Chapter 18 of Matthew is often referred to as “the Church Order,” that is, how the disciples should deal with each other in the community of believers. As in any group or society, there is some kind of ranking, each member trying to rise over others, and take a more important role. In asking Jesus who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven, the disciples are not asking about a kind of “hierarchy” or ranking within their community. They want to know about true spiritual grandeur in the eyes of God and in his plan of salvation. Jesus speaks of conversion as the fundamental condition for this kind of greatness. It involves turning from previous way of thinking and living to become a new person, one who humbles himself as a child and trusts in God. Here, the child is not a symbol of innocence, purity, or moral perfection, but of humility as befits one who has no power. In early Jewish society, children were considered of less status, with no legal rights and claims, and were totally dependent on the older ones for support. The community of Jesus is urged to take care of the “little ones” in the way God shepherds the people of Israel, or in the manner Jesus attends to their needs with compassion.