Matthew 18:2 (DRB)

Passage

And Jesus, calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them.

Nearby Context

Matthew 18:1 At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who, thinkest thou, is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?

Matthew 18:2 And Jesus, calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:3 And said: amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jesus", "calling", "little", "child", and "midst". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jesus" and "calling", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "At that hour the disciples came to..." into verse 3's "And said amen I say to you...", so "jesus" and "calling" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "jesus" and "calling" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.