Who is the Greatest?

When I was a kid, like all children of that age, I used to play the thief and the police game with my friends in the neighbourhood. Every time we play, we used to argue over who would be the police and who would be the thief. Because for us it was great to be called a police and everyone wanted to be a police and no one wanted to be a thief! And during school days when the new academic year begins, the class monitor would be chosen and there used to be a desire in most of them to be a monitor! All of us as kids at school would have bragged about our fathers or family just to prove that we are great! And this bragging does not end with school days, as we grow into men and women, it grows within ourselves and we start feeling great or try portraying ourselves as the greatest based on our qualifications, wealth, positions, possessions, influence, caste, colour and so on. Everyone tries to feel great and show his or her greatness through their words, actions and gestures; in the home, at the office, in the church & missions and among neighbours.

Even the disciples of Jesus were not restraint from this! “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Matthew 18:1 (ESV)

Mark and Luke say that they were actually disputing and arguing among themselves, “And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”  But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.” Mark 9:33-34 (ESV) “An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.” Luke 9:46 (ESV)

The Reasons

They were actually arguing on who was the greatest for various reasons. In the NKJV Bible the disciples ask, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” So, one reason was that they could have felt threatened of their position or felt insecure because at that juncture they felt that they who follow Jesus may not be the greatest. Why did this thought might have occurred to them?

When Jesus and His disciples came to Capernaum, the temple tax collectors come and ask Peter, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” for which Peter answered “Yes”. He must have felt great that we are not under their authority. But when he came into the house Jesus saying, “we do not give offense to them” (Matthew 17:27), tells him to go and pay the tax. Peter and others who have thought that they are greater than the tax collectors, would have felt little. So they ask, “Who then is the greatest…..?” When our position is threatened or when we start feeling insecure we too have such thoughts, don’t we?? And at such times what do we do? Offend the other person! But Jesus warns in Matthew 18:7 “Woe to the world because of offense! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!”

Jesus says “woe” to offenders; we should offend neither those who are threatening to us nor who are timid!

Secondly, the reason why they could have argued among themselves on who was the greatest, is by measuring their spirituality based on spiritual disciplines. A very few days back Jesus scolded them for their unbelief for not being able to heal the boy with the mute spirit. Instead of not accepting the fact that they were not able to heal the boy they were actually engaged in some sort of discussion with the scribes. [“And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”” Mark 9:16 (ESV)] Not wanting to feel embarrassed, they might have tried to give some explanation or advice! But they were caught by Jesus who also prescribed them to fast and pray. (Mark 9:29) This happened in Galilee. Now as they were walking towards Capernaum, they would have argued on who could be the greatest based on their belief and hours of fasting and praying. Many a times we too might be thinking ourselves as greater than others based on our spirituality, spiritual disciplines, the revelations from God’s word, gifts, talents, opportunities, etc. which others might lack!

Thirdly, right after Jesus explains who is the greatest John answered Him saying, ““Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.” Luke 9:49-50 (ESV) While Jesus talks about accepting even the least[“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”Luke 9:48 (ESV)], John talks about rejecting! Rejecting another person or a group of people or a church or a mission because they might do something more than us or that which we ourselves cannot do! In verse 40 the disciples themselves could not cast out a demon and in verse 49 John says they forbade someone (who does not belong to their group) for casting out a demon in Jesus’ name! Why? Because only they wanted to be known as the greatest! They thought that because they were with Jesus Himself only they had the rights to do miracles! We might also think that we are great because of our associations with people in high places!

Fourthly, we might try to seek greatness through someone who is influential. The mother of James & John comes and approaches Jesus asking Him to grant that her sons may sit at both His sides in His kingdom. (Matthew 20:20-28) Seeking greatness, we too might try to procure that through our parents or relatives or friends who are close to the top order, who are influential. Or because our friend or parent or relative is the boss or the chief, we might feel that we are great and might try to misuse that influence!

Who then is the greatest in God’s kingdom?

In all the above verses Jesus points out to at least three characteristics of greatness.

The humble. “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:4 (ESV) He is not only the greatest, Jesus says only such a person can enter God’s kingdom. (Matthew 18:3)

The servant hearted. “And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.””Mark 9:35 (ESV) and “It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.” Matthew 20:26-27 (ESV) And the servant will not be proud of his accomplishments, but rather as Jesus said: “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”Luke 17:10 (ESV)

The compassionate & considerate. “and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” Luke 9:48 (ESV)They are great who give importance to the least; the seemingly insignificant people and the timid.

Paul beautifully sums it all up in his epistle to the Philippians,

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (compassion & considerate). Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name…” Philippians 2:3-9 (ESV)

Humility, Servanthood and Compassion is Greatness!