Audio Download

Matthew 18:1–17 The Least is the Greatest

[Study Aired August 18, 2025]

In today’s study, we shall discuss the issue of being the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and the need to be humble. The rest of the study focuses on offences in general; by us to ourselves, by us to others, and by others to us.  

Mat 18:1  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 

The disciples arguing about who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven shows us the spiritual state of the disciples during the time they were with Jesus. They were babies in Christ. This was what characterized our walk when we were in the churches of this world or Babylon. We were babies in the faith and needed to grow.

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.  

In our carnal minds, we thought like the people of this world in the sense that if we are given more responsibilities, then it means that we must be the greatest and therefore receive the most reward. However, in the Book of Revelation, we are given to know that as His elect, we shall all receive the same reward. Here are some examples of the reward we shall all receive if we overcome:

Rev 2:7  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. 

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

As shown in the parable of the talents, each of us are given a certain measure of talent by the Lord for the building of His church. Some are given more capacity than others by the Lord. However, this does not imply that those given more talent are the greatest among us. In our midst, everyone matters in the sight of God. Let’s take a look at this parable of the talent:

Mat 25:14  For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 
Mat 25:15  And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Mat 25:16  Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 
Mat 25:17  And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 
Mat 25:18  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 
Mat 25:19  After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 
Mat 25:20  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 
Mat 25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 
Mat 25:22  He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
Mat 25:23  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 
Mat 25:24  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 
Mat 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 

We can see from this parable that the one with the five talents and the one with the two talents both received the same reward – becoming rulers over many things. This parable shows us that everyone has something to offer to the Lord according to what he/she has been given. All that we have is given to us by the Lord, and He is the one who works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure of ensuring that we are able to account for the talents He has given to us. We therefore bring nothing to the table. That is why we are all given the same reward if we persevere to the very end. To those who have been given more talents, woe to them if they refuse to multiply what they have been given or to think that they are wiser. As the parable indicates, it is always those who have been given less talent who easily neglect their talents. Paul was given much talent, and this is what he has to say about this:

1Co 9:16  For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 
1Co 9:17  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 
1Co 9:18  What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 

As Paul said here in verse 19, he had made himself a servant so that he might gain the more. This is what the mentality of the Lord’s elect should be. It is not about contesting to be the greatest among us as the disciples were thinking. The leaders of the church system of this world focus on becoming great in the eyes of men, and they try to legitimize their claim of being great by their material possessions as they fly private jets, etc. However, those who are walking on the narrow road are content at every turn of their walk as they go through the Lord’s judgment in this age. 

Mat 18:2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 
Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

As shown in verse 4, a key characteristic of children is their humility. If we are to enter the kingdom of heaven, then we must be converted and humble ourselves as little children in our walk with Christ. When we come to appreciate how the Lord has taken us out of the miry clay as the greatest sinners and has established us on the rock, which is Christ, our response is to humble ourselves before Him as He drags us to Himself.

Job 22:29  When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

Psa 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

As stated by the Lord in verse 4, if we humble ourselves in this age, we shall be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Being greatest in the kingdom of heaven means to rule with Christ, when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. We shall also be saviors of the human race. 

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. 

It is worth noting that humbling ourselves is not done by our own strength, but by the work of the Lord in our lives through His judgment of our flesh or old man. 

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 

Mat 18:5  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 
Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

The little child here in verse 5 represents the Lord’s elect. To receive a little child in this case means to accept the word of the Lord propagated by the Lord’s  elect. On the contrary, when we refuse the message of the Lord’s elect, our situation is worse than being dragged into the depth of the sea by a millstone tied to our neck. The sea represents our flesh and the millstone tied to our neck signifies the sins which easily trip us or weighs us down. This means that when we refuse to hear the voice of the Lord spoken through the Lord’s elect or these little ones, we are weighed down by sin because of our flesh.   

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Mat 10:40  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Mat 10:41  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 
Mat 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. 

Temptations to Sin

Mat 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 

From this verse, we know that it is necessary for us to be tempted. We know from the word of the Lord that everything that takes place is according to the counsel of the Lord’s will.  This verse is therefore showing us that it is part of the Lord’s will for us to be tempted. As we are aware, Jesus was led by God’s spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 

Mat 4:1  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 

As we can see, the devil is the Lord’s agent for tempting us, and he does it through people. Here in verse 7, the Lord is saying that those who are used by the devil to tempt us will be in anguish or affliction. To the Lord’s elect, we shall be judged in this age by the Lord when we sin against Him or are used by the devil to become the source of the temptation. To others, their judgment will come later in the lake of fire age. 

1Ti 5:24  The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.  (ESV)

Being tempted is not sin. It is when we yield to sin that we sin against the Lord. In James 1:14-15, we are shown that sinning against the Lord is a process. We are first lured and enticed by our own desires, and when desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin. 

Jas 1:13  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 
Jas 1:14  But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 
Jas 1:15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 

Mat 18:8  And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 
Mat 18:9  And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. 

We must understand that what is said here in these verses is spiritual and that it is not about our physical hands, feet and eyes.

Joh 6:63  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 

Our hands represent our works, and our foot signifies our walk. 

Gen 5:29  And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.

What is therefore being said in verse 8 is that if our works and our walk are not pleasing to the Lord as we are dominated by sin, then we have to let go of that which causes us to sin. The Bible shows us that during our walk in the churches of this world, our walk was not pleasing to the Lord. We were like the women of Zion whose walk were not pleasing to the Lord.

Isa 3:16  The LORD adds, “The women of Zion are arrogant. They walk with their noses in the air, making seductive glances, taking short little steps, jingling the ankle bracelets on their feet.” (GW)

Our eyes in verse 9 denote the lust of eyes which is one of the three categories of sin in the world. 

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

We know that it is our flesh or our old man which causes us to sin and so what the Lord is telling us is that the cause of sin in our lives must be dealt with if we are to please the Lord in our works and walk with Him.   

Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 
Rom 7:23  but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 
Rom 7:24  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 
Rom 7:25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 

From these verses above, we realize that having victory over the flesh is the work of Christ. We cannot mutilate our flesh physically, thinking we can stop sinning. It is through the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh that we are given victory over the flesh. 

Lev 26:27  And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;
Lev 26:28  Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

The statement that it is better for us to be crippled, lame and with one eye than to be thrown in the hell of fire is another way of saying that it is better for us to be judged or suffer for the Lord’s sake in this age than to avoid the Lord’s judgment and therefore suffer in the lake of fire.

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.  

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Mat 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 

As indicated earlier, these little ones mentioned in verse 10 refer to the Lord’s elect. To despise the Lord’s elect means refusing to hear the words of the Lord Jesus Christ which they bring. Jesus said in verse 10 that the reason why we must pay heed to the little ones or His elect is that they do always behold the face of our Father in heaven. To behold the face of our Father in heaven is to behold the glory of the Lord, and to behold the glory of the Lord is to hear the voice of the Lord in the midst of fire or our affliction.  

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

Exo 16:10  And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 
Exo 16:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

In a nutshell, what we are being told in verse 10 is that we must pay heed to the word of the Lord spoken through the Lord’s elect because they are the ones who are given to hear the voice of the Lord in the midst of the suffering they are going through. 

Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Mat 18:11  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 

Here the Lord is telling us that before we can be saved, we must admit that we have lost our way. The problem we had when we were in the churches of this world was that we taught we were saved or were all right and therefore did not need any repentance.  

Luk 15:7  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

The parable of the prodigal son is to illustrate the point that if we are to be saved, then we must come to that place where we see that we are the worst sinners. That was what the prodigal son saw in himself. The elder brother thought he had put no foot wrong in his dealing with his father as we see in the parable.

Luk 15:20  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 
Luk 15:21  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 
Luk 15:22  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 
Luk 15:23  And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 
Luk 15:24  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 
Luk 15:25  Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 
Luk 15:26  And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 
Luk 15:27  And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 
Luk 15:28  And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
Luk 15:29  And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 
Luk 15:30  But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.  

The elder son telling his father that immediately his younger son came back to Him, he had killed the fatted calf for him means that when we come to see our deplorable state and come to the Lord, repenting of our sins, we are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven signified by the fatted calf. The following verses emphasize the chain of thought from this parable of the prodigal son: 

Mat 18:12  How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
Mat 18:13  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 
Mat 18:14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. 

In this case, the ninety-nine sheep represent the elder son who feels he is all right and had not put any foot wrong. The sheep that went astray signifies the Lord’s elect or the little ones that our Father in heaven is determined to save (verse 14). The story of the Canaanite woman also emphasizes the point that the process of salvation is predicated on our admission that we are sinners or lost.

Mat 15:22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 
Mat 15:23  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 
Mat 15:24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 
Mat 15:25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 
Mat 15:26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 
Mat 15:27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 
Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

The woman accepting that she was a dog and therefore was prepared to eat of the crumbs falling from the master’s table means that she accepted the fact that she was a sinner or an evil worker. 

Php 3:2  Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

As we are aware, a woman represents the church, and therefore this Canaanite woman represents the church of the elect. We are the ones who have admitted our unworthiness before the Lord and are being saved.

If Your Brother Sins Against You

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 
Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 
Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 

These verses provide the prescription for dealing with issues pertaining to us, His elect. When there is a contention between two brothers in the faith, the first point of call is for the two to come together to resolve the issue between them. In this way, the brother who is at fault is reconciled with the other brother, giving no grounds for the devil to take advantage of the situation to destroy the faith of the brothers. 

2Co 2:9  For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 
2Co 2:10  To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 
2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.  

Pro 25:8  do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? 
Pro 25:9 Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret, 

If there is no understanding, then it behooves the aggrieved person to ask for redress by bringing in one or two believers to act as witnesses. Again, if the one at fault is not prepared to resolve the issue, then the issue has to be escalated to the final level of bringing in the church for a resolution. In this case, if the person at fault is not ready for any resolution, then the church must treat the person as being of the world.

May the Lord continue to be merciful to us as we learn of Him in this age. Amen!!