In the gospels there is an on-going ambivalence about ‘who is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens’, that is, the society which Jesus the Nazarene, or the ‘community builder’, is in the process of setting up. As already pointed out in Reality Search there are two perspectives at play, that of the society based upon time or law and the society based upon place or order. Each of these perspectives has their prototype person as a model. In the first type it appears to be the disciple and Matthew’s gospel attempts to develop the meaning of this, especially in the following Section. In the second type of perspective as apparently developed in Luke the prototype admired, is the ‘Kingdom Figure’ (c/f Reality Search) Yet Jesus selects out a child as being ‘the ultimate prototype’ of the ‘kingdom of the heavens’. He challenges his disciples and others to become like children, that is c/f ‘the adult child’. It seems his close friends in Bethany, Lazarus, Martha and Mary do come near to the prototype. At the end of Mark (c/f Reality Search ) a person some considered to be a rank outsider, that is, the ‘ointment woman’ (Mary, sister of Lazarus) appears to be presented by Mark as someone who does come near to grasping the essential message of Jesus and she is to be remembered because of it. One wonders if because of the emphasis on 'the child', Matthew should therefore leave off any attempt to define and promote the sense of “discipleship”. But on the contrary it would appear the ‘adult child’ is based or developed from a balance between being "the disciple" and being "the kingdom figure." Paragraph "hook" is a time statement and mention of disciple(s)

1. disciples hear passively

26:1-5

26:1-5 ..At that time). he said to his disciples. "You know in two days it is the Passover and the Son of man is going to be delivered up and crucified." Then all the chief priests and the elders of the people were assembled in the court of the high priest who was named Caiaphas.

They considered how they might seize Jesus by guile and kill him. But they said “Not at the feast in case there is a disturbance amongst the people.” (Note: Text is the literal translation from the RSV Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, 1988)

2. disciples belittle sincerity (of ointment woman)

26:6-16

26:6-16 When Jesus was in Bethany in Simon the leper’s house, a woman who had an alabaster phial of very expensive ointment approached and poured it on his head as he reclined. Seeing this the disciples were angry saying. What a waste this is.” It could have been sold for a big price and given to the poor.“ Knowing this Jesus said to them. “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work to me. You always have the poor with yourselves but you do not always

have me. This woman has put ointment on my body in preparation for my burial. Truly I tell you wherever the gospel is proclaimed in all of the world what she did will also be spoken about as a memorial of her.” Then going out one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. He said “What are you willing to give me and I will deliver him to you?” They weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him. And from then on he sought an opportunity in which he might deliver him.