“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4 ESV1
Read Matthew 18:1-14, Mark 9:33-50 & Luke 9:46-50
In my life, I have worn a variety of hats. My different responsibilities have put me in positions where I have observed many arguments. Some of these arguments have been laughable, others hurtful. Many were passionate discussions which worked out themselves; others become quite heated and needed intervention.
When working with people, it doesn’t take long to discover competition is part of the human make up. We instinctively want to be on top. We tend to assume we are right, and when there are conflicts, we feel others must be wrong. We humans continually evaluate where we fit in any given group. From the time we are children, we compare ourselves and consciously (or unconsciously) compete in attempts to be the best, the fastest, the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented, etc.
An argument common among young boys takes the competition past their own abilities and focuses on the attributes of their fathers. It is not unusual, from time to time, to hear a boy exclaim, “My daddy is stronger than your daddy!” The argument need not necessarily focus on strength; maybe a boy claims his father is smarter, or richer (or any other appropriate adjective) than the fathers of those around him. But the statement is always made with the child’s confident expectation that his assertion will put him on top and finalize the argument.
Once, when Jesus’ twelve closest disciples were arguing among themselves, Jesus extinguished the heated debate by drawing their attention to the greatness of His Father.
“An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus [knew] the reasoning of their hearts” (Luke 9:46-47a). “And they came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house, He asked them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And He sat down and called The Twelve. (Mark 9:33-35a).
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1). “And He said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.’ And He took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them,” (Mark 9:35b-36) “‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven’” (Matthew 18:3-4). “‘Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great’” (Luke 9:48).
“‘Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea’” (Mark 9:42). “‘Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!’” (Matthew 18:7)
“John said to Him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in My name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink, because you belong to Christ, will by no means lose his reward’” (Mark 9:38-41).
“‘And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another’” (Mark 9:43-50).
“‘See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in Heaven, their angels always see the face of My Father, who is in Heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So, it is not the will of My Father, who is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish’” (Matthew 18:10-14).
In response to His disciples’ arguing about their own importance, Jesus touches on eight subjects. At first, it may seem like these remarks are not connected to the subject at hand, but the essential focus of each of these comments is the superlative nature of His Father. The Twelve had much to learn about true greatness. You will notice a sharp contrast between what humans consider paramount and what God sees as remarkable.
Jesus’ Daddy is the most caring.
People who desire grandeur for themselves usually want others to be at their beck and call; they don’t look for opportunities to meet the needs of others. God is quite the opposite; He wants to care for a big family. He sacrificed Himself to make the way for a world full of spiritual orphans to become His Children.
When one has an unusually high opinion of him/herself, he/she cannot appreciate his/her reliance on others. To take up God the Father on His offer for adoption, one must realize inadequacy. This is where the weak, the poor, the disadvantaged, and children have the upper hand; they know they need help. And this is where the rich, powerful, beautiful, and talented are often at a disadvantage. If their focus is on themselves and the here-and-now, they will miss the open door to their spiritual security.
The only way to get into the Kingdom of Heaven is to make Jesus’ Daddy your Daddy. Doing so takes humility. One must, like a child, realize his/her dependency on Someone more significant than him/herself. In doing that, anything which that one considered noteworthy in him/herself is devalued in the light of the Great One. Pride is crushed when one comes face to face with the only One who is worthy of first place, yet made Himself a Servant to all.
When one humbles himself in front of God, he/she is not left with his/her face in the dust. That one is lifted up and given a new home with Christ in the Heavenly realm (see Ephesians 2:6). He/she is clothed in a robe of righteousness (see Isaiah 61:10) and becomes a joint heir with Christ (see Romans 8:17). That one is blessed, called, adopted, chosen, forgiven, and redeemed (see Ephesians 1:3-10). The Kingdom of Heaven has many benefits, but one will never darken the door of Heaven based on his/her own merit. One must humbly yield to God’s authority and His provision and enter through the Door He has opened (see 1 John 10:9).
Jesus’ Daddy is the most supportive.
There is a hierarchy among dogs. A dog pack is made up of one alpha male and one alpha female; they are the top dogs. Next in line is the beta and so on. The omega, or the underdog, is the lowest member of the pack. Humans who want to become top dogs, in their attempts to achieve significance, often walk over underdogs. On the contrary, God the Father roots for the bottom of the pack.
“An argument arose among [the disciples] as to which of them was the greatest” (Luke 9:46). Each of them involved in this fight wanted to be top dog. This discussion was out of the earshot of Jesus, yet “Jesus [knew] the reasoning of their hearts” (Luke 9:47a). When He confronted them, “they kept silent” (Mark 9:34a). The disciples were probably embarrassed about the subject of their discussion, but out of their curiosity and desire to figure out who was in the alpha position, they finally asked Jesus, “‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1). Undoubtedly, all involved hoped that Jesus would agree with their perspective. Jesus’ unexpected answer was, “‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all’” (Mark 9:35b).
Occasionally, an omega female dog becomes an alpha female when the alpha male chooses her for his mate. But I am not sure if there has been a time in the history of humanity that last been considered first, or least been revered as great? But that which seems backward to humans is often true in God’s perspective.
The reason God considers last, first and least, great is that this kind of humility exemplifies Christ. A short time later, as His disciples continued to struggle with this concept, “Jesus [would call] them to Him and [say], ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28, emphasis mine). Jesus became an underdog to lift up us. Are we willing to become underdogs to glorify Him?
Jesus’ Daddy is the most nondiscriminatory.
Those who are concerned about their own notoriety focus on those things which, on the surface, are impressive. They often drop names and try to align themselves with others who seem to have that which they desire. God sees worth in not-so-shiny people and places.
There is a proverb that warns, “Not all that glitters is gold.” Similarly, not all that is valuable sparkles. The Scriptures say, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated” (Hebrews 13:1-3a). God asks us to turn our attention away from those who are widely celebrated so that we can care for strangers, prisoners, the mistreated, and the like. In doing so, we not only model Him, but we could be ministering to angels or the angel-like.
In the discussion on greatness, Jesus told The Twelve, “‘Whoever receives this child in My Name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me’” (Luke 9:48a). In one of the parables, Jesus taught something similar, “‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, My brothers, you did it to Me’” (Matthew 25:40).
In God’s Family, it is all for one and One for all. No one gets left out. Being Christ-followers is both Christ in us, and us in Christ. We are all part of the same fruit-bearing Plant; He is the Vine, and we are the branches (see John 15:4-5). We are all part of the same Body; Christ the Head, and we are all the different parts working together (see Romans 12:4-6a & 1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
If Jesus made no distinction between the welcoming of any one of God’s Children and the welcoming of the Father Himself, there is no room for self-elevation, competition, or prejudice in the Church. God saved us so that we would bear fruit for His Kingdom. To do that, we need every one of God’s Children healthy, connected, and cared for.
Unity in the Family is so vital that Jesus spent part of His last night on Earth praying for that very thing (see John 17:20-24). No wonder, in this passage, Jesus instructed His disciples to “‘be at peace with one another’” (Mark 9:50b). It is in unity and love that Christians stand out like shining lights in a dark world (see Matthew 5:14-16 & John 13:35).
Jesus’ Daddy is the most protective.
Those who try to reach new heights by inflating themselves are far more concerned about keeping themselves from falling than the safety of anyone in their way of rising. They are more likely to endanger those they pass. In doing so, they often not only sin against others but, sometimes, they actually cause others to fall into sin.
But, when someone messes with one of God’s Kids, that one will incur the wrath of God. Jesus said, “‘Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea’” (Mark 9:42). Being drown has got to be one of the worst ways to die, yet the one who causes one of God’s Little Ones to sin will wish he/she were met with that end rather than the punishment God has designed for him/her. That is some severe punishment!
If you are going through a difficult time right now; you may feel as if God has forgotten you and left you to be harmed by Satan himself. But the Scriptures remind us we should “not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon [us] to test [us], as though something strange were happening to [us]. But rejoice insofar as [we] share Christ’s sufferings, that [we] may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If [we] are insulted for the Name of Christ, [we] are blessed, because the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon [us] … If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that Name … Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” (1 Peter 4:12-14, 16, 19). And, elsewhere, Jesus told His disciples, “‘I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33).
Bad things are going to happen; that is the world in which we live. But, “‘Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!’” (Matthew 18:7). “‘The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (Matthew 13:41-42).
God will only let things go so far. He will use even what Satan meant for evil to work out for the good of His Children (see Genesis 50:20 & Romans 8:28). Jesus continued, “‘See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in Heaven, their angels always see the face of My Father, who is in Heaven’” (Matthew 18:). If you are one of God’s Children, you are not on your own. God has His angels looking out for you, ministering to you, and advocating for you. “The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14)?
Satan was the first to pridefully raise up himself by attempting to usurp the authority of God Almighty. That attitude and action earned him a special place in eternal damnation. Joining Satan will be all those angels (known as demons) who, due to their pride, followed Satan. Unfortunately, those humans who mimic Satan may find themselves in the same predicament.
Jesus’ Daddy is the most positive.
The desire to gain eminence brings with it the curse of concentrating on the negative. Successful competition requires discovering and exploiting the weaknesses of others. Effective self-preservation necessitates identifying and subsequently hiding one’s own vulnerabilities. Grace, though, always sees the positive. And God is abundantly gracious.
Jesus’ confrontation must have been getting somewhat uncomfortable for The Twelve. Seemingly, to release a little pressure, John tried to refocus the discussion by pointing out something about which he was sure Jesus would be pleased. “John said to Him, ‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your Name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in My Name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For the one who is not against us is for us’” (Mark 9:38-40).
At this point in his life, John would have been like the parent, who when presented with a child’s report card, sees first the C’s and D’s. Jesus is like the parent who sees first the A’s and B’s. It is not that Jesus accepts mediocrity; He has high standards and definite non-negotiable requirements, but Jesus is patient, sees what is most important, and acknowledges growth. Jesus also promises rewards for even the smallest acts of kindness to anyone deserving. “‘For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink, because you belong to Christ, will by no means lose his reward’” (Mark 9:41).
John would eventually understand grace. He became so enamored by this characteristic of Christ that in his Gospel, he refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” His other writings are exploding with admonitions to love and examples of love. (Interestingly, John’s name means God is gracious.)
In the above case, Jesus could see that God was being glorified, and there was hope that anyone who experienced the power of His Name might soon yield to His ways. God’s grace means adoption into His Family is open to anyone who wants to be included and is willing to enter in the way God has prescribed. In His Kingdom, any concern over anyone’s perceived successes or apparent failures will pale in comparison to what really matters—what Christ has done and will do in Believers.
Jesus’ Daddy is the most holy.
Public recognition is often craved by those concerned about their own notability. Others’ estimation of their merit helps them define themselves. But seeking this kind of affirmation is like trying to keep one’s footing on a slippery slope. Not only is gaining the applause of others addicting but, because of the fickleness of popular opinion, this kind of fame is hard to retain. Because of this, the one seeking prominence is often required to compromise his/her convictions to gain the approval of the masses.
On the other hand, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). God has an unwavering reputation established on His character of holiness. Holiness is what separates God from all He has created; it encompasses all His nature and is what makes Him who He is. Because God is holy, He despises all that is not holy.
Jesus came and paid the price for the sin of all humanity so that humans could be redeemed and made holy in the sight of God. When one believes and receives Christ as his/her Savior and Lord, he/she is set apart in Christ. When the Father looks at that one, He sees the purity of Jesus. That one is spiritually clean and need no longer sin. God says of all those who have accepted His gracious gift, “‘You shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine’” (Leviticus 20:26). The Apostle Peter instructs us, “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16). If one is a real Child of God, he/she won’t want to hurt God’s reputation. When God’s Children sin, the Name of God is drug through the mud.
Sin is not defined by God determining all the things humans could do and randomly assigning some as sin and the others as not sin. Sin is sin because it is that which is contrary to the character of God, that which will eventually hurt the Child of God, and that which glories Satan. (For help in remembering this truth, consider the word, sins, an acronym standing for Something Incompatible with the Nature of the Savoir.)
God the Father is not the only Spiritual Daddy. Satan is also a daddy in the spiritual realm. Whether he/she knows it or not, every human belongs to either his/her Father, God, or his/her father, Satan. No human is spiritually fatherless (see 1 John 3:10). When the Pharisees opposed Jesus, He said of them, “‘You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires’” (John 8:44a).
“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:8-10).
Being holy is not a matter of following a set of religious rules. The Pharisees were good at keeping commandments. Holiness is about being set apart for God’s glory. It is a matter of remaining in Christ and allowing Him to remain in you. It is staying intimately close to one’s Heavenly Daddy. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to direct one’s life. Unrestricted participation in that which insults one’s Daddy, hurts others, or pridefully glorifies oneself, puts distance between that one and God. It opens one up to the advances of Satan and hurts God’s reputation.
In their concern over which of them was the greatest, the disciples were letting pride get between them and their Daddy. So, Jesus said to them, “‘If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched’” (Mark 9:43-48).
Jesus wasn’t talking about physical self-mutilation. He was talking about getting rid of anything which separates one from his/her Heavenly Daddy and His plans for that one. In the physical realm, it is hard to be the fastest if you only have one foot, it is challenging to be the most useful if you only have one hand, and it is impossible to be the most beautiful with only one eye. In the spiritual realm, it is hard to be consumed with sins like pride if one has renounced those things which displease God and has dedicated all he/she is and has to God. In that case, everything in the life of a Child of God brings Him glory. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). That is intentionally putting one’s life into the absolute control of Almighty God. It is then that God is glorified, and the one making him/herself a sacrifice finds true satisfaction.
Jesus’ Daddy is the most fair.
Those concerned about being on top don’t want things to be fair; they want preferential treatment for themselves and inadequate treatment for others. But God levels the playing field. Compared to the Great One, all perceived human ranking is made even; all of us will be alike in that we will be judged by God.
Jesus had just warned His disciples that all who refuse to renounce that which separates them from the Father would suffer in unquenchable fire. Jesus continued with, “‘For everyone will be salted with fire’” (Mark 9:49, emphasis mine). We will all be judged based on what we have done with God’s gift of salvation through Jesus. “The dead, great and small, [will stand] before the Throne … The dead [will be] judged and books [will be] opened … Another book [will be] opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead [will be] judged by what was written in the books, according to what they [have]done … And if anyone’s name [is] not found written in the Book of Life, he [will be] thrown into the Lake of Fire” (Revelation 20:11a, 12& 15).
In one way or another, everyone will be judged by the use of fire. Those who reject Jesus and God’s way to salvation will experience the fires of Hell. Those who believe and accept Jesus’ gift will have their good works tested by fire. If that which a Believer has done is found to be pure, that one will receive a reward. If not, he/she will still be saved, but he/she will miss out on the award (see 1 Corinthians 3:12–15).
God demonstrates His fairness not only in judging all humans but in the discipline of His Children. If God left His Children without guidance and refused to direct them through training during their lifetimes, I doubt many of His Children would, upon their judgment at death, find that their deeds were pure enough to receive a reward. But as it is, God keeps tabs on His children and makes sure they are continually walking in obedience. “‘Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves and chastises every son whom He receives.’ … If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons … He disciplines us for our good that we may share His holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5b-6, 8, 10b-11).
Being salted with fire not only refers to being disciplined, but also to being found as an approved sacrifice. As mentioned earlier, being in God’s family involves renouncing sin and offering one’s self as a living sacrifice. The LORD’s instructions to the Israelites included this exhortation, “‘You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings, you shall offer salt’” (Leviticus 2:13). Why salt? Salt is used to heal, purify, preserve, and give flavor. “The LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt” (2 Chronicles 13:5). This covenant was imperishable and irrevocable. An offering with salt is a picture of Jesus’ sacrifice. His offering heals; it is pure, complete, and pleasing to God. Jesus’ sacrifice is eternal and cannot be repealed. One who, in Christ, presents himself to God as a living sacrifice will be found pure and lacking nothing. “Nothing unclean will ever enter [Heaven], nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27).
Jesus continued, “‘Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again’” (Mark 9:50a)? Elsewhere Jesus said, “‘You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet’” (Matthew 5:13). Because of their falling into sin or their denial of the Faith, several popular Christian leaders have lost their saltiness. Rarely, when a Christian leader loses his/her saltiness dies he/she harm only him/herself. Usually, many others are taken down with him/her. If Jesus would wish drowning on those who cause His Siblings to sin, I shudder to think what punishment will befall those who make others of God’s Children lose their saltiness.
Jesus’ Daddy is the most attentive.
Those who vigorously climb the proverbial ladder to personal loftiness are often so consumed with their own pursuits that they rarely notice others struggling to find their way. If these self-focused ones do happen to see someone else slipping or falling, they usually use the misfortune to their own advantage. But Jesus “‘came to seek and to save the lost’” (Luke 19:10), the ignored, the pushed down, the distracted, and the deceived.
To illustrate this, Jesus gave this example “‘If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So, it is not the will of My Father, who is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish’” (Matthew 18:12-14).
Later, Jesus used this same example while correcting some Pharisees. At that time, He added, “‘When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance’” (Luke 15:5-7).
Notice the diligence with which the shepherd searches and the tenderness in his treatment of his lost sheep. If a human shepherd would be so loving go out of his way for a distracted or even disobedient animal, how much more will The Father graciously seek and find His Children who have gone astray? If a shepherd will throw a party with his friends after finding a lost sheep, how much more will God celebrate with the angels when one of His Children, who was separated from Him, is brought back into a right relationship with Him?
Yes, Jesus’ Daddy is the most caring, supportive, nondiscriminatory, protective, positive, holy, and attentive Daddy of All. Jesus’ Daddy would win in any comparison between fathers. Jesus’ Daddy really is the greatest of all.
Jesus used the “daddy” argument not one-up His disciples, but to lift up them. Jesus’ argument was meant to include instead of exclude. Jesus was pointing His disciples and all who would hear or read His words to the One they all needed, the only One who could satisfy their deepest longings. All humans will suffer under their self-absorbed obsession to achieve greatness unless they submit to and find rest in the Truly Great One. It is because of God that humans have significance; it cannot be found apart from Him. So, who’s your Daddy? Is He Jesus’ Daddy?
1 Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.