Breaking the Word

 At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me. ¹⁰ "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father. (Mt 18:1-5,10)

 

 

During the public ministry of Jesus, besides preaching and teaching and working the deeds of the kingdom, he was forming the disciples, training them with the values of the kingdom. He cleared may of their doubts about the kingdom. One of such doubts is what they ask Jesus today. ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’. The disciples think that the kingdom of heaven also works like the kingdoms of the earth with greatest and smallest.

 

The disciples are taught to become like the little children. For the children there is no greatest and smallest. They do not work on profits, gains, power, position and they do not play politics. They only seek for the basic things like food etc. They do not manipulate.

 

The representatives of the children are already in heaven. Each child has his/her representative (angel) in front of God. The angel is the link between God and the child. Hence a child should not be despised. 

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.'" Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me." (Lk 10:13-16)

 

 

Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum are the cities wherein most of Jesus’ mighty works were done (Mt 11:20). These cities enjoyed greater privileges. They were all gracious works and works of mercy. Because of these activities of Jesus, these cities were exalted far above. They were brought as near heaven as external means could bring them.

 

Any refusal to the invitation by the disciples would bring the people to disaster. The disaster is going in the opposite direction from God. This would mean throwing themselves into the hands of the pagan power. This would be worse than the sufferings faced by the wicked cities of the Old Testament.

 

It would be more tolerable for the pagan towns because they were not given such chances and if they were given those chances they would have repented. Repentance is part of the message of the kingdom of God.