Luke 9:46

46 And a reasoning came in amongst them, who should be [the] greatest of them.

Luke 9:46 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 9:46

Then there arose a reasoning among them
The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions read, "a thought entered into them"; suggested very likely by Satan, which broke out into words, and issued in a warm dispute among them; and this was in the way, as they were travelling from Caesarea Philippi, to Capernaum; see ( Mark 9:33 ) .

Which of them should be greatest;
that is, "in the kingdom of heaven", as in ( Matthew 18:1 ) in the kingdom of the Messiah, which they expected would be a temporal one: wherefore the dispute was not about degrees in glory, nor in grace; nor who should be the greatest apostle and preacher of the Gospel; but who should be prime minister to the king Messiah, when he should set up his monarchy in all its grandeur and glory.

Luke 9:46 In-Context

44 Do *ye* let these words sink into your ears. For the Son of man is about to be delivered into men's hands.

45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them that they should not perceive it. And they feared to ask him concerning this saying.

46 And a reasoning came in amongst them, who should be [the] greatest of them.

47 And Jesus, seeing the reasoning of their heart, having taken a little child set it by him,

48 and said to them, Whosoever shall receive this little child in my name receives me, and whosoever shall receive me receives him that sent me. For he who is the least among you all, *he* is great.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit. 'greater,' as Matt. 18.1.