Jesus Welcomes Two Children by the Sea of Galileeby PastorDaniel
18:2Matthew 18:2
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
When His disciples were disputing who would be greatest and first in the earthly kingdom of display and position they still expected, Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in the midst of them as a living pattern of true greatness. Entering His kingdom requires conversion to become as little children, for pride and self-sufficiency bar the way while humility puts a person where Christ can guide and bless. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is whoever humbles himself as that child, since greatness is not decided by rank, authority or strife for supremacy but by inward character in meekness, purity, mercy, justice and love of God. That childlikeness means lowliness, simplicity, teachableness, willing submission to God's training, humble dependence, guilelessness and freedom from selfishness and hypocrisy. The little ones are both literal children and those little in faith and experience who believe in Christ, so that to receive one in Christ's name is to receive Christ Himself, while to despise or cause one to stumble brings guilt worthy of judgment worse than drowning with a millstone about the neck. Putting the lesson into practice therefore forbids exalting self and domineering over brethren, and calls for esteeming others better than self, serving all in unity, and treating children, youth and erring believers with tenderness, patience and compassion in order to save the lost.
Setting and Action
The act answers the disciples disputing among themselves about who would be greatest and first, striving for supremacy and the highest place. They did so because they still expected an earthly kingdom with earthly display and splendor, wealth and position, and held a false idea of Christ's work and of the character of the kingdom He was to set up on earth. The calling of a little child and setting him in the midst corrects that expectation, teaching that none of those earthly things are of any weight with God and that greatness in His sight is not gained by striving for supremacy. Entrance into the kingdom of heaven requires conversion and becoming humble and lowly like a child, and the humble are greatest there.
Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in the midst of the disciples as a living, visible object lesson and example, a pattern and standard for His teaching on humility and greatness. The child's place at the center illustrates that greatness is not rank or authority but humble, loving dependence on God. The child pictures a character bearing the semblance of Christ's spotless character, as a little child eagerly desiring to take the hand of Christ and be led in safe paths, with a submissive spirit willing to wear the yoke of Christ and learn His meekness and lowliness, enabled to walk wisely in a perfect way and changed into Christ's likeness. The lesson applies to experienced and inexperienced workers alike, especially those in positions of trust, calling teachers and God's people to become converted and follow Christ's teaching, to reject the pursuit of supremacy and to treat believers with care rather than despise, condemn, or harm them.
Jesus sought a quiet opportunity to instruct them in this dispute over who should be greatest. He answered their striving by holding up a small child rather than by exalting any man such as Peter as superior to copy. That choice forbids exalting any man for rank.
Conversion and True Greatness
To enter the kingdom of heaven a person must be converted and turn to become as a little child, for self-exaltation, pride and self-sufficiency shut the door while humility puts one where Christ can guide and bless. The child set in the midst of the disciples is the living pattern of the lowliness, submission and dependence on God required of all who would belong to that kingdom, whether experienced or inexperienced workers and especially those in positions of trust. Unless there is this change from striving for supremacy to childlike humility, there is no entrance, and the whole chapter is to be read with a humble heart softened by penitence and prayer.
The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is whoever humbles himself as that little child, and greatness is not gained by contending to be first. Ambitious pushing for the highest place shows a character that in heaven's reckoning makes a person least and lowest, while the humble are exalted as greatest. By little ones are meant not only babies but those who believe in Christ and have not yet gained experience in following Him, who need to be led like children in seeking the things of the kingdom.
Greatness in Christ's spiritual kingdom is not decided by rank, outward splendor, authority, high position, earthly display, wealth, or strife for supremacy, for none of those earthly things carry weight with God. It is decided by inward excellence of character, spiritual purity, excellence of speech, meekness, mercy, justice, love of God, humble loving dependence on Him, and likeness to Christ's spotless character. Christ corrects the false idea of an earthly kingdom by holding up a submissive spirit willing to wear His yoke, learn His meekness and lowliness, eagerly take His hand to be led in safe paths, walk wisely in a perfect way, and be changed into His likeness.
Childlike Character Described
To become like the little child set in the midst of the disciples is to be humble, lowly, simple, teachable, meek, guileless, and humbly dependent on God, willingly submissive to His training and discipline. It is a character bearing the likeness of Christ's spotless character, eagerly desiring to take His hand and be led in safe paths, willing to wear His yoke and learn His meekness and lowliness, free from hypocrisy, selfishness and unkindness. Greatness is therefore not rank or authority but humble, loving dependence, and the child at the center shows that Christ values even His least and weakest children. Such humility keeps believers from giving the enemy advantage, enables God to use them for His glory, and is so simple and easily understood that no one need err or be in darkness, giving daily evidence of being a true child of God.
The humility taught is not shown by undignified imitation of children, such as crawling on the floor while awaiting Christ's return, but by a dignified Christlike life. It is expressed with gentleness, readiness to help others, kind words and unselfish acts. Accepting and teaching true doctrines, even the Sabbath and the state of the dead, does not itself convert anyone, who must seek Jesus for converting power to enter the kingdom of heaven.
This childlike spirit is learned by laying aside self-sufficiency and thinking one knows best, becoming teachable as a child under the working of the Holy Spirit, taking Christ's yoke and seeking His meekness and gentleness. It requires turning from self, thorough conversion with singleness of purpose and purity of motive, emptying the heart of human pride, self-exaltation, self-praise and seeking supremacy, looking to Jesus, trusting and believing His words, repenting in speech and action, cultivating Christian love, refusing evil thinking and speaking, and offering sincere praise and recounting God's mercies. Pride, selfishness and selfish ambition grieve the Holy Spirit and leave the soul strengthless and barred from the kingdom, while humility puts a person where Christ can guide and bless, to walk wisely in a perfect way and be changed into His likeness. Where this teachableness is received it brings unity, with all standing shoulder to shoulder in perfect accord as one as Christ is one with the Father, healing dissension and ambition for first place, strengthening one another in love rather than brooding over past errors, and giving power through unselfish sympathy and personal effort for those outside Christ to move steadily forward and upward as a living and growing church.
Receiving and Harming Little Ones
The little ones brought into view when the child was set in the midst are not babies as such but those who believe, little children in faith and experience who have not yet learned to follow and must be led as children in seeking the things of the kingdom. They include both literal children and those little in faith, weak and trembling souls with defects and objectionable traits, and people newly come to faith who are as little children in experience. Their inexperience makes them the special charge of angels, and ambition for the highest place is wrong in part because it sets a harmful example before these new believers whom Jesus is receiving into His kingdom.
To receive one such little child in Christ's name is to receive Christ Himself, because He counts what is done for them as done for Himself. He values even His least and weakest children and takes deep interest even in the least and feeblest of His people purchased and ransomed by His blood at infinite cost, so that injustice done to them is the same as done to Him. Their angels always behold the face of the Father in heaven, having access to Him and constant communion with Him, and as those angels are glad and willing to minister to the poor and needy who most need help, so His servants should willingly minister to those they suppose inferior to themselves. Service to those considered inferior is therefore service to Him, and greatness is shown in humble, loving dependence on God rather than rank or authority.
To cause one of these believing little ones to stumble, to offend or despise them, brings woe and guilt deserving a doom worse than drowning with a millstone hung about the neck in the sea. Offenses must come, but woe rests on the one by whom they come, and the warning carries grave responsibility for every believer. Those in positions of trust must therefore be representatives in true goodness, holiness, love and compassion for tempted souls, valuing blood-bought souls as Christ values them and laboring with perseverance and energy proportionate to that value. Human souls cost too much for harshness, self-sufficiency, trifling or indifference; bruising the hearts of His purchased ones bruises the heart of Christ, a soul hurt is often a soul destroyed, to interpose an unconverted soul between Christ and precious souls draws away from Christ, and all must meet again around the great white throne to give account and receive approval or disapproval in the day of final retribution.
The child in the midst thus calls for treating those young in faith, with children, youth, and vulnerable or erring believers, with tenderness, care, sympathy, patience and compassion in place of contempt, judging, condemning, domineering, oppression, painful discipline or seeking controlling power. Experienced and inexperienced workers alike, especially those in trust, must reject pursuit of supremacy and must not despise or harm believers but give them careful attention, teaching the gospel in a way children can understand. The setting introduces both the warning not to despise or discourage weak believers and the work of seeking to save the lost.
Living the Lesson Daily
The child set in the midst forbids exalting self, seeking to be first, contending for supremacy, seeking controlling power and oppressing others, withdrawing to labor alone, accusing brethren, and every device to separate brethren. In its place it calls for conversion to humble dependence on God, esteeming others better than self, being willing to be servant of all, prepared to take any place and make any sacrifice, self-denial and effort to be a strength and blessing to others. The very spirit that creates ambition for the highest place reveals character that makes a person lowest, and pride, selfishness and selfish ambition grieve the Holy Spirit and leave the soul strengthless. As angels who have access to God and constant communion with Him gladly minister to the poor and needy who most need help, so those ransomed by Christ's blood are to minister willingly to those they suppose inferior to themselves, showing unselfish love and standing shoulder to shoulder in unity. This is the best education, words so simple and easily understood that no one need err or be in darkness, and taking the humble position declared gives evidence of being a true child of God in daily experience.
Those in positions of trust, experienced and inexperienced workers alike, and those handling sacred work must first be converted and follow the teaching, becoming reformed under Christ as head. They must reject pursuit of supremacy, selfish domineering and impatient overbearing conduct, self-sufficiency, trifling and indifference, and hate selfishness. They are to be representatives in true goodness, holiness, love and compassion for tempted souls, valuing blood-bought souls as Christ values them and laboring with perseverance and energy proportionate to that value, because human souls cost too much. They are to set a gentle, holy, compassionate example others can safely follow, with the gentleness of Christ and no harshness, for bruising the hearts of His purchased ones bruises the heart of Christ, a soul hurt is often a soul destroyed, interposing an unconverted soul between Christ and precious souls draws away from Christ, and all must meet again around the great white throne to give account and receive approval or disapproval in the day of final retribution. Teachers in particular are to put themselves at a child's level, understand the child's trials, and treat children with love, tenderness, patience and forbearance rather than harshness or force.
The verse belongs to the practical instruction of the whole chapter, which is urgently needed at this time and must be remembered, obeyed, woven into Christian life, and read with humble heart softened by penitence and prayer. That chapter must be carefully studied for guidance on correcting faults in the church: some faults should not exist, while others must be corrected lest they corrupt the church, with correction given personally and with desire to save the wrongdoer from ruin. Its lesson is applied to loving God and neighbor, tending one's own character rather than searching out faults in others, and taking care that one's thoughts and words do not harm them. It gives relief and courage and hope, calling to go forward in faith and work right to the point, to take the case to the Lord Jesus in prayer believing He hears, to confess sins and repent and walk humbly with God to find pardon, and to act as one whom the Lord has corrected in order to purify and save. The child's presence is part of the lesson for guiding conduct in daily life.
Putting the lesson into daily practice means cooperating with Christ and His angels who are at work to bring men to repentance, in real, genuine ministerial service. It calls timid church members to awake, to be converted and obey the truth in practice, to win souls, enlighten the ignorant and relieve the oppressed, for members who have had light yet remain unconverted become workers for Satan to annoy and perplex those weak in faith. Humility before God, turning from self, and showing sympathy and love to others is expressed in unselfish care, especially personal effort for those outside Christ, requiring thorough conversion, singleness of purpose and purity of motive. It means giving children careful attention and teaching the gospel in a way they can understand, caring for young workers as members of a family and not depriving them of the support and privileges of home life, and stewarding the cause with less human wisdom and more of God's wisdom. This childlike character, courageous yet simple and trustful as a little child, is formed by offering praise and thanksgiving to God in fullness and sincerity of heart, expecting His goodness and mercy, and recounting His goodness and wonderful works to others, especially after a special outpouring of His Holy Spirit.
When His disciples were disputing who would be greatest and first in the earthly kingdom of display and position they still expected, Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in the midst of them as a living pattern of true greatness. Entering His kingdom requires conversion to become as little children, for pride and self-sufficiency bar the way while humility puts a person where Christ can guide and bless. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is whoever humbles himself as that child, since greatness is not decided by rank, authority or strife for supremacy but by inward character in meekness, purity, mercy, justice and love of God. That childlikeness means lowliness, simplicity, teachableness, willing submission to God's training, humble dependence, guilelessness and freedom from selfishness and hypocrisy. The little ones are both literal children and those little in faith and experience who believe in Christ, so that to receive one in Christ's name is to receive Christ Himself, while to despise or cause one to stumble brings guilt worthy of judgment worse than drowning with a millstone about the neck. Putting the lesson into practice therefore forbids exalting self and domineering over brethren, and calls for esteeming others better than self, serving all in unity, and treating children, youth and erring believers with tenderness, patience and compassion in order to save the lost.
Setting and Action
The act answers the disciples disputing among themselves about who would be greatest and first, striving for supremacy and the highest place. They did so because they still expected an earthly kingdom with earthly display and splendor, wealth and position, and held a false idea of Christ's work and of the character of the kingdom He was to set up on earth. The calling of a little child and setting him in the midst corrects that expectation, teaching that none of those earthly things are of any weight with God and that greatness in His sight is not gained by striving for supremacy. Entrance into the kingdom of heaven requires conversion and becoming humble and lowly like a child, and the humble are greatest there.
Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in the midst of the disciples as a living, visible object lesson and example, a pattern and standard for His teaching on humility and greatness. The child's place at the center illustrates that greatness is not rank or authority but humble, loving dependence on God. The child pictures a character bearing the semblance of Christ's spotless character, as a little child eagerly desiring to take the hand of Christ and be led in safe paths, with a submissive spirit willing to wear the yoke of Christ and learn His meekness and lowliness, enabled to walk wisely in a perfect way and changed into Christ's likeness. The lesson applies to experienced and inexperienced workers alike, especially those in positions of trust, calling teachers and God's people to become converted and follow Christ's teaching, to reject the pursuit of supremacy and to treat believers with care rather than despise, condemn, or harm them.
Jesus sought a quiet opportunity to instruct them in this dispute over who should be greatest. He answered their striving by holding up a small child rather than by exalting any man such as Peter as superior to copy. That choice forbids exalting any man for rank.
Conversion and True Greatness
To enter the kingdom of heaven a person must be converted and turn to become as a little child, for self-exaltation, pride and self-sufficiency shut the door while humility puts one where Christ can guide and bless. The child set in the midst of the disciples is the living pattern of the lowliness, submission and dependence on God required of all who would belong to that kingdom, whether experienced or inexperienced workers and especially those in positions of trust. Unless there is this change from striving for supremacy to childlike humility, there is no entrance, and the whole chapter is to be read with a humble heart softened by penitence and prayer.
The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is whoever humbles himself as that little child, and greatness is not gained by contending to be first. Ambitious pushing for the highest place shows a character that in heaven's reckoning makes a person least and lowest, while the humble are exalted as greatest. By little ones are meant not only babies but those who believe in Christ and have not yet gained experience in following Him, who need to be led like children in seeking the things of the kingdom.
Greatness in Christ's spiritual kingdom is not decided by rank, outward splendor, authority, high position, earthly display, wealth, or strife for supremacy, for none of those earthly things carry weight with God. It is decided by inward excellence of character, spiritual purity, excellence of speech, meekness, mercy, justice, love of God, humble loving dependence on Him, and likeness to Christ's spotless character. Christ corrects the false idea of an earthly kingdom by holding up a submissive spirit willing to wear His yoke, learn His meekness and lowliness, eagerly take His hand to be led in safe paths, walk wisely in a perfect way, and be changed into His likeness.
Childlike Character Described
To become like the little child set in the midst of the disciples is to be humble, lowly, simple, teachable, meek, guileless, and humbly dependent on God, willingly submissive to His training and discipline. It is a character bearing the likeness of Christ's spotless character, eagerly desiring to take His hand and be led in safe paths, willing to wear His yoke and learn His meekness and lowliness, free from hypocrisy, selfishness and unkindness. Greatness is therefore not rank or authority but humble, loving dependence, and the child at the center shows that Christ values even His least and weakest children. Such humility keeps believers from giving the enemy advantage, enables God to use them for His glory, and is so simple and easily understood that no one need err or be in darkness, giving daily evidence of being a true child of God.
The humility taught is not shown by undignified imitation of children, such as crawling on the floor while awaiting Christ's return, but by a dignified Christlike life. It is expressed with gentleness, readiness to help others, kind words and unselfish acts. Accepting and teaching true doctrines, even the Sabbath and the state of the dead, does not itself convert anyone, who must seek Jesus for converting power to enter the kingdom of heaven.
This childlike spirit is learned by laying aside self-sufficiency and thinking one knows best, becoming teachable as a child under the working of the Holy Spirit, taking Christ's yoke and seeking His meekness and gentleness. It requires turning from self, thorough conversion with singleness of purpose and purity of motive, emptying the heart of human pride, self-exaltation, self-praise and seeking supremacy, looking to Jesus, trusting and believing His words, repenting in speech and action, cultivating Christian love, refusing evil thinking and speaking, and offering sincere praise and recounting God's mercies. Pride, selfishness and selfish ambition grieve the Holy Spirit and leave the soul strengthless and barred from the kingdom, while humility puts a person where Christ can guide and bless, to walk wisely in a perfect way and be changed into His likeness. Where this teachableness is received it brings unity, with all standing shoulder to shoulder in perfect accord as one as Christ is one with the Father, healing dissension and ambition for first place, strengthening one another in love rather than brooding over past errors, and giving power through unselfish sympathy and personal effort for those outside Christ to move steadily forward and upward as a living and growing church.
Receiving and Harming Little Ones
The little ones brought into view when the child was set in the midst are not babies as such but those who believe, little children in faith and experience who have not yet learned to follow and must be led as children in seeking the things of the kingdom. They include both literal children and those little in faith, weak and trembling souls with defects and objectionable traits, and people newly come to faith who are as little children in experience. Their inexperience makes them the special charge of angels, and ambition for the highest place is wrong in part because it sets a harmful example before these new believers whom Jesus is receiving into His kingdom.
To receive one such little child in Christ's name is to receive Christ Himself, because He counts what is done for them as done for Himself. He values even His least and weakest children and takes deep interest even in the least and feeblest of His people purchased and ransomed by His blood at infinite cost, so that injustice done to them is the same as done to Him. Their angels always behold the face of the Father in heaven, having access to Him and constant communion with Him, and as those angels are glad and willing to minister to the poor and needy who most need help, so His servants should willingly minister to those they suppose inferior to themselves. Service to those considered inferior is therefore service to Him, and greatness is shown in humble, loving dependence on God rather than rank or authority.
To cause one of these believing little ones to stumble, to offend or despise them, brings woe and guilt deserving a doom worse than drowning with a millstone hung about the neck in the sea. Offenses must come, but woe rests on the one by whom they come, and the warning carries grave responsibility for every believer. Those in positions of trust must therefore be representatives in true goodness, holiness, love and compassion for tempted souls, valuing blood-bought souls as Christ values them and laboring with perseverance and energy proportionate to that value. Human souls cost too much for harshness, self-sufficiency, trifling or indifference; bruising the hearts of His purchased ones bruises the heart of Christ, a soul hurt is often a soul destroyed, to interpose an unconverted soul between Christ and precious souls draws away from Christ, and all must meet again around the great white throne to give account and receive approval or disapproval in the day of final retribution.
The child in the midst thus calls for treating those young in faith, with children, youth, and vulnerable or erring believers, with tenderness, care, sympathy, patience and compassion in place of contempt, judging, condemning, domineering, oppression, painful discipline or seeking controlling power. Experienced and inexperienced workers alike, especially those in trust, must reject pursuit of supremacy and must not despise or harm believers but give them careful attention, teaching the gospel in a way children can understand. The setting introduces both the warning not to despise or discourage weak believers and the work of seeking to save the lost.
Living the Lesson Daily
The child set in the midst forbids exalting self, seeking to be first, contending for supremacy, seeking controlling power and oppressing others, withdrawing to labor alone, accusing brethren, and every device to separate brethren. In its place it calls for conversion to humble dependence on God, esteeming others better than self, being willing to be servant of all, prepared to take any place and make any sacrifice, self-denial and effort to be a strength and blessing to others. The very spirit that creates ambition for the highest place reveals character that makes a person lowest, and pride, selfishness and selfish ambition grieve the Holy Spirit and leave the soul strengthless. As angels who have access to God and constant communion with Him gladly minister to the poor and needy who most need help, so those ransomed by Christ's blood are to minister willingly to those they suppose inferior to themselves, showing unselfish love and standing shoulder to shoulder in unity. This is the best education, words so simple and easily understood that no one need err or be in darkness, and taking the humble position declared gives evidence of being a true child of God in daily experience.
Those in positions of trust, experienced and inexperienced workers alike, and those handling sacred work must first be converted and follow the teaching, becoming reformed under Christ as head. They must reject pursuit of supremacy, selfish domineering and impatient overbearing conduct, self-sufficiency, trifling and indifference, and hate selfishness. They are to be representatives in true goodness, holiness, love and compassion for tempted souls, valuing blood-bought souls as Christ values them and laboring with perseverance and energy proportionate to that value, because human souls cost too much. They are to set a gentle, holy, compassionate example others can safely follow, with the gentleness of Christ and no harshness, for bruising the hearts of His purchased ones bruises the heart of Christ, a soul hurt is often a soul destroyed, interposing an unconverted soul between Christ and precious souls draws away from Christ, and all must meet again around the great white throne to give account and receive approval or disapproval in the day of final retribution. Teachers in particular are to put themselves at a child's level, understand the child's trials, and treat children with love, tenderness, patience and forbearance rather than harshness or force.
The verse belongs to the practical instruction of the whole chapter, which is urgently needed at this time and must be remembered, obeyed, woven into Christian life, and read with humble heart softened by penitence and prayer. That chapter must be carefully studied for guidance on correcting faults in the church: some faults should not exist, while others must be corrected lest they corrupt the church, with correction given personally and with desire to save the wrongdoer from ruin. Its lesson is applied to loving God and neighbor, tending one's own character rather than searching out faults in others, and taking care that one's thoughts and words do not harm them. It gives relief and courage and hope, calling to go forward in faith and work right to the point, to take the case to the Lord Jesus in prayer believing He hears, to confess sins and repent and walk humbly with God to find pardon, and to act as one whom the Lord has corrected in order to purify and save. The child's presence is part of the lesson for guiding conduct in daily life.
Putting the lesson into daily practice means cooperating with Christ and His angels who are at work to bring men to repentance, in real, genuine ministerial service. It calls timid church members to awake, to be converted and obey the truth in practice, to win souls, enlighten the ignorant and relieve the oppressed, for members who have had light yet remain unconverted become workers for Satan to annoy and perplex those weak in faith. Humility before God, turning from self, and showing sympathy and love to others is expressed in unselfish care, especially personal effort for those outside Christ, requiring thorough conversion, singleness of purpose and purity of motive. It means giving children careful attention and teaching the gospel in a way they can understand, caring for young workers as members of a family and not depriving them of the support and privileges of home life, and stewarding the cause with less human wisdom and more of God's wisdom. This childlike character, courageous yet simple and trustful as a little child, is formed by offering praise and thanksgiving to God in fullness and sincerity of heart, expecting His goodness and mercy, and recounting His goodness and wonderful works to others, especially after a special outpouring of His Holy Spirit.