"And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me."
In today's quote, Jesus announced the coming of His supreme sacrifice. He said; "The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day."
Upon learning that Jesus was leaving them, His apostles began to squabble about which one of them would be the leader, or the greatest among the twelve. Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus made it very clear to them all that there was to be no one of them greater in prestige or political stature than any of the others. He said; "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all."
The above text, along with many other New Testament examples, makes if vividly clear that the Roman Catholic contention that Peter was to be the supreme leader of the church on earth, is totally unfounded by the words straight out of the mouth of Jesus Himself.
In the last part of today's quote, holding a child in His arms, Jesus said; "Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me."
This passage means that the children of God are NOT to think of themselves as being above any other human being, especially the innocent children. We are to humble ourselves and lift up those who are the weakest among us, always remembering the two "great" commandments: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40 in part.) ~
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