IVP New Testament Commentary Series – Kingdom Status May Be Inverse to Worldly Status (18:1-4)
Resources chevron-right IVP New Testament Commentary Series chevron-right Matthew chevron-right RELATIONSHIPS IN THE KINGDOM (18:1-35) chevron-right Serving the Little Ones (18:1-14) chevron-right The Greatest Is the Child (18:1-5) chevron-right Kingdom Status May Be Inverse to Worldly Status (18:1-4)
Kingdom Status May Be Inverse to Worldly Status (18:1-4)

Ancient moralists regularly trotted forth models of heroes and statesmen for their students to imitate; Jesus instead points to a child. More so then than today, children were powerless, without status and utterly dependent on their parents (Harrington 1982:74). Yet we must imitate such people of no status, people who recognize their dependence (compare France 1985:270). To "turn" (NIV change) reflects the Jewish concept of repentance (as in Jer 34:15); compare John 3:3, 5.

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