We began Matthew 18 last night - this is the 4th "discourse" in Matthew's gospel. Let's call it the Discourse on Community. It's all about relationships among disciples, sorting them out, keeping them right, helping one another along.
It begins with a question from the disciples: "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
Peter has gotten a lot of attention and seems to have received the mantle of leadership among the disciples in the previous two chapters. He was given the keys of the kingdom after identifying Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God; he was chosen (along with James and John) to observe the transfiguration and Moses and Elijah; he was the one that the tax collectors came to and was asked a question as Jesus' representative. And "at that time" the disciples asked Jesus about who was the greatest.
Jesus uses a child as the model for both entrance into the kingdom and as a measure of greatness in the kingdom. It's as if Jesus is saying that this question is the totally wrong way of thinking. "Become like a child" - could mean everything from being trusting, filled with awe and wonder, being powerless and/or unpretentious, to beginning all over (ie. being "born again").
Then Jesus calls for humility. Humility, the cardinal virtue, is the first order of business when discussing relationships in the community of Jesus. It's the foundation of all the other concerns: for seeking the straying, not scandalizing "little ones," confronting sin in a brother, or forgiving seven hundred and ninety times.
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