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| Greatness Varies in Degree.
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15. Greatness Varies in Degree.
But next we must seek to understand this: the
disciples came to Him, as disciples to a teacher proposing difficult
questions, and making inquiry, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven?5920
And, in this
respect, we must imitate the disciples of Jesus; for if, at any time,
any subject of investigation among us should not be found out let us go
with all unanimity in regard to the question in dispute to Jesus, who
is present where two or three are gathered together in His
name,5921
and is ready by His presence with power to
illumine the hearts of those who truly desire to become His disciples,
with a view to their apprehension of the matters under inquiry.
And likewise it would be nothing strange for us to go to any of those
who have been appointed by God as teachers in the church, and propose
any question of a like order to this, “Who, then, is greatest in
the kingdom of heaven?” What, then, was already known to
the disciples of the matters relating to this question? And what
was the point under inquiry? That there is not equality in regard
to those who are deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven they had
apprehended, and that, as there was not equality, some one was
greatest, and so in succession down to the least: but of what
nature was the greatest, and what was the way of life of him who was
the least, and who occupied the middle position, they further desired
to know; unless, indeed, it is more accurate to say that they knew who
was least from the words, “Whosoever shall break one of these
least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in
the kingdom of heaven;” but who was the greatest of all they did
not know, even if they had grasped the meaning of the words,
“Whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called
great in the kingdom of heaven;”5922
for as there were many great, it was not clear to them who was the
greatest of the great, to use a human standard. And that many are
great, but the great not equally great, will be manifest from the
ascription of the epithet “great” to Isaac, “who
waxed great, and became exceedingly great,”5923
and from what is said in the case of Moses,
and John the Baptist, and the Saviour. And every one will
acknowledge that even though all these were great according to the
Scripture, yet the Saviour was greater than they. But whether
John also (than whom there was no greater among those born of
women),5924
was greater than
Isaac and Moses, or whether he was not greater, but equal to both, or
to one of them, it would be hazardous to declare. And from the
saying, “But Isaac, waxing great, became greater,”5925
until he became not simply great, but with
the twice repeated addition, “exceedingly,” we may learn
that there is a difference among the great, as one is great, and
another exceedingly great, and another exceedingly exceedingly
great. The disciples, therefore, came to Jesus and sought to
learn, who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven; and perhaps they
wished to learn, hearing from Him
sometimes like this, “A certain one is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven;” but He gives a universal turn to the discourse, showing
what was the quality of him who was greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. Let us seek to understand, from what is written, to the
best of our ability, who this is. “For Jesus called a
little child,”5926
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