<p>5:19&nbsp;<em>Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments</em>- See on 'jot and tittle' (:18). Note the connection between breaking &quot;these least commandments&quot; and being &quot;least in the Kingdom&quot;. The least in the Kingdom will therefore be those who didn't consider the small things worthy of their attention. But the principle is that by our attitude to that which is &quot;least&quot; we show our appropriacy to receive that which is great (Lk. 16:10 s.w.).&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>And shall teach men to do so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven</em>- The Lord explained that &ldquo;the least in the Kingdom of Heaven&rdquo; would have broken &ldquo;the least&rdquo; commandments, and would have taught men so (Mt. 5:19); and yet &ldquo;the least in the Kingdom&rdquo; was a phrase He elsewhere used about those who would actually be in the Kingdom (Mt. 11:11; 25:40 &quot;the least of these my brothers&quot;). Here surely is His desire to save, and His gracious overlooking of intellectual failure, human misunderstanding, and dogmatism in that misunderstanding (&lsquo;teaching men so&rsquo;). The idea of being called / named / pronounced great or least in the Kingdom suggests differing degrees of reward distributed at judgment day. The idea of being called / named at the day of judgment has just been used in Mt. 5:9 (s.w.). There is thus the possible implication that some who will be accepted by the Lord who even at their acceptance at the judgment have wrong attitudes towards their brethren. Thus before the Lord of the harvest, those who thought they had worked hardest complained that those they thought had done less, were still getting a penny. They were rebuked, but they still had their penny (cp. salvation; Mt. 20:11). The subsequent comment that the first shall be last might imply that they will be in the Kingdom, but in the least place. Likewise the brother who takes the highest place in the ecclesia will be made with shame to take the lower place (Lk. 14:9). Or the bitter elder brother, angry at the Father's gracious enthusiasm for the worthless brother, is addressed by the Father (God) in language which is relevant to the Lord Jesus: &quot;Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine&quot; (Lk. 15:30). These sentiments are elsewhere expressed about the Lord Jesus. Is the implication that bitter elder brother is still in Christ and accepted in Him, even though his attitude to his brother is not what it should be? The least in the Kingdom will be those who break commandments&nbsp;<em>and teach men so&nbsp;</em>(Mt. 5:19); but the least in the Kingdom will be counted greater than John the Baptist was in this life (Mt. 11:11). The simple message is that there will be some in the Kingdom who simply weren't very obedient in this their day of probation. Admittedly, these details are capable of other interpretations. But bear these points in&nbsp;mind, especially if you ever struggle with the apparent harshness of some Christians you may meet.</p>
<div>The least in the Kingdom will be those who break commandments&nbsp;<em>and teach men so&nbsp;</em>(Mt. 5:19); but the least in the Kingdom will be counted greater than John the Baptist was in this life (Mt. 11:11). The simple message is that there will be some in the Kingdom who simply weren't very obedient in this their day of probation. Admittedly, these details are capable of other interpretations. But bear these points in&nbsp;mind, especially if you ever struggle with the apparent harshness of some Christians you may meet.&nbsp;
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<p>It is Jesus Himself who shall be called great (the same two words used in Lk. 1:32 &quot;He shall be&nbsp;<em>great</em>&nbsp;and shall be&nbsp;<em>called</em>&nbsp;the Son of the Highest&quot;). The one who would do and teach supremely would be Jesus. Here, as so often, the Lord makes an oblique reference to Himself (as in mentioning that some seed would bring forth one hundred fold). The fact we teach others to do righteousness will be a factor in our acceptance (Mt. 5:19); although not the only one. Again we see the implication that we are to somehow teach others, to engage with others, in order to be acceptable.&nbsp;</p>
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