Instruction Concerning Humility, § 90, ; ; Now we’re about to see what was happening among the disciples as they travelled. Remember, they have been travelling through Galilee on their way back to Capernaum from Caesarea Philippi. Read the first paragraph from all three accounts here. Matthew and Luke are clearly summarizing the story, for Mark gives us more detail. But each adds some detail that the others omit. Read Mark 9:33-37, Matthew 18:1 and Luke 9:46-47a. What do we find happening here? As Luke says, an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. Why do you suppose this happened? At that time … Notice that Matthew associates their question with a particular time. He begins: At that time … At what time? The same time that the shekel was paid for the temple tax of Jesus and Peter. And so this lesson follows the previous lesson that was given to Peter. And Jesus did not pay the temple tax for all of His apostles, but only for Peter. Perhaps they argued whether this made Peter greater than the others. On the way Perhaps this event only added fuel to an argument they were already having. Mark records that they were discussing this question on the way. What happened just before their journey that might have provoked this argument? Three of His apostles saw the transfiguration on the mountain. In the kingdom Notice that Matthew also points out that the dispute is about who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, that is, in the coming Messianic Kingdom. Remember that they are still expecting that He will soon set up the Messianic Kingdom. So their concern is about which of them will have the greatest position in the Messianic Kingdom. In their heart Now Mark records that Jesus began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” Do you think He was unaware of what they were discussing? He was with them as they travelled and argued. He already knows what they were discussing, and furthermore Luke points out that He knew what they were thinking in their heart. The argument is actually a symptom of their heart condition, and Jesus knew what they were thinking in their heart.
Instruction Concerning Humility, § 90, ; ; Now we’re about to see what was happening among the disciples as they travelled. Remember, they have been travelling through Galilee on their way back to Capernaum from Caesarea Philippi. Read the first paragraph from all three accounts here. Matthew and Luke are clearly summarizing the story, for Mark gives us more detail. But each adds some detail that the others omit. Read Mark 9:33-37, Matthew 18:1 and Luke 9:46-47a. What do we find happening here? As Luke says, an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. Why do you suppose this happened? At that time … Notice that Matthew associates their question with a particular time. He begins: At that time … At what time? The same time that the shekel was paid for the temple tax of Jesus and Peter. And so this lesson follows the previous lesson that was given to Peter. And Jesus did not pay the temple tax for all of His apostles, but only for Peter. Perhaps they argued whether this made Peter greater than the others. On the way Perhaps this event only added fuel to an argument they were already having. Mark records that they were discussing this question on the way. What happened just before their journey that might have provoked this argument? Three of His apostles saw the transfiguration on the mountain. In the kingdom Notice that Matthew also points out that the dispute is about who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, that is, in the coming Messianic Kingdom. Remember that they are still expecting that He will soon set up the Messianic Kingdom. So their concern is about which of them will have the greatest position in the Messianic Kingdom. In their heart Now Mark records that Jesus began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” Do you think He was unaware of what they were discussing? He was with them as they travelled and argued. He already knows what they were discussing, and furthermore Luke points out that He knew what they were thinking in their heart. The argument is actually a symptom of their heart condition, and Jesus knew what they were thinking in their heart.