Matt 18 – …"Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

Mat 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

The disciples were looking forward to the coming kingdom. But they had a very strange question. The question seems to stem from Psalm 110:1-5.

Psa 110:1-5 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.” 2The LORD will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Thine enemies.” 3Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Thy youth are to Thee as the dew. 4The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, “Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 5The Lord is at Thy right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.

Mat 18:2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them,

Mat 18:3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 18:4 "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Humbling oneself as a child comes from the Tanakh (Psalm 131:1-3). We are to humble ourselves as a little child relying on his mother.

Mat 18:5 "And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;

Mat 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.

The question comes as to whether Yeshua is speaking of a little child, or one who has come to Him as a little child. He is apparently speaking of those who come to Yeshua and are newly attempting to turn to Yahweh and His ways. The Greek word for "stumble" is "skandalizw" and it means to cause to stumble or fall away. The punishment of drowning by having a heavy millstone around ones neck was a mode of punishment in Syria and in Greece. This was used especially in cases of parricide (murder of parents).

Mat 18:7 "Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

The stumbling blocks here are similar to the word "stumble" in the previous verse. It is those who cause a "falling away" or "offense." I do not know how to interpret this passage outside of saying that we should not lead others away from following Torah.

River Valley Torah Assembly