Read & explore together
Greatness, Humility and Care for Others
Jesus answers arguments about greatness with teaching on humility, welcoming the lowly, not blocking others who act in his name, careful handling of sin, and peace among his followers. These linked passages show that greatness is measured very differently from status.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the passage
In Matthew, the disciples ask who is greatest, and Jesus teaches with a child, warns about stumbling, and gives steps for addressing a brother who sins. In Mark and Luke, the disciples argue about greatness, Jesus speaks about being last and least, welcomes a child, corrects John, and ends with sayings about salt and peace.
Matthew 18:1–9; Matthew 18:15–20; Mark 9:33–43; Mark 9:45; Mark 9:47–50; Luke 9:46–50Main takeaway
Jesus teaches that greatness among his followers is seen in humility, welcome, careful restoration, and serious refusal to cause stumbling.
Explore the teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Greatness is redefined by humilityThe disciples raise the question of greatness, and in Mark and Luke they have been arguing about it.
Explanation
The disciples raise the question of greatness, and in Mark and Luke they have been arguing about it. Jesus answers by placing a little child among them. In Matthew he says they must turn and become as little children, and that the humble person is greatest. In Mark and Luke, greatness is linked with being last, servant of all, and least among them.
02Receiving the lowly and not blocking othersJesus says that receiving such a little child in his name is receiving him, and also the One who sent him.
Explanation
Jesus says that receiving such a little child in his name is receiving him, and also the One who sent him. Mark then adds John’s report about someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name. Jesus says not to forbid him, because one doing a mighty work in his name will not quickly speak evil of him. He also values even a cup of water given in his name.
03Warnings about stumbling are severeJesus warns strongly against causing little ones who believe in him to stumble. Both Matthew and Mark use the picture of a millstone and drowning to show the seriousness.
Explanation
Jesus warns strongly against causing little ones who believe in him to stumble. Both Matthew and Mark use the picture of a millstone and drowning to show the seriousness. Jesus also speaks about occasions of stumbling and uses severe body-part imagery to urge decisive action against whatever causes a person to stumble, rather than facing Gehenna and unquenchable fire.
04A sinning brother is to be addressed step by stepIn Matthew, Jesus gives ordered steps for dealing with a brother who sins against you. First speak privately.
Explanation
In Matthew, Jesus gives ordered steps for dealing with a brother who sins against you. First speak privately. If he does not listen, take one or two others so every word may be established. If he still refuses, tell the assembly. Jesus then speaks about binding and releasing, agreement in prayer, and his presence where two or three gather in his name.
05Mark closes with salt and peaceAfter the warnings about stumbling, Mark records Jesus saying that everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice seasoned with salt.
Explanation
After the warnings about stumbling, Mark records Jesus saying that everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice seasoned with salt. The passage does not explain the image further here, so it should be handled carefully. Jesus then says salt is good, asks what can season salt that has lost its saltiness, and tells them to have salt in themselves and be at peace with one another.
Read the accounts alongside one another
Keep each reading’s setting and wording in view.
Scroll across to compare the readings.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does Jesus answer the disciples’ arguments about who is greatest?
Trace his answer through the child, the call to turn and become like little children, and the sayings about being humble, last, servant of all, and least.
02What attitudes and actions does Jesus connect with receiving people in his name?
03What order does Jesus give for dealing with a brother who sins, and what goal does that suggest?
List the steps in Matthew exactly as they appear, beginning in private. Notice the words about gaining back your brother.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Matthew 18:1–9
1In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them
3and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
4Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
5Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.
7“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
8If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.
9If your eye causes you to stumble, 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 the Gehenna of fire.
Matthew 18:15–20
15“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
16But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
18Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
19Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
Mark 9:33–43
33He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”
34But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.
35He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
36He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
37“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”
38John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”
39But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me.
40For whoever is not against us is on our side.
41For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.
42“Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck.
43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,
Mark 9:45
45If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched—
Mark 9:47–50
47If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire,
48‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
49For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
50Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
Luke 9:46–50
46An argument arose among them about which of them was the greatest.
47Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side,
48and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”
49John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow with us.”
50Jesus said to him, “Don’t forbid him, for he who is not against us is for us.”