Font Size
IVP New Testament Commentary Series – Serving the Little Ones (18:1-14)
Resources
IVP New Testament Commentary Series
Matthew
RELATIONSHIPS IN THE KINGDOM (18:1-35)
Serving the Little Ones (18:1-14)
Serving the Little Ones (18:1-14)
- The Greatest Is the Child (18:1-5)
- Kingdom Status May Be Inverse to Worldly Status (18:1-4)
- Embracing the Weak, We Embrace Christ (18:5)
- Causing a Little One to Stumble (18:6-9)
- Go After the Straying Sheep (18:10-14)
The unifying theme in this section is the importance of honoring children and others who lack worldly status in the kingdom (vv. 1-5). Those who cause a little child (literally, "little one") to fall from the faith will themselves be damned-a fate to be avoided at all costs (vv. 6-9). Not only must we not be the cause of a lowly person leaving Jesus' fellowship, but we must take the responsibility to seek those who are straying (vv. 10-14), as God had long desired his shepherds to do (Ezek 34:1-16). Many church offices today depend on honor shown to those with higher rank; but rank in the kingdom depends especially on how we treat those least honored among us.
IVP New Testament Commentaries are made available by the generosity of InterVarsity Press.



![Psalms: Tyndale Old Testament Commentary [TOTC]](https://g.christianbook.com/dg/product/cbd/f108/842858.jpg)


![Matthew: IVP New Testament Commentary [IVPNTC]](https://g.christianbook.com/dg/product/cbd/f108/840011.jpg)

![James: IVP New Testament Commentary [IVPNTC]](https://g.christianbook.com/dg/product/cbd/f108/840168.jpg)