Who was the Greatest Follower of Jesus? A Little Child – Matthew 18:01-05 During Jesus’ ministry different people momentarily became his greatest follower. At the moment when Jesus placed the little child in front of the apostles – the little child represented Jesus’ greatest follower. The greatest followers of Jesus were foreshadowed by Joseph the patriarch. In this example, the foreshadowing includes: There was an argument concerning who was going to be the greatest among the brothers. Genesis 37:8 His brothers said to him, Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to have dominion over us? So they hated him yet more for his dreams and for his words. Luke 9:6 And an argument arose among them as to which of them would be the greatest. The person who was depicted as the greatest among the brothers is described as a lad or child who was placed in the midst of the brothers. Genesis 37:2 … Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a lad…13 And Israel said to Joseph, Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them. And he said to him, Here I am. Matthew 18:2 He called to him a little child, and put him in the midst of them. Some people thought that the person who had been depicted as the greatest among the brothers had been torn to pieces by wild beasts after going on a long journey. Genesis 37:14 So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem…17 So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan…33 And he recognized it, and said, It is my sons robe; a wild beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces. There is a story in the eastern orthodox church found in the Prologue of Ohrid - According to [some] traditions, he [Ignatius of Antioch] was thus named because he was held in the arms of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ. On a day when the Lord was teaching His disciples humility, He took a child and placed him among them, saying: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:4). This child was Ignatius… After a long and difficult journey from Asia through Thrace, Macedonia and Epirus, Ignatius arrived in Rome, where he was thrown to the lions in the circus. Of course, the tradition about Ignatius may not be true. However that would only add to the parallel since Joseph wasn’t torn by wild beasts – it was only thought by some people that he had been torn by wild beasts. J. Clontz – Editor of the Comprehensive New Testament Matthew 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called to him a little child, and put him in the midst of them. 3 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me. 18:1 Alx/Byz[At that time], Minor[But at that time]. 18:2 Alx[He called], Byz[Jesus called (DRA, KJV, MRD, NKJ, NLT, TEV, TLB)]. 18:3 Alx/Major[3 And he said], Byz[And he said 3]. 18:4 Alx/Major[whoever will humble], Byz[whoever humbles or whoever should humble (ESV, HCS, JNT, NAB, NAS, NAU, NET, NIV, NJB, NKJ, NLT, NRS, REB, RSV, TEV, TLB)].
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 04:18:19 +0000
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