Oliver James
Member
Hey Everyone,
I've been working on my site and some of the thoughts and verses - the passages and accompanying images of the Gospels - reflect upon the thought that we must become as children truly to know Jesus and to enter heaven.
This is my reflection on a passage of Luke's Gospel, in which Jesus once again takes a child and holds the child to be in the center of the discussion taking place.
My audio - my reading - is on my site here: https://wordaloud.co.uk/audio/kjv/d...ance-receive-this-child/gospel-of-saint-luke/
My reflection and the KJV text go like this:
46 ¶ Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
49 ¶ And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
Today’s Gospel verses follow upon Jesus’ second announcement of his Passion, which the disciples do not understand and about which they are afraid to ask Jesus. This lack of understanding and fear, a certain kind of removal from Jesus, lead into an argument among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. We may sense in these verses some jockeying for position as the disciples think of themselves apart from Jesus, as, perhaps, that which is veiled is nonetheless dimly communicated, and as the hearts of the disciples are as yet far from perfect understanding of Jesus.
In Luke’s Gospel, it is without being told the disciples’ question that Jesus knows the troubled thought of their hearts. Jesus responds to the disciples’ dispute with an answer to their question. By way of answer, Jesus takes the child and shows him to the disciples. Then Jesus teaches the disciples the lesson.
The lesson of the child is complex and carries a variety of meanings in the Gospels. We are taught by Jesus that we must become as little children if we are to enter the Kingdom of heaven. We are asked to consider what this means: to become as a child. One part of this teaching is that we must trust and have faith in God our Father. We are also called not to be so self-reliant, but rather reliant on God. We grow in humility and fellowship through our agreeing to be more like a child.
Now we are asked by Jesus to think of the poverty represented by children. The child is reliant on the will of the family which has brought him or her into being. Beyond the immediate family, a whole social structure is entailed. The child has only what others can and wish to give to him or her. We are asked by Jesus to give to this child, who is in a position of such dependency.
We are asked by Jesus to be as a child. We are asked to receive ‘this child’. We may understand this as receiving all children, and also as receiving, being kind to, all the little ones of the world, those who have no power. There is also a sense of specificity: the child is ‘this’ child, not an abstraction but a particular individual, a person. We are asked by Jesus to receive and to be kind to every individual human being as if we are receiving and being kind to Jesus, which in fact is what we then will be doing. We are taught by Jesus to see Jesus in everyone – in every individual one.
There is to be no exclusivity so long as we are with Jesus. Don’t tell other Christians not to do what they can to ask people to be with Jesus. We all have a role to play in this regard. The last thing we should want is division among Christians. All our efforts should be toward Christ.
This truth also can at times demand humility. In this teaching also we are each to become as a little child, and looking to see Jesus in everyone.
Thank you and Amen.
I've been working on my site and some of the thoughts and verses - the passages and accompanying images of the Gospels - reflect upon the thought that we must become as children truly to know Jesus and to enter heaven.
This is my reflection on a passage of Luke's Gospel, in which Jesus once again takes a child and holds the child to be in the center of the discussion taking place.
My audio - my reading - is on my site here: https://wordaloud.co.uk/audio/kjv/d...ance-receive-this-child/gospel-of-saint-luke/
My reflection and the KJV text go like this:
46 ¶ Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
49 ¶ And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
Today’s Gospel verses follow upon Jesus’ second announcement of his Passion, which the disciples do not understand and about which they are afraid to ask Jesus. This lack of understanding and fear, a certain kind of removal from Jesus, lead into an argument among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. We may sense in these verses some jockeying for position as the disciples think of themselves apart from Jesus, as, perhaps, that which is veiled is nonetheless dimly communicated, and as the hearts of the disciples are as yet far from perfect understanding of Jesus.
In Luke’s Gospel, it is without being told the disciples’ question that Jesus knows the troubled thought of their hearts. Jesus responds to the disciples’ dispute with an answer to their question. By way of answer, Jesus takes the child and shows him to the disciples. Then Jesus teaches the disciples the lesson.
The lesson of the child is complex and carries a variety of meanings in the Gospels. We are taught by Jesus that we must become as little children if we are to enter the Kingdom of heaven. We are asked to consider what this means: to become as a child. One part of this teaching is that we must trust and have faith in God our Father. We are also called not to be so self-reliant, but rather reliant on God. We grow in humility and fellowship through our agreeing to be more like a child.
Now we are asked by Jesus to think of the poverty represented by children. The child is reliant on the will of the family which has brought him or her into being. Beyond the immediate family, a whole social structure is entailed. The child has only what others can and wish to give to him or her. We are asked by Jesus to give to this child, who is in a position of such dependency.
We are asked by Jesus to be as a child. We are asked to receive ‘this child’. We may understand this as receiving all children, and also as receiving, being kind to, all the little ones of the world, those who have no power. There is also a sense of specificity: the child is ‘this’ child, not an abstraction but a particular individual, a person. We are asked by Jesus to receive and to be kind to every individual human being as if we are receiving and being kind to Jesus, which in fact is what we then will be doing. We are taught by Jesus to see Jesus in everyone – in every individual one.
There is to be no exclusivity so long as we are with Jesus. Don’t tell other Christians not to do what they can to ask people to be with Jesus. We all have a role to play in this regard. The last thing we should want is division among Christians. All our efforts should be toward Christ.
This truth also can at times demand humility. In this teaching also we are each to become as a little child, and looking to see Jesus in everyone.
Thank you and Amen.
