The disciples asked ‘who is the greatest in heaven?’ I find this a very odd question.
Hi, Kabone.
Actually, that is not what they asked him. Instead, this is what they asked him:
"At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven?" (Mat. 18:1)
The first thing that we need to understand is that the terms "kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God" are used interchangeably in scripture. There are those who falsely claim that Matthew's gospel was written exclusively to the Jews because he allegedly only spoke of "the kingdom of heaven" whereas the other gospel writers spoke of "the kingdom of God." In reality, Matthew spoke of both "the kingdom of heaven" (Mat. 3:2, 4:17, 5:3, 10, 19-20, 7:21, 8:11, 10:7, 11:11-12, 13:11, 24, 31, 33, 44-45, 47, 52, 16:19, 18:1, 3-4, 23, 19:14, 23, 20:1, 22:2, 23:13, 25:1, 14) and "the kingdom of God" (Mat. 6:33, 12:28, 19:24, 21:31, 43), and both terms are referring to the same kingdom.
The next thing that we need to understand is that the disciples thought that the kingdom of God was going to immediately appear in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus' first coming. Pay close attention to why Jesus spoke the following parable.
Luke chapter 19
[11] And as they heard these things,
he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
[12] He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
[13] And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
[14] But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
[15] And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
[16] Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
[17] And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
[18] And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
[19] And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
[20] And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
[21] For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
[22] And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
[23] Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
[24] And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
[25] (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
[26] For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
[27] But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Jesus spoke this parable "because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear" (vs. 11) there. Jesus needed to explain to them that it was not going to be until "when he was returned" (vs. 15) at the time of his second coming that he was going to "receive the kingdom" (vs. 15). When the kingdom of God comes to this earth at the time of Jesus' second coming, Jesus' disciples will be given authority over cities (vss. 17 and 19), and how much authority they receive will be based upon how they traded with the figurative talents Jesus gave them, while occupying until he comes (vs. 13).
Although he often told his disciples that he was going to be crucified before his kingdom came, his disciples did not believe him. Peter went so far as to rebuke him for even saying so (Mat. 16:21-22). Jesus later went on to say the following to his twelve apostles:
"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Mat. 19:28)
"In the regeneration" or when they are raised from the dead at "the first resurrection" (Rev. 20:5-6), Jesus' twelve apostles (Judas was replaced by Matthias - Acts 1:26) "shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." That will be their reward or their positions in the coming kingdom of heaven/kingdom of God. The rest of us? Our positions will be determined in accordance to what we have done with the figurative talents Jesus has given us. Even though Jesus plainly told his disciples of their positions in the kingdom that was yet to come, they continued to jockey for position in that kingdom (Mat. 20:21, Mark 10:37) as if it was going to immediately appear here on earth.
Anyhow, in context in Matthew 18:1, Jesus' disciples were definitely not thinking about any sort of hierarchy in heaven itself, but rather they were thinking about hierarchy here on earth because that is where they thought the kingdom of heaven was going to immediately be established.
Hopefully, you can see and recognize this. If not, then I will be happy to offer further biblical insight into what I have only begun to share here.
