Matthew 18:3
…2Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. 3
“Truly I tell you,” He said,“unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.…
Berean Study Bible ·
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Lexicon
“Truly
Ἀμὴν (Amēn)
Hebrew Word
Strong's Greek 281: Of Hebrew origin; properly, firm, i.e. trustworthy; adverbially, surely.
I tell
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's Greek 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.
you,”
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's Greek 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
He said,
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's Greek 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.
“unless
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's Greek 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.
you change
στραφῆτε (straphēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's Greek 4762: Strengthened from the base of trope; to twist, i.e. Turn quite around or reverse.
and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's Greek 2532: And, even, also, namely.
become
γένησθε (genēsthe)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's Greek 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.
like
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's Greek 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.
little children,
παιδία (paidia)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's Greek 3813: Neuter diminutive of pais; a childling, i.e., an infant, or a half-grown boy or girl; figuratively, an immature Christian.
you will never enter
εἰσέλθητε (eiselthēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's Greek 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter.
the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's Greek 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
kingdom
βασιλείαν (basileian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's Greek 932: From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm.
of
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's Greek 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
heaven.
οὐρανῶν (ouranōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's Greek 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(3) Except ye be converted.--The English word expresses the force of the Greek, but the "conversion" spoken of was not used in the definite, half-technical sense of later religious experiences. What was needed was that they should "turn" from their self-seeking ambition, and regain, in this respect, the relative blamelessness of children.
Ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.--The force of the words as spoken to the Twelve can hardly be exaggerated. They were disputing about precedence in the kingdom, and in that very dispute they were showing that they were not truly in it. It was essentially spiritual, and its first condition was abnegation of self. Even the chief of the Apostles was self-excluded when he gloried in his primacy. The words at least help us to understand the more mysterious language of
John 3:3;
John 3:5, as to the "new birth" of water and the Spirit, which one, at least, of the disputants must, in all likelihood, have heard.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 3. - Except ye be convertedστραφῆτε); i.e. turned from proud, ambitious thoughts of worldly dignity. There is no question here about what is popularly known as conversion - the change from habitual sin to holiness. The conversion here spoken of is confined to a change in the present state of mind - to a new direction given to the thoughts and wishes. The apostles had shown rivalry, jealousy, ambition: they must turn away from such failings, and learn a different lesson. Become as little children. Christ points to little children as the model to which the members of his kingdom must assimilate themselves. The special attributes of children which he would recommend are humility, unworldliness, simplicity, teachableness, - the direct contraries of self-seeking, worldliness, distrust, conceit. Ye shall not enter. In the sermon on the mount Christ had said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (
Matthew 5:3). To all who are not such the gate opens not. That virtue which was unknown to pagan antiquity, the opposite character to which was upholden as the acme of excellence, Christ here asserts to be the only passport to his ideal Church on earth or its eternal development in heaven. Not the self-esteeming, proud man (μεγαλόψυχος) of Aristotle's worship ('Eth. Nic.,' 4:3), but the humble (ταπεινὸς), the lowly, the self-depreciating, is the man who can realize his position in the spiritual world, and shall be admitted to its blessings and benefits. St. Paul has summarized the ideal character of the members of the kingdom in
1 Corinthians 13, especially vers. 4, 5, and 7.
Matthew 18:3 Commentaries
