Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you will be great

 

 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. 

 

And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. 

 

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you will be great."  Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."

 

- Luke 9:37–50 

 

Yesterday we read that it came to pass, about eight days after He spoke of taking up one's cross, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.  And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.  Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"  -- not knowing what he said.  While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.  But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.  

 

  Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.  The Orthodox Study Bible comments on this passage that, while the disciples' faith was incomplete (Matthew 17:19-20), Christ's rebuke here is also to the crowds, whose faith was weaker still (see Mark 9:22-24).  

 

 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.  Let us bear in mind that, just prior to this teaching, Jesus' closest disciples (Sts. Peter, James, and John) witnessed His Transfiguration upon the mountain, a revelation of His divinity and of the Holy Trinity (see yesterday's reading, above).  So this warning comes just after that experience, and in light of it.  The Orthodox Study Bible notes that Christ's repeated prediction of His Passion was meant to encourage and strengthen His disciples for the terrifying events they would face, and also to assure them that Christ was not powerless but was going to the Cross willingly. 

 

 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you will be great."  Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."  Let us note here that the disciples have no idea what to make of Christ's warning that He will be betrayed (in the verses just above).  Perhaps they consider that it is an indication He will be coming into the worldly kingdom which was popularly expected to manifest at the time of the coming of the Messiah in Israel.  Therefore, a dispute as to which of them would be greatest is likely a dispute over positions of power and authority on such worldly terms as an earthly kingdom.  According to the Orthodox Study Bible, this question indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Jesus therefore points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, emphasizing the virtues which are necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven:  humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In Orthodox iconography, the Study Bible points out, St. Ignatius of Antioch is often shown as this child.  In certain legends of saints, he's the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).  The Study Bible also notes certain commentaries on this passage.  Theophylact sees John's comment as a regret, as his conscience was pricked by what Christ said about the least and the great.  But St. Ambrose, on the other hand, sees John as expecting full obedience to accompany such blessings.  In either interpretation, it says, Christ's response shows that those who act in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact is quoted as writing, "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples" (see also Numbers 11:24-30).  On those using Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.  

 

 Jesus says to the disciples, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you will be great."  This occurs in the context of a dispute among the disciples about authority and power, and which one among them would be greatest in the kingdom they imagine is going to be headed by Jesus as an earthly king.  When we consider "greatness" in the context of Christ's world, we consider the kings and emperors of that time.  Power, as material commodity, was generally understood as authority without the ameliorating concepts of human rights as we understand them today.  Even in our own modern countries, such as in New York City, for example, laws seeking to establish humane treatment of animals were passed before child protection laws existed.  So, we can stop to imagine what it meant within the context of the time that Jesus chose a child, truly "the least of these" in social standing, to assert to His disciples that every person received in His name -- regardless of stature or importance -- was the same as receiving Christ Himself, or even the Father who sent Him.  This is an incredibly radicalizing statement in terms of rank and society, especially to introduce into a dispute about who would be the greatest.  In terms of being "great," renown, reputation, or worldly glory would correspond as characteristics which defined it.  But Jesus lays flat the understanding of respect, and extends His Kingdom quite literally to the littlest ones.  Jesus' name would correspond also to notions of greatness, for an emperor's or a king's name covered all things upon which it might be borne.  A document signed by a king had the authority of a king, and must be respected in the same sense the presence of the king would command; the same was true of all the king's property.  In this sense, to receive even a little child in Christ's name meant that His authority was extended there; the child belonged to His kingdom and as such bore also His image, even the image of the One who sent Him.  It seems to me this conveying of what we would consider profoundly gracious behavior forms the true revelation of the dignity with which all human beings are created.  For, as Christ has also taught, "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matthew 11:11).  Each human being, His words indicate, is created bearing the image of God, with the potential to fulfill His likeness in the kingdom of heaven (Genesis 1:26).  Moreover, Jesus adds the following to His teaching on receiving a little child.  He says,  "For he who is least among you will be great."  In so saying, Christ emphasizes the necessary humility to realize such potential, and to participate fully in His Kingdom.  With such teachings, Christ has given to the world a sense of the intrinsic value of human beings, precious to our Creator, as well as the love with which He instructs all of us to participate in that Kingdom.