Luke 9:46

The Question About Who Is Greatest

46 And an argument developed among them as to who of them might be greatest.

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 "{You take these words to heart}, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."

45 But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they could not understand it. And they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

46 And an argument developed among them as to who of them might be greatest.

47 But Jesus, [because he] knew the thoughts of their hearts, took hold of a child and had him stand beside him

48 and said to them, "Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all--this one is great."