Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me

 

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

 

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."

 

- Matthew 18:1-9 

 

Yesterday we read that while Jesus and the disciples were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful.  When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"  He said, "Yes."  And when he had come into the house, Jesus  anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"  Peter said to Him, "From strangers."  Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.  Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first.  And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

 

  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."  Let us first consider that by now Christ has given the disciples two warnings of His Passion that is to come at Jerusalem (see yesterday's reading, above).  They have, as yet, no idea what it means that He will be "raised up."  Perhaps they think that the coming of the Kingdom is imminent, and they expect it to be a worldly kingdom, and so they ask about their positions.  My study Bible comments that this question a selfish interest in worldly power.  Christ points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, and emphasizes the virtues necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  My study Bible lists these as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In Orthodox iconography, St. Ignatius of Antioch is depicted as this child.  In certain legends of saints, he's the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).

 

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."  My study Bible explains that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.  

 

"Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."  Jesus' reference to mutilation is meant to illustrate the need for decisive action in order to avoid sin -- and of course does not advocate literal amputation.  (He uses a similar illustration in the Sermon on the Mount, at Matthew 5:29.)  This also refers, according to my study Bible, to harmful relationships that need to be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

 

 It should be quite obvious how serious Jesus is about the deadly nature of offenses in today's reading, given the descriptions here of both woe to the offender ("it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea"), and the drastic measures referred to here to keep from committing those offenses ("It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire").  Let us note that this conversation happens as Jesus has just given the second warning about what is to come in Jerusalem, and the disciples have begun asking questions about what positions of authority they will hold in His kingdom; that is, the earthly type kingdom they are expecting ("Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?")?  His first emphasis is on humility, a lesson to us all who seek to follow Him ("Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven").  So He first very explicitly uses a little child (perhaps St. Ignatius of Antioch) as an example to all the men of how they must approach the Kingdom.  Next, He reveals a stark warning against abuses of power; that is, offenses against the "little ones" ("Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!").  We must presume that because the disciples have just asked about positions of greatness in the Kingdom, this is Jesus' top priority -- that authority and rank in His Church not be used to abuse the little ones, the humble, including, of course, children.  If we think carefully about His words regarding mutilation to avoid sin which illustrates the dire importance of the problem, we may consider that He first mentions a hand or foot causing offense:  a hand may grasp what does not belong to it, it may reach out to take something, a foot can trespass over an important boundary and step where it doesn't belong.  An eye may gaze with lust or with envy or with greed to take something that doesn't belong to one.  These stand in for habits and offenses which will harm the powerless, the young, the small, and so Jesus here is speaking about the central importance of self-discipline, a willingness to change, and to discard habits that might be so ingrained -- or even feel so precious -- as to be a part of us like our eyes or limbs may be.  But it is up to us to learn the true discipline He desires if we are to follow Him.  This is, yet again, illustrative of another purpose for fasting, so that we learn self-mastery, a kind of ability not to indulge ourselves and not to be slaves of our passions, to say "No" to what we must reject even if it feels like an inalienable part of who we are.  We live in a world where so many of our desires may be instigated and catered to through modern telecommunications, instantaneous gratification being an objective "good" touted to us in popular culture.  But this is not the perspective of Jesus, and it is not truly the substance of what it takes to live good human lives, to build up our loves into something worthwhile and positive.  For that we need a discipline, we need to follow something or Someone who is going to take us to better lives and better communities, and that takes the discipline to say "No" to the things that tempt us with easy solutions to feel good, and not to do the work of self-discipline.  Let us reach toward Christ, to be the persons He calls us to be.  Let us cut off the habits and other things which cause harm, the easy indulgence, in exchange for the truly good:  for the humility to follow Him and learn as a child, and to enter into the kingdom of heaven, in order to assume whatever authority or grace He gives, and grow in His love and His teaching. Finally, let us recall His words: "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."  What greater concept of grace and gracious behavior can we receive than this?  To receive even one little child in His name is to receive Christ Himself.  Jesus gives us the tools for building our lives and communities on His grace.  Let us endeavor to reach the standards He teaches us. 

 

 

 

 

 

Increase our faith

 

Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his  neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.  And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those thing which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"

 

- Luke 17:1–10 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus told the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus:  "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'   Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'" 

Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his  neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."  My study Bible comments that little ones refers primarily to children, and by extension to anyone whose heart is humble and dependent upon God.  Let us be aware that this is a teaching addressed to the disciples once again, and it speaks to the use of power in the Church to come.  In that context, little ones is a term that includes those who are in of lesser stature, including social stature or community standing.  Over the course of the past two chapters,  Jesus has been responding to criticism from the Pharisees and scribes, who complained that He received and ate with tax collectors and sinners.  His parables over the past several readings have alternatively been addressed to the Pharisees and to the disciples.  After teaching the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, directed at the Pharisees (see above), Jesus now turns once again to the disciples.

"Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."   For more on this practice, see also Matthew 18:21-35.  Seven times a day uses the number seven, a symbol of completion or fullness, here indicating an unlimited amount.  This teaching is another indication of the need for humility in leadership, not to abuse power or authority. 

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."   Perhaps the apostles' request to the Lord, "Increase our faith,"  is a direct indication of the difficulty of the teaching on unlimited forgiveness for all of us. 

 

So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  My study Bible comments that the mulberry tree is symbolic of the devil's works.  It's on the leaf of this tree that silkworms feed.  As worms are an image of hell and death (Mark 9:42-48), so its association with the devil.  This patristic interpretation is confirmed, my study Bible adds, by numerous scriptural images of evil being destroyed in the sea (Luke 8:33; Exodus 14:27; Matthew 21:21; Revelation 20:10). 

 

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not."   My study Bible suggests that the servant plowing is mentioned first and the one tending sheep second, showing that we must first work our own salvation (Philippians 2:12) before we can become shepherds (as the apostles will be) to others.

 

"So likewise you, when you have done all those thing which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"  This word translated as unprofitable literally means "without merit" or possibly "useless").  But it doesn't indicate something without intrinsic value.  It means that everything we have comes from God and is owed back to God.  Whatever we might offer to God, already belongs to God.  

We might be puzzled by the final verse in today's reading.  But it is more easily understood if we consider that our precious life -- especially the life everlasting offered to us by Christ -- is of so much more substance than we could ever offer in return to God.  In this context, we can also consider the Passion toward which Christ journeys on this road to Jerusalem, and what He will do for us, and how that compares to anything we could do for Him.  God's love and mercy, and the life more abundantly that His own "work" and sacrifice as Suffering Servant will bring to us is incomparable in value to what we as servants could possibly do for the Lord in return.  As we have discussed over the course of the past several readings and commentary, this language once again touches on terms the reflect the concept of "debt," for the Greek word translated as "unprofitable" indicates a lack of capacity to repay.  If indeed we consider that faith as a mustard seed can be so powerful, then truly the faith with which we're blessed is something we don't have the power to repay, for we haven't got the capacity to give a gift on that same order of merit or worth.  So God's love and mercy -- and the commands which lead us into the life of the Kingdom -- are things for which we can't create substance of equal quality or value.  Our sense of what is most precious must be adapted in order to correctly esteem the value of such a life, and so we are prepared to be humble and to forgive, for we receive so much more in return from God.  From where I sit, following the commands of God has only added to my life in this world as well, for to follow His truth is indeed to find freedom in the sense of finding the way to carry one's cross, and to be relieved of false burdens under a much harsher yoke (John 8:32; Matthew 11:28-30).  Let us be like the disciples, and demand of the Lord, "Increase our faith."  For this is the place where we receive far more than we can ever pay in return.  

Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

 

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.  

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire." 

 

- Matthew 18:1-9 

 

Yesterday we read that while Jesus and the disciples were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful.  When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"  He said, "Yes."  And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"   Peter said to Him, "From strangers."  Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.  Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first.  And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

 

  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."  My study Bible comments that this question, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" is an indication of a selfish interest in worldly power.  Jesus points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, and in so doing emphasizes the virtues which are required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  These virtues are named by my study Bible as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In Orthodox iconography, it says, St. Ignatius of Antioch is shown as this child.  In certain legends of saints, he is the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).  

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."  Little ones, my study Bible says, include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.   

 

"Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."  See also Matthew 5:29.   Jesus is referring to a type of emergency operation, in which a diseased body part must be removed in order to save the body from spreading infection or disease.  He is using such as an illustration of decisive action to avoid sin, and how dangerous sin -- that which causes offenses -- is to the soul.  My study Bible adds that this also applies to harmful relationships which must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

What are offenses, and what does Jesus mean by this?  Let us begin with the question asked by the disciples:  "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  My study Bible calls it a selfish interest in worldly power.  If we compare the kingdoms of the world (or even the states of today), we understand the pursuit of power -- and therefore position -- to be the primary aims of those involved, the "great ones" or "greatest" who rule.  But greatness for Jesus Christ has another definition, which has hopefully touched our world to some extent, and given us concepts of rule that involve more than simply conquering and exploiting.  Perhaps the disciples understand that the Kingdom to come will be like a worldly kingdom; perhaps they misunderstand what it means that Christ will be raised at the third day following His Passion.  This would coincide with the popular expectations of the Messiah.  But Jesus must make them understand what kind of Kingdom they must serve and how they must serve it.  Most importantly, He gives us the concept of greatness.  But in so doing, He begins, importantly, with what they must do and not do as those who wish to be great.  They must first be "converted and become as little children," for without this there is no entry into this kingdom of heaven!  "Therefore," Jesus says, "whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."   This is an upside down image of the kind of worldly power the disciples know from the empires and kingdoms around them.  How can being humble as a little child make one the greatest?  Then Jesus leads them into an understanding of His version of leadership.  Jesus' first and highest priority is the little ones who in faith will come to them in His Church:  "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!"  Exploitation, false teaching, leading the little ones astray, offenses that cause them to be lost, will meet with the severest punishment.  Jesus proclaims woe to those who cause such offense.  This is an image of leadership in stark contrast to figures we can read about in the Gospels, like Herod Antipas or his father Herod the Great.  And then comes what is perhaps the most powerful teaching of all:  "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."  Jesus is using the image of a body part that needs amputation to illustrate the power of our habits which cause offense, harm, abuse to others; and in this case it is in the context of using power over those who are "little ones" in our world.  That is, those who come in humility and faith -- trust -- into the Church and under their care.  A hand or foot can strike one less powerful, either one can stray where it's not wanted, cross boundaries that shouldn't be crossed, reach out to take or steal what doesn't belong to it.  An eye can gaze with envy, with covetousness, with hatred and rage, with the desire to control or to exploit.  What Jesus is speaking about is the internal life of a person, and how essential it is that we know ourselves, our flaws, and be willing to take decisive action to cut from ourselves the habits and impulses that lead to the offenses He condemns.  And this then becomes the definition of leadership -- the capacity to sacrifice the things we might even hold dear, the habits of a lifetime that are  hard to break, and cast them from ourselves in order to make greatness meaningful in terms of serving God.  This in turn is discipleship.  That is, it is the discipline which He asks of His disciples, and in turn of us.  What we should note at this stage is that Jesus is ultimately most concerned with the "little ones" who will be in the care of these future apostles and bishops of the Church.  He is teaching them how greatness is connected to the qualities of God which are most highly associated with grace and mercy, the extension of care and compassion.  In terms of the ways that power -- especially state power -- worked in Jesus' time, this is a powerful antidote to its frequent and even normative abuses.  Caesar's "greatness" was concerned with how many he had conquered, even killed in battle.  Christ offers a different greatness, and one which would come to revolutionize the world, bringing institutions of care and compassion such as hospitals and charitable behavior into social life.  But for now, let us pay close attention to Christ's most powerful admonitions which come in the form of prophesying "woe" for those by whom abuses to the little ones in the Church come.  It is a word we need to pay attention to today, and His teaching about a willingness to sacrifice our own impulses to abusive or manipulative power remains equally necessary as it was then, a reminder about what makes us human beings of truly "great" stature.  In a highly consumerist-oriented society of the modern developed world, we might be easily misled to think that some sort of greatness is measured by how far we can indulge our own desires.  But this is not the greatness described by Jesus.  On the contrary, Christ's greatness depends upon our own discipline and is clearly measured by an internal yardstick of self-mastery in service to something much higher than ourselves.   True greatness in this Kingdom is not measured by our own yardstick but rather taken in the measure that Christ gives us.  Let us endeavor through our lives to take His measure for ourselves, and seek the greatness He gives us.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5).   But this word "meek" has taken on characteristics in modern language that mislead our understanding of Christ's greatness, for Jesus' meekness and gentleness is strength under control, in discipleship and obedience to God, and seeking God's way for ourselves.  Let us more fully seek to embody the kind of strength He gives us through faith.

 

 

 

Woe to the world because of offenses!

 

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly,  say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."

 

- Matthew 18:1-9 

 

Yesterday we read that while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to the disciples, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful.  When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"  He said, "Yes."  And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"  Peter said to Him, "From strangers."  Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.  Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first.  And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

 

  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly,  say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."  My study Bible says that this question, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Jesus points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, and thereby emphasizes the virtues required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  These are, as listed by my study Bible, humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  St. Ignatius of Antioch is depicted in Orthodox iconography as this child.  In certain legends of saints, he is the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."  My study Bible explains that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity; all those are poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).  Jesus made similar statements in the Sermon on the Mount, likening the need for decisive action to avoid sin to the necessary amputation of a diseased limb to prevent the death of the whole body (Matthew 5:29-30).  My study Bible adds that this illustration of avoidance of sin also refers to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).

Today is a day in the United States when traditionally families and friends gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, a national holiday declared by President Abraham Lincoln in the midst of a violent civil war.  In President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation we can read his desire that such a day to give thanks to God would help to bring unity and restore the things that make for peace amidst so much loss.  But in that context, we might try to ask what it means to cut off harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties, to which my study Bible refers us in Christ's vivid illustration.   Jesus takes the image of a hand, an eye, a foot which is diseased -- it causes one to sin -- and so must be amputated for the salvation of the whole body (in this case, implying the soul).  If we think of patterns of behavior in the terms of Christ's metaphor, we see the genius at work in these words:  a hand can reach out for what doesn't belong to it, it can strike someone, or commit other abuses.  A foot can walk where it is not welcome, trespassing over boundaries that should not be crossed.  An eye sees by beholding beauty or the good -- or through covetousness to look in predatory fashion, or glare with envy and evil upon another (this is what is meant by evil eye), leading to malice and great harm.  These are all examples of offenses, in particular those which are easily done to the powerless, the little ones, those who look up to leadership for guidance, good structure, care, and true shepherding.  In certain relationships, abuses and harmful behaviors only cause "offenses" to spread.  We might have friends who use a lot of drugs, and drag us into a destructive lifestyle.  Or perhaps there are those addicted to gossip.  We might not like it, but we are dragged into the malice of stories about things we haven't seen and don't know are true, things told out of a desire to malign and take down others who might have something good to envy, and without their side of the story.  Have you ever been hurt by a friend who listened to untrue gossip, and then behaved as if it were all true?  Imagine the harm in the eyes of God to treat a friend who's done nothing against you as if they are suddenly an enemy -- based on a lie someone told you.  We see such manipulation happening all the time, even on a grand scale, when false motivations are attributed to someone, when footage is manipulated and projected on social media, when words are twisted to mean something entirely unintended.  Such things go on everywhere -- in the most intimate of circumstances such as within family, and even to the greater scale of nations and the world in international dimensions (and frequently are done deliberately for this effect).  We have a responsibility to separate ourselves and even sever relations, as my study Bible indicates, to stop the progress of such evil things in their tracks.  This is because it is in the nature of such behavior and the things it spreads to progress; they do not remain simple one-time facts or events that have no effect.  It is similar to the spiritual path a person is on:  one is either going in a good direction or one needs to turn around, to repent.  There is no standing still.  Abuse within families leads only to greater harm the more it is enabled and allowed to continue.  Sin spreads and infects more relationships, even transmitting to generations.  Jesus' admonition to act decisively to amputate what is diseased and will in turn infect other parts of the body -- eventually leading to death of the whole body unless severed -- is an important illustration of the ways that sin works among us, within us, and in our communities of whatever size and depth of relationship we can name.  We say that family and friendships, and loyalties of all kinds are cherished and prized -- but not if they spread harm, or horror, or a kind of spiritual disease that does no one any good and only spreads trauma.  If the greater thing that results from being together is more harm, unfair treatment, anger, harsh strife or other new and additional sin, we must rethink what it means to cherish.  We have to consider where we go and what we do, and every word that proceeds from our mouths (Matthew 12:36), because our choices have effects which spread to others, and also damage the souls within ourselves.  We are to seek to live, on the other hand, by "every word that proceeds from the mouth of God," so that we walk a good path, make a  good contribution to the world, and strengthen the good among the relationships we prize and in those whom we love.  Let us be grateful today for the good things we can receive and share, and the power to discern what we do not want, for the greater good of us all.

 

 

 

 

It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!

 

 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.  And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"

 

- Luke 17:1–10 

 

On Saturday, Jesus taught the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus:  "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'" 

Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."  My study Bible says that little ones refers primarily to children, and by extension to anyone whose heart is humble and dependent upon God.  In the structure of Luke's Gospel, Jesus has just told the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  This parable is, among other things, a powerful teaching on repentance and the lack of it.  We also should keep in mind that Jesus speaks to His disciples, who will become the pillars of the Church, and teach others under them.  In this context, this is a reminder that they too will wield their own power within the structure of the Church, and have "little ones" in their care.  It is also a teaching to all those who would follow them in this role, and each one of us who would be His disciples.

"Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."  We can refer to a similar passage in Matthew 18:15-35.  In that passage, Jesus first outlines a structure for mutual correction and forgiveness within the Church.  He also teaches St. Peter that forgiveness upon repentance should be done "up to seventy times seven."  In other words, symbolically, an unlimited amount.  He also tells the parable of the Unforgiving Servant in that passage, teaching us that because God forgives us, we are in turn required to grant the gift of forgiveness to others.

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  My study Bible explains that the mulberry tree is symbolic of the works of the devil.  It is on the leaf of this tree that silkworms feed, and worms are an image of hell (Mark 9:42-48).  My study Bible adds that this patristic interpretation is confirmed by many scriptural images of evil being destroyed in the sea (Luke 8:33; Exodus 14:27; Matthew 21:21; Revelation 20:10).  

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not."  The servant plowing is mentioned first and the one tending sheep second, which shows that one must first work out one's own salvation (Philippians 2:12) before one can become a shepherd of others.  This understanding given in my study Bible confirms the understanding that Jesus is speaking of life within the Church and its eventual hierarchy, for He is speaking to the disciples, His servants.  This is a similar message to the teaching in the Sermon on the Mount given to His disciples:  "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:3-5).

 

 "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"  This word unprofitable is translated from the Greek word ἀχρεῖος/axreios, which might literally be understood as "without merit" or "without usefulness."  This does not mean lacking in intrinsic value.  Instead, my study Bible explains, it means that everything we have comes from God and is owed back to God.  There is nothing can offer God that is not already God's.

The teachings in today's reading parallel similar structures in Matthew's Gospel which refer to disciplines and behaviors within the Church among believers.  If we look at them in this light, then we see clearly how Jesus is addressing this issue of the "little ones" within the context of the disciples' own behaviors.  Here in Luke's Gospel, today's text comes after the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (see Saturday's reading, above), and frames that parable within a setting of power and social hierarchy, and also a teaching about compassion.  The parable is also a warning to all of us about the failure to repent, and the consequences of such a failure.  So often, we fail to understand forgiveness and reconciliation within the context of what is asked of us in repentance.  Our connection to our brothers and sisters -- even to neighbor, if you will -- is predicated upon repentance and forgiveness.  Here, reconciliation is possible through both forgiveness and repentance on the part of the offended and the offender.  It is a framework that is defined by the concept Christ gives of the two greatest commandments in the Law:  that we love God with all our heart and soul and strength and mind, and neighbor as ourselves (see again the reading in Luke in which Jesus taught the parable of the Good Samaritan).  Through both forgiveness and repentance, conflict is stopped at its earliest level, without rising to greater strife and yet more problematic grievance and controversy that can roil entire communities.  Again, this seems here to be connected to a plan for Christ's eventual Church itself, the community of believers, of disciples, in which the men to whom He speaks here will play the role of foundational pillars and images for the rest to follow.  In any hierarchy, there are those who wield power, and those who rank under them and hold different responsibilities.  Within the framework of the Church and our believing communities, the "little ones" are those who come to be taught, who look up to leadership for an image of conduct and care.  Most absolutely, Christ is preaching compassion as the rule in His Church.  And He is also pragmatic here in His teachings, for He is acknowledging that the Church will be an institution based within flawed human beings, of whom He says here that "it is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."  He emphasizes the care of the least, the ones who lack social currency, or power and influence of some kind, the ones who are humble and dependent, because this is truly where compassion is expressed, in how we treat the "little ones."  As followers of Christ, we must all take these words to heart, because, as He clearly acknowledges here, there will always be "little ones" and there will inevitably "offenses" that come.  In His teaching, we have been given a highly pragmatic awareness of what social structures will entail, and yet how He wants His Church to function in the midst of an imperfect and unjust world.  If we but start there, with His teaching about awareness of the little ones, His teaching about knowing and correcting our own flaws first as a mandatory beginning for being good servants to Him, our consciousness of the need for repentance and forgiveness, then we will stand in good stead in terms of understanding the workings of salvation and of our faith.  For without these teachings, what do we have?  They distinguish what Christianity is and must be, what faithful Christians must be and how we walk through life.  For we are those through whom God must be glorified in this way.

 

 

 

 

And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him

 

 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.  And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"

 

- Luke 17:1-10 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught the following parable:  "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

 

  Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."  Yesterday's parable, of Lazarus and the Rich Man, was given in response to the scorn of the Pharisees, especially regarding our use of wealth and other resources in a compassionate way.  But today's teaching, we should note, is once again directed to the disciples, and therefore what kind of leadership Christ will ask for in His Church.  My study Bible explains that little ones refers primarily to children, but by extension to anyone whose heart is humble and dependent upon God.  In Matthew 18:1-4, Jesus points to a little child as the model of true discipleship.  My study Bible suggests that this is an emphasis on the virtues required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven:  humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  Thus "little ones" become those who will grow in faith, the flock of the Church for which these disciples will become responsible stewards.

"Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."  Seven is a number of fullness, meant to indicate an unlimited amount.  Let us note that Luke includes the important acknowledgement of wrongdoing, "I repent."  This is reconciliation, maintaining a family unity in the Church.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gives a formula for mutual correction (Matthew 18:15-20).  

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  My study Bible tells us that the mulberry tree is symbolic of the devil's works.  This is because silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberry tree, and worms are an image of hell (Mark 9:42-48).  It notes that this patristic interpretation is confirmed by many scriptural images of evil being destroyed in the sea (Luke 8:33; Exodus 14:27; Matthew 21:21; Revelation 20:10).  

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not."  My study Bible comments that the servant plowing is mentioned first and the one tending sheep second, which shows that one must first work out one's own salvation (Philippians 2:12) before one can become a shepherd of others.  Thus, it becomes an important instruction to these future leaders of the Church.

"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"  My study Bible says that this word translated as unprofitable literally means "without merit" in Greek.  Ultimately, its meaning is to say they are useless, unneeded because unhelpful.  But my study Bible is quick to point out that this does not mean they are without intrinsic value.  The emphasis is on participation in this life of the Kingdom.  My study Bible explains that it means that everything we have comes from God and is owed back to God.  There is nothing we can offer to God that does not already belong to God.  See Psalm 50.

In today's reading, the apostles demand of Jesus, "Increase our faith."  He tells them in response, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  Now both the demand and the response are interesting.  The first is interesting because the disciples demand of Christ to increase their faith because He's given them this difficult command about forgiveness in the first verses of today's reading.  He warns them about offenses to the "little ones" of the flock, and the dire consequences to those who harm these little ones.  But then He speaks about offenses within their community.  A sin against oneself may be met by a rebuke, but if repentance comes, forgiveness is commanded.  This is not an if/and/but/or statement; there is no doubt what Jesus is commanding here.  He makes this exaggerated to make a point:  "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."   It is to this statement that they respond with a demand to increase their faith, and then Jesus teaches them the power of just a little faith, akin to a tiny mustard seed -- and that the power of this tiny level of faith is such that a mulberry tree -- a symbolic image of feeding death and evil -- may cast itself into the sea by its roots at one's command.   Effectively, Jesus makes the connection between the right-relatedness of those within the Church, through correction and forgiveness, and faith that has the power to defy the darkness and death of evil.  Now that is a powerful statement about what the Church can be, about what it means to be reconciled to one another, about what impact our faith can have when we put the things into practice that Christ teaches us.  Imagine what it means to be reconciled to one another and really form the Body of Christ between brothers and sisters who can recognize an offense, correct, repent, and forgive.  This must certainly be the picture of what good relationships are within the Church, but more importantly, what it means to build the Kingdom -- and the power of faith -- here in this world.  Imagine if we all worked to make our parishes such a model of relatedness to one another, to building faith, and to the power of that faith against the forces of death in this world, the things that are destructive in nature, the things that do not nurture life, and cause suffering.  So, ultimately, we can take today's reading and find this crucial, important, central message upon which so much else hinges:  how do we, as "profitable" servants, take it seriously that we seek to build right-relatedness in this world in all that we say and do?  How do we take responsibility to serve Christ in this sense, simply that we seek to do our part to be in the type of communion with others that He says we should?  That is, we care for the little ones, we acknowledge our own faults and repent them, and we're also willing to call out an offense when it occurs to us.  This latter can be a hard thing to do, especially when we think that things will be better if we let something pass, or it's just easier to go gossip or complain about it to someone else.  What we should not forget about is the role of faith in all of this, and that when relationships become tricky and difficult we can always take it to prayer to find our way to negotiate through it.  Perhaps we have a pastor or other person we trust to confide in, or perhaps we simply need to leave it to God and see how things progress.  But right-relatedness, in Christ's sight, is clearly presented here as powerful, and as building up the faith that brings life into this world, and counters the forces which deaden and corrupt.  How do we build this Church?  How do we build this Body of Christ?  Sometimes there will be those whom we simply have to let go, which we also read about in the Scriptures (Matthew 18:17, 1 Corinthians 5:5).  But our work is to follow the Master in His teachings, to build the faith through the practices He gives us.  For if we don't live our faith, we are indeed useless servants.  Let us take these teachings as seriously as they're given to us.

 

 

Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me

 

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, but it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire." 

 

- Matthew 18:1-9 

 

Yesterday we read that while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to the disciples, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful.  When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"  He said, "Yes."  And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"  Peter said to Him, "From strangers."  Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.  Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, take the fish that comes up first.  And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

 

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."  My study Bible comments that the disciples' question to Jesus (Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?) indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Perhaps prompted by Jesus' twice-repeated warning about what is to come in Jerusalem (Matthew 16:21-28, 17:22-23), they have come to believe that the full manifestation of His Kingdom is imminent, and they want to know their "places" in it as His closest disciples.  But Jesus contradicts their assumptions about His Kingdom and how power works within it, by pointing to a little child as the model of true discipleship.  In so doing, He emphasizes the virtues which are required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven, described by my study Bible as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In the iconography of the Orthodox church, this child shown as an example by Jesus is St. Ignatius of Antioch.  In certain legends of saints, he is the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).  Note that the gracious behavior Jesus emphasizes as the model for His Kingdom includes receiving even a little child in His name with the understanding that we receive Christ in so doing.

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."  My study Bible comments that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.  

 

"Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, but it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."   My study Bible comments that this reference to mutilation is an illustration of decisive action in order to avoid sin.  Christ is not advocating literal amputation.  This is a reference also to harmful relationships of any kind that must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

Jesus teaches the disciples the value of humility:  that is, the need to understand what we now might call gracious behavior.  This is how the power of grace works within us and among us, through humility.  It is how we develop the fruits of the Spirit, which St. Paul names as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and about which he says, "Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).  My study Bible names the virtues of the Kingdom as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.   Jesus tells these men who will be His bishops and the founders and leaders of His Church that their chief need is humility and gracious behavior; they must know how to receive the "little ones" in His name, as if they were receiving Him.  Abusive behavior comes in many forms.  He cautions them most strongly against abuse of power, when He says, "For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, but it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."   A hand or foot wanders where it shouldn't go, trespasses over boundaries, reaches out to grab what doesn't belong to oneself or is improper to oneself, an eye looks with covetousness, selfishness, greed.  Jesus is speaking of habits that we indulge which cause us to sin, and specifically to abuse positions of power or authority, opportunities which -- instead of being good stewards -- may be used to exploit others or what belongs to them.  We still live in a time when we must guard ourselves against stepping over lines we shouldn't cross.  We will never lose our need for humility in our faith.  Notions of greatness which are worldly continue to be based on how much power and influence we have, how far we can extend our own wills over other people or things.  But what we need to seek is God's will, and God's kingdom, and God's glory.  In this is our joy.  And the only way to do that, really, remains through humility.  The way to do that begins with Jesus' words at His most trying and difficult challenge of His human life, "Not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39).  As He teaches us Himself, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).  And this is how He teaches us to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-15).  For us to renounce what is commonly referred to in popular culture as our own "ego" -- our own way of thinking, our own assumptions, our desires and passions -- and to seek God's will as best we can is how humility works.  We begin there, and we seek the Spirit's life for us in place of all the things we absorb from the world, all the wrong things we've learned, all the bad habits, the false assumptions, the things we don't really understand or haven't yet learned.  We seek God's way for us, and from there everything else is born as the fruits of the Spirit which may be at work in our lives.  But as we can read in today's reading, in Jesus' words to us, it all starts with humility and our capacity for gracious behavior, which most assuredly includes a recognition of the little ones and our own responsibility for caring for the world as Christ asks us to do, for finding His way and not our own, for receiving even ones with no power or "currency" at all as if we were receiving Christ.  This way of thinking stands the world and its notions of power and influence on their collective head.  But we seek a will that is not just greater than our own limitations, but one which will work in us and expand us, grow us in the glory of God and the fruits it may produce.  Let us always keep that in mind as we continue in our lives, and God's will expands us through our own humility.

 

 

 

But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea

 

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire." 

 

- Matthew 18:1-9 

 

Yesterday we read that while Jesus and the disciples were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful.  When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"  He said, "Yes."  And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"  Peter said to Him, "From strangers."  Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.  Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first.  And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

 

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."  My study Bible comments that this question is an indication of a selfish interest in worldly power.  Christ points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, and emphasizes in so doing the virtues which are required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  My study Bible lists them as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In many Orthodox icons of this event, St. Ignatius of Antioch is depicted as the child.  In certain legends of saints, it is he who was the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).  

 

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you.  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."  My study Bible comments that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.  This is not the first time Jesus uses a metaphor of mutilation to illustrate decisive action in order to avoid sin; see also Matthew 5:29.  By these extremely vivid illustrations we should understand Christ's style of speaking in ways that will grasp the imagination of the listener to make His point.  He uses such images in order to convey to the disciples -- and to us -- the extreme seriousness of sin (in this case, offenses against the little ones in the Church who will be in their charge) and its consequences.  This metaphor of amputation can also be understood as a reference to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

How powerfully do we take Christ's words about amputation?  Clearly we have to understand this as a metaphor for the fullness of who we are -- body, soul, and spirit -- and to understand that in the fullness of personal identity, sin is a potentially disfiguring and poisonous element that has the capacity to destroy the fullness of life in Christ and the Kingdom which He brings into this world.  Moreover, He refers clearly to the eternal life beyond this world, for His warning about "hell fire" is something we must take deeply seriously.  Let us keep in mind that He is speaking directly to His disciples, so these people to whom He's giving these dire warnings are the ones who have followed Him in faith, who are to be the pillars of His Church.  All of this simply emphasizes the power of what He is conveying to them about abuse and offenses.  In our consideration of what Jesus is saying, we must keep in mind the power of righteousness and its importance in this context.  That is, a righteousness that means "right-relatedness," the ways in which we live in relationship to God and to neighbor.  In this case, He is speaking directly to the disciples who seek eagerly to understand what important places may be in store for them in Christ's Kingdom which they may expect is imminent.  As Jesus has at this point warned them twice about His coming Passion and Resurrection, they have no doubt begun considering what this means, and this question goes to their places in this expected kingdom.  Popular expectations among the people were that the Messiah was to usher in a kingdom like King David's, and so the question reflects some of this understanding.  But Jesus' emphasis is on their responsibility which will come to them as those having important positions of authority in His Church -- and this He links directly with their treatment of the "little ones," those who will depend upon them for leadership in faith and the care of whose souls will be entrusted to them.  In this context, we understand Christ's words as a dire warning about abuses of power, taking advantage of those in their care.  His followers and faithful will be sheep in the care of His appointed shepherds, and if they in turn  lead astray then, "it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."  In some sense, Jesus is warning all of us when He says, "For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!"  He is conveying the seriousness of a righteous life, and the understanding that faith is not simply a set of values or principles to which one ascribes, but the fullness of living that life of faith and producing the fruits of faith in how we make choices and the ways in which we seek to relate to others.  Here, of course, He speaks directly to those who will be responsible for all the flock of His Church.  But when He speaks of mutilation as preferable to living with sinful and selfish habits, there is no doubt He speaks of the destruction of the whole of the self by not seeking to be aware of our own behaviors and to correct them.  In this metaphor, we can understand how a hand can reach out where it doesn't belong, to harm or take advantage of another, to take what does not belong to oneself, or to abuse.  A foot can go where it doesn't belong, trespassing across boundaries of all kinds, trampling upon others with less power or authority.  An eye will covet what is not proper to a person, or look with lust upon another in ways that are purely selfish and harmful to community, especially upon a dependent "little one" who looks up to authority for guidance.  All of these things are proper to consider in Jesus' dire warning about real offenses and their consequences.  Most important, it seems to me, is the warning that our own selfish practices have the effect of destroying the fullness of who we are.  If we really were to consider that our own behavior which exploits or abuses others in some way is simply most harmful to ourselves, then how might we consider changing our conduct -- even cutting off bad habits in the same way a gangrenous foot, or fully infected eye might need amputation lest we are in danger of death of the whole body?  This is the way that Jesus speaks of offenses, and it is especially directed at those to whom he will entrust leadership in His Church, and care of the "little ones."  So let us each, in our own lives, take this admonition about righteousness, and "right-relatedness," as seriously as Jesus would have us do by these illustrations.  If we but understood the harm we do to ourselves, the destruction of our own lives by abuse and offense, how would we change our behaviors?  Let us take Him as seriously as He means for us to understand Him.  He begins today's reading by speaking about the essential nature of humility as a required virtue for entrance into the kingdom of heaven, indicating a deep need for us to change worldly perspectives radically in order to understand what it is to be a part of the life He offers.  In extending His discussion to notions of abuse and misuse of power, He illustrates what that means.  There is no better time than now to begin to take His advice most seriously, for we still live in a world that values what it can grab, and positions of authority as power to do so.  Unless we understand what it is to serve, and to open our eyes and hearts to His way, we will not find in the world the ways that Christ teaches us to live as part of His kingdom.

 

 

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith"

 

 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.  And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, saying, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"

 

- Luke 17:1-10 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught the following parable to a group of Pharisees:  "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'" 

 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."  After Jesus' warning to the Pharisees (see yesterday's reading, above), the theme in the Gospels turns to warning to the disciples, as they will be the ones in the future who administer Christ's Church, just as the Pharisees are religious leaders of the Jews.  Here the warning and admonitions come for abuses of power, first and foremost toward the little ones.  My study bible ways that "little ones" refers primarily to children, but by extension to anyone whose heart is humble and dependent upon God, all those who are poor in spirit.  In the same vein of good administration of His Church, Jesus speaks of discipline within the Church, and both repentance and forgiveness.  Seven times a day is a symbol of fullness.  (See also Matthew 18:21-35.)

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  My study bible comments that the mulberry tree is a symbol of the works of the devil.  Silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberry, and worms are a scriptural image of hell (Mark 9:42-48).  This patristic interpretation is confirmed by many scriptural images of evil being destroyed in the sea (8:33; Exodus 14:27; Matthew 21:21; Revelation 20:10).

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not."  First Jesus mentions the servant plowing, and then the one tending sheep second.  My study bible comments that this shows that one must first work out one's own salvation (Philippians 2:12), before one can become a shepherd of others.

"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, saying, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"  The word unprofitable (literally, "without merit") does not mean that intrinsic value is absent.  My study bible explains that it means that everything we have comes from God and is owed back to God.  There is nothing that we can offer to God that is not already God's.

I find it intriguing that the first thing the disciples ask Christ, after He speaks to them about forgiveness in the Church, and warns them about offenses to the "little ones," is a plea:  "Increase our faith."  This is a prayer, even a demand.  It is a rare declarative statement on the part of the disciples, and it is one that commands from Christ something they dearly need, an increase in faith.  Perhaps it is particularly poignant that at this juncture, Jesus is moving toward Jerusalem, toward Passion Week and the Cross -- even the time when He will no longer be with them in the flesh, and they will be the stewards of His Church.  Everything else in today's reading should be seen within that context.  So, we also should be asking of the Lord, "Increase our faith."  If we look at today's message in context, it is not so much about a warning as to the treatment of the "little ones" as it is a profound statement on the nature of what it means to serve God.  We look toward our duties as responsibilities, as a way of living in this world as we bear Christ within us, and we carry His Church into the world.  Each one of us shares this responsibility with the disciples, and I wonder if we take on this discipline as gravely as we should.  Perhaps we don't realize what a profound duty it truly is, and what a deep responsibility to carry the gift of the gospel message, and to bear Kingdom into the world.  In Psalm 50, God says to Israel, "I will not take a bull from your house, nor goats out of your folds.  For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.   I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.  If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness."  Instead, God asks for praise and for righteous behavior.  In Christ's teaching, we, as servants, must remember this charge from the Lord.  It is about always keeping in mind the things God asks of us:  an attitude of thanksgiving which puts us in proper perspective on our lives in this world, and a personal understanding of what it is to serve God and to give glory to God, to call upon God in times of trouble, to remember where our loyalty lies.  Most of all, let us be like the disciples and pray for our faith to increase, so that we always understand where our duty lies, what awaits the work of our hands, heart, and minds.