At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child over, placed it in their midst, 3 and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 8 If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into fiery Gehenna.
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. [11] 12 What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? 13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. 14 In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.
When the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Mt. 18:1), they were framing greatness according to the world’s standards — position, honor, and authority. Jesus answers in a way that overturns our instincts about status. He calls a child, places the child in their midst, and declares: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (v. 3). He then added that “whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (v. 4). Greatness is not seized; it is received. And it is received in the form of humility. To “become like children” is not sentimental; it is salvific. The command to “turn” (Greek straphēte) signals conversion—a reorientation of the heart toward the Father. This was no small correction. Jesus was not merely speaking of a pleasant personality trait but of a disposition necessary for salvation itself.
In the first-century Jewish world, children had no social status or legal rights. They were entirely dependent on their parents and could make no claim on honor or privilege. Jesus makes that dependence the very pattern of discipleship. This echoes the Lord’s promise in the Old Testament: “I will look to the one who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at my word” (Is. 66:2). The way into the Kingdom is poverty of spirit, docility to God, and quiet trust.
Jesus then warns against causing others, especially “these little ones who believe in me,” to sin (v. 6). Using strong hyperbolic language — a common teaching method in His day — He declares that it would be better to have a millstone tied around one’s neck and be drowned in the sea than to lead the vulnerable into sin. He is not literally prescribing this punishment but emphasizing the seriousness of the offense and the gravity of endangering another’s faith. God’s law has always defended the powerless — the widow, the orphan, and the stranger (Deut. 10:18) — and Jesus extends that defense to the smallest believers within His Church.
Jesus then shifts to the seriousness of personal sin (vv. 7-9). Whatever causes me to sin must be cut away with decisive resolve. Jesus repeats the vivid imagery from the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:29-30) to teach the same truth: nothing in this life is worth holding on to if it endangers eternal life. Salvation history is consistent: from Israel’s first call to holiness to the Church’s sacramental life, God separates a people for Himself—and that separation requires renunciation for love’s sake.
Jesus also reveals the dignity of the “little ones” by speaking of their angels who “always look upon the face of my heavenly Father” (v. 10). The least in the Church are not neglected at heaven’s court; they are represented. This is not pious ornament, but a glimpse of the unseen guardianship that surrounds the humble (cf. Ps. 34:7).
Finally, Jesus discloses the Father’s heart in the parable of the lost sheep (vv. 12-14). The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to seek the one who has wandered. This is not hyperbole but a real and consoling truth: God goes to extraordinary lengths to save a soul. As the Lord pursued Israel when she strayed (Ezek. 34:11-16), so now in Christ, the Good Shepherd seeks and saves each soul that wanders. “It is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost” (v. 14).
For today’s disciples, these words correct our culture’s fascination with autonomy and self-promotion. Greatness is not measured by visibility or control, but by humble trust and readiness to obey God. Practically, this means we protect the vulnerable in our communities, refuse to be the occasion of another’s fall, and deal decisively with our own habits of sin. It also means we mirror the Shepherd’s zeal: we notice who is missing, we seek them with patience, and we rejoice when even one returns. The Church grows from within through childlike humility and extends outward through the Father’s relentless mercy.
Lord Jesus, grant us the grace to turn our hearts and make us like children — humble, trusting, and ready to follow You. Keep us from causing harm to another’s faith, give us courage to turn away from sin, and fill us with the Shepherd’s love for every soul that wanders. Amen!
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Sources and References
- The Holy Bible: New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church. 2nd ed. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997, §§526, 544–546, 1789, 2221–2231.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al., eds. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. London: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1953.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: St. Matthew. Dublin: Four Courts Press / Scepter, 2005.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al., eds. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2018.
- St. John Chrysostom (c. 349–407), Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew.
- The Didache. 1st–2nd century Christian catechesis.
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