The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 221

HOMILIES DY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-8.-.TM kingdom of the childlike. Jesus Christ not only resorted to parables in order to make his teaching vivid ; sometimes he ma.de use of object-lesson&. Thus he answered the question as to who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven by pointing to the little child whom be had called to himself, and set up in the midst of his disciples. The child himself was a visible embodiment of the reply our Lord wished his questioners to receive. L THE THE oF THE lilNGDOM. The kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of the child- like. When we look on a little child we see a typical citizen of that glorious kinadom. Let us consider what there is in childlikeness to be thus representative. We "must approach this subject from the ground from which Christ and his disciples came to it. The question of primacy being in the minds of the disciples some contrast to their feel- ings and dispositions is vividly suggested by the sight of the simple, unconscious, unworldly child. 1. Unambitious simplicity. This would be the first impression produced by the sight of the child, when suddenly he was called by Jesus to confront self-seeking ambition. Even if we may believe that there was no self-seeking in the minds of the disciples, and that their inquiry was general, not personal, still the spirit of ambition was roused by it. But the little child does not possess ambition. 'l'he subtle calculations by which men scheme for pre-eminence are all unknown to him. He is pre-eminent without knowing it. They are the highest saints who think least of their own sanctity. 2. Unworldliness. The little child is quite unconventional. He knows nothing of the ways of the world. Of course, it is not desirable to imitate his defects, to go back to childish ignorance. But knowledge is dearly bought when it is acquired aL the cost of spirituality. Wordsworth tells us that heaven lies about us in our childhood. 3. Trustfulness. The child came to Jesus as soon as he was called. A look of the Saviour was enough to dispel fear. We need the innocent confidence of the child to come into right relations with Christ. II. 'l'HE DOOR TO THE KINGDOM. 1. The entrana. The disciples had forgotten this. Busying themselves about the rank of those who were in the kingdom, they neglected t-0 consider how to enter it. Yet this is the first question, and all else is unpractical till this step has been taken. But when it has been taken, all else becomes unimportant. It is everything to be privileged to enter the kingdom, even though in its lowest region. Moreover, the true citizen of the kingdom will have lost the ambition t)lat busies itself &bout questions of pre-eminence. 2. The turning. We are all selfish and self-seeking until we learn to repent and take a better course. No one can enter the kingdom of heaven while he remains worldly and ambitious. The very spirit which aeeks a first place in the kingdom excludes from the kingdom. We need grace to turn back to child- likeness. We must be converted into little children. The greed and ambition must \>e taken out of our hearts, and the simplicity, unworldliness, and trust of the child r-eceived in place of those ugly attributes.-W. F. A. Vers. 8, 9.-The offending member. A moment's reflection will convince us that these stern sentences of Christ's are unanswerable. If the alternative lay between losing a limb and losing his life, who would hesitate with his decision? "All that a ruan bath will he give for his life." 1. lT IS POSSIBLE FOB WllAT 18 VERY NEAR TO UB TO BB FATALLY llUBTFUL TO US. It would be a mistake to suppose that our Lord meant that under any circumstances 11elf-mutil.ation would be a duty. The causes of stumbling are not bodily, although the body may be the instrument of temptation; they are in the thoughts and desires ef the heart (Jas, i. 14, 15). But there may be things precious as parts of our very selves, or friends clear a.a the apple of the eye, or useful as the right hand, and yet 1piritually hurtful to us. Our own daily occupation, to which we have grown until it has become as a part of ourselves, may be a source of temptation and danger, Our liabita, which are our BeCOnd nature, may be a very bad second nature. err. xvur. 1--35.] TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTlIEW. 225