At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
All Commentaries on Matthew 18:1 Go To Matthew 18
John Chrysostom
AD 407
The disciples experienced some feeling of human weakness; wherefore the evangelist also adds this note, saying, In that hour; when He had preferred him to all. For of James too, and John, one was a firstborn son, but no such thing as this had He done for them.
Then, being ashamed to avow their feeling, they say not indeed openly, Wherefore have you preferred Peter to us? or, Is he greater than we are? for they were ashamed; but indefinitely they ask, Who then is greater? For when they saw the three preferred, they felt nothing of the kind; but now that the honor had come round to one, they were vexed. And not for this only, but there were many other things which they put together to kindle that feeling. For to him He had said, I will give you the keys; Matthew 16:19 to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona; to him here, Give unto them for me and you; and seeing too in general how freely he was allowed to speak, it somewhat fretted them.
And if Mark says, Mark 9:34 that they did not ask, but reasoned in themselves, that is nothing contrary to this. For it is likely that they did both the one and the other, and whereas before, on another occasion, they had had this feeling, both once and twice, that now they did both declare it, and reason among themselves.
But to you I say, Look not to the charge against them only, but consider this too; first, that they seek none of the things of this world; next, that even this passion they afterwards laid aside, and give up the first place one to another. But we are not able to attain so much as unto their faults, neither do we seek, who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven; but, who is greatest in the earthly kingdom, who is wealthiest, who most powerful.
