Become as Little Children

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:3 (KJV)

Converted – It took our study group 1.5 hours to get through 8 verses in Matthew 18. I had read these verses time and again, but never actually dug into them. The results of our conversations last night left me in deep thought about something most of us merely pass by.

The word, converted, in Greek is epistrepho meaning a physical return back to something. We’ve studied this before. But it wasn’t until last night that all the other verses began to change meaning once we established this as the foundation on which Yeshua is teaching.

So as a child relies on the commandments of his father, so too must we return to rely upon the commandments of our Father, YHVH. Once we return back to Torah and apply ourselves in obedience, let’s see what the next few verses reference.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

So if we humble ourself as a little child in this manner by converting ourselves to the commandments of God, then we become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Where have we heard this before?

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19

Whoah, it’s the same wording used! Let’s continue on to verse 5.

5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

So now, after the child has committed to the instruction of God (Torah), whoever receives them, receives Christ. The word, receives, in Greek is dechomai meaning as if receiving the mission of Christ. So if we accept one of these people who have committed to Torah obedience, then we are receiving the very teaching of Christ. This is amazing!

Most Christians today lack in this understanding. Many Reformists, for example, call those Christians who observe Torah, Judaizers. They certainly wouldn’t receive one of these who have converted back to their Father’s commandments. Take a look at Christ’s words. Read them out loud. I challenge everyone to adhere to Christ’s example and walk in His steps. He was Jewish man who valued and kept His Father’s instructions. For this reason, He was considered sinless. Maybe we need to rethink our paradigm and begin reading the text as a 1st century Jewish believer in the Messiah that is Yeshua.