

4 min read

Important

Context: “In that hour…” this happens chronologically right after the events of Chapter 17

The Greatest and the Least

Who is the Greatest in Heaven?

This is a fair question in my book. If I could sit down and talk with God, I’d probably want to know what I could do that would make me be one who he considers to be one of the greats

Those who humble themselves as a child

  1. The ranks that the deciples were thinking about are turned upside down
  2. A child has the least authority, the least knowledge, the least experience, and the smallest voice, yet, in God’s eyes, this is desirable. While there’s nothing wrong with earthly power, knowledge, skill, or influence, God doesn’t ultimately care about them
  3. What makes someone great in God’s eyes is their willingness to submit to his authority; their ability to blindly trust and turn to Him for for any and every need
  4. Children don’t worry themselves about how something came to be, it just is because their parents told them so. So too should we “just accept” what God has given us, namely the gift of salvation.
  5. We can’t work ourselves out of our debt to Christ, nor should we spent our focus on how we even could. Instead, we should take the principles God handed us and apply them: to seek justice, Love mercy, and live faithfully (Matt 23:23)

Whoever would take such a child takes me

  1. As we see in the next section, those who are great are those that lead others to Christ
  2. The Greek (G1209 = dechomai) and the Lexicon Hebrew (H3947 = laqach) is the idea of taking by the hand, snatching, taking away. This isn’t talking about adopting children but rather, leading them or carrying them along, to gird

Who is the Least in Heaven?

This comes unprompted. Jesus just tosses it out there

Whoever would cause those who believe in me to sin

  1. From the last statement, the least of these would just be any true believer in Christ
  2. The millstone listed was one used by a donkey. This is in contrast to a smaller, hand-grinding stone. He is unabiguously saying that you should drown, with no chance at surviving (clearly hyperbole)
  3. Temptation to sin is necessary but sin itself is not. Temptation can yeild either proof of righteousness or inducement of evil
    • 1 Corinthians 10:13

      No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

  4. Several extreme examples are given to show the sevarity of sin in God’s eyes

Lost sheep

Given all that was said about who was the greatest and who was the least, and with the context that one that causes the “least of these” to sin is considered the least: “you must see to it that you do not despise one of the least of these”. Jesus was sent to tend to “the least of these” and would leave the 99 to get just one lost sheep. Moreover, he rejoices over that sheep more than the ones that never left

Important

  1. This isn’t a heirarchy but how do we do our best to be great?2. What are some good ways to be at least “not the least”? That is, how do we both Love our neighbor and also not cause others to be tempted.3. If we’re fine with a lost person continuing to sin, is that considered tempting?

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