Topical Bible: Greatest

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The concept of "greatest" in the Bible often pertains to discussions of rank, importance, and the nature of true greatness in the eyes of God. Throughout Scripture, the term is used to challenge human perceptions of greatness and to redefine it according to divine standards.

Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven

One of the most direct teachings on greatness is found in the Gospels, where Jesus addresses the disciples' concerns about who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. In Matthew 18:1-4 , the disciples come to Jesus with this question, and He responds by calling a child to stand among them. Jesus says, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Here, greatness is equated with humility and childlike faith, challenging the worldly view that associates greatness with power and status.

Servanthood as Greatness

Another significant teaching on greatness is found in the context of servanthood. In Mark 10:42-45 , Jesus contrasts the leadership styles of the Gentiles with the values of His kingdom: "You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." Here, Jesus redefines greatness as serving others, emphasizing that true leadership and greatness are found in selfless service.

The Greatest Commandment

The concept of greatness is also linked to the commandments of God. In Matthew 22:36-40 , a Pharisee asks Jesus, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replies, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments." Here, greatness is associated with love—both for God and for others—indicating that the highest form of greatness is found in fulfilling these commandments.

Paul's Teaching on Love

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on the theme of greatness in his discourse on love in 1 Corinthians 13. In verse 13 , he concludes, "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love." Paul underscores that love surpasses all other virtues and spiritual gifts, positioning it as the ultimate measure of greatness in the Christian life.

Conclusion

In summary, the biblical concept of "greatest" challenges conventional views by emphasizing humility, servanthood, and love as the true markers of greatness. Through the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, Scripture consistently points believers toward a redefined understanding of what it means to be great in the eyes of God.

Greek

3176. megistos -- greatest
... greatest. Transliteration: megistos Phonetic Spelling: (meg'-is-tos) Short Definition:
magnificent. ... of megas Definition greatest NASB Word Usage magnificent (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3176.htm - 6k

2203. Zeus -- Zeus, the greatest of the pagan Gk. gods
... Zeus. 2204 . Zeus, the greatest of the pagan Gk. ... Word Origin of uncertain origin
Definition Zeus, the greatest of the pagan Gk. gods NASB Word Usage Zeus (2). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2203.htm - 6k

3187. meizon -- elder, greater, more.
... Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: meizon Phonetic Spelling: (mide'-zone)
Short Definition: greater, greatest Definition: greater, greatest. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3187.htm - 6k

3185. meizon -- the more.
... Part of Speech: Adverb, Comparative Transliteration: meizon Phonetic Spelling:
(mide'-zon) Short Definition: greater, greatest Definition: greater, greatest. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3185.htm - 6k

4118. pleistos -- most, very great, much.
... Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: pleistos Phonetic Spelling: (plice'-tos)
Short Definition: the greatest, the most Definition: the greatest, the most ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4118.htm - 7k

3173. megas -- great
... 1), arrogant (1), big (2), completely* (1), fierce (2), great (115), great men
(2), great things (2), greater (30), greater things (1), greatest (10), greatly ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3173.htm - 8k

3122. malista -- most
... Neuter plural of the superlative of an apparently primary adverb mala (very);
(adverbially) most (in the greatest degree) or particularly -- chiefly, most of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3122.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

4768. marbith -- increase, great number, greatness
... Word Origin from rabah Definition increase, great number, greatness NASB Word Usage
gain (1), greatest part (1), greatness (1), increase (1), multitude (1). ...
/hebrew/4768.htm - 6k

1419. gadol -- great
... 2), far more (1), Great (12), great (340), great man (2), great men (7), great one
(1), great ones (1), great things (7), greater (18), greatest (9), greatly (3 ...
/hebrew/1419.htm - 6k

5414. nathan -- to give, put, set
... A primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make,
etc.) -- add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed ...
/hebrew/5414.htm - 9k

1004. bayith -- a house
... Probably from banah abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications,
especially family, etc.) -- court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family ...
/hebrew/1004.htm - 7k

Library

The Greatest Thing in the World And Other Addresses
The Greatest Thing in the World And Other Addresses. <. The Greatest Thing
in the World And Other Addresses Henry Drummond. Table of Contents. ...
/.../drummond/the greatest thing in the world and other addresses/

The Greatest Need.
... The Need The Greatest Need. A word now about these great Christian lands
of Europe and America. The Catholic countries of Europe ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/the greatest need.htm

The Greatest Prayer.
... The Greatest Prayer. There is a greatest prayer, the greatest that can be offered. ...
The greatest strength is revealed in intelligent yielding. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/the greatest prayer.htm

The Greatest Doing is Praying.
... Prayer The Greatest Doing Is Praying. The greatest of all things we can do is
to pray. ... The greatest thing each one of us can do is to pray. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/the greatest doing is praying.htm

Whether the Eucharist is the Greatest of the Sacraments?
... OF THE NUMBER OF THE SACRAMENTS (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether the Eucharist is the greatest
of the sacraments? ... Therefore it is not the greatest of the sacraments. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the eucharist is the.htm

Who is the Greatest?
... The DESIRE of AGES Chapter 48 Who Is the Greatest? ... They disputed among
themselves which should be accounted greatest in the kingdom. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 48 who is the.htm

Whether Bodily Pain is the Greatest Evil?
... OF THE GOODNESS AND MALICE OF SORROW OR PAIN (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether bodily pain
is the greatest evil? ... But a certain pleasure is the greatest good, viz. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether bodily pain is the.htm

Whether any Pleasure is the Greatest Good?
... OF THE GOODNESS AND MALICE OF PLEASURES (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether any pleasure
is the greatest good? Objection 1: It would seem that ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether any pleasure is the.htm

Whether Liberality is the Greatest of the virtues?
... OF LIBERALITY (SIX ARTICLES) Whether liberality is the greatest of the virtues?
Objection 1: It seems that liberality is the greatest of the virtues. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether liberality is the greatest.htm

Whether Humility is the Greatest of the virtues?
... OF HUMILITY (SIX ARTICLES) Whether humility is the greatest of the virtues? Objection
1: It would seem that humility is the greatest of the virtues. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether humility is the greatest.htm

Thesaurus

Greatest (45 Occurrences)
...Greatest (45 Occurrences). ... Matthew 18:4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this
little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. ...
/g/greatest.htm - 20k

Most (1660 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Consisting of the greatest number or quantity; greater in number or quantity
than all the rest; nearly all. ... 3. (a.) Highest in rank; greatest. ...
/m/most.htm - 7k

Utmost (21 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Being in the greatest or highest degree, quantity, number, or the like;
greatest; as, the utmost assiduity; the utmost harmony; the utmost misery or ...
/u/utmost.htm - 13k

Foremost (14 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Foremost (14 Occurrences). Matthew 22:38 This
is the greatest and foremost Commandment. (WEY NAS). Mark ...
/f/foremost.htm - 10k

Cyprus (12 Occurrences)
... In ancient times it was a centre of great commercial activity. Corn and
wine and oil were produced here in the greatest perfection. ...
/c/cyprus.htm - 27k

Argument (45 Occurrences)
... Argument (45 Occurrences). Mark 9:34 But they said nothing: because they had had
an argument between themselves on the way, about who was the greatest. (BBE). ...
/a/argument.htm - 19k

Least (76 Occurrences)
... Matthew 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is
the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air ...
/l/least.htm - 31k

Alexandria (4 Occurrences)
... It was for a long period the greatest of existing cities, for both Nineveh and Babylon
had been destroyed, and Rome had not yet risen to greatness. ...
/a/alexandria.htm - 31k

Charity (29 Occurrences)
... Version). It is spoken of as the greatest of the three Christian graces
(1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13). Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1 ...
/c/charity.htm - 23k

Kareah (14 Occurrences)
... the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son
of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near ...
/k/kareah.htm - 12k

Resources

Who is greatest in the kingdom? | GotQuestions.org

What are the greatest miracles in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that the greatest of these is love? | GotQuestions.org

Greatest: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Greatest (45 Occurrences)

Matthew 13:32
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
(KJV WBS YLT RSV)

Matthew 18:1
In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Matthew 18:4
Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Matthew 22:36
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"
(WEB WEY NIV)

Matthew 22:38
This is the greatest and foremost Commandment.
(WEY BBE NIV)

Matthew 23:11
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 4:32
and whenever it may be sown, it cometh up, and doth become greater than any of the herbs, and doth make great branches, so that under its shade the fowls of the heaven are able to rest.'
(See RSV)

Mark 9:34
But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest.
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 12:28
One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?"
(WEB)

Mark 12:29
Jesus answered, "The greatest is,'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:
(WEB)

Luke 9:46
There arose an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 9:48
and said to them, "Whoever for my sake receives this little child, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives Him who sent me. For the lowliest among you all--he is the greatest."
(WEY NIV)

Luke 22:24
There arose also a contention among them, which of them was considered to be greatest.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 22:26
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
(KJV WEY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

John 7:37
Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!
(WEB NIV)

Acts 8:10
to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that great power of God."
(WEB KJV ASV BBE WBS NAS RSV)

1 Corinthians 13:13
But now faith, hope, and love remain-these three. The greatest of these is love.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Corinthians 8:2
How while they were undergoing every sort of trouble, and were in the greatest need, they took all the greater joy in being able to give freely to the needs of others.
(BBE)

2 Corinthians 11:5
For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very greatest apostles.
(WBS)

2 Corinthians 12:11
I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended by you: for in nothing am I behind the very greatest apostles, though I am nothing.
(WBS)

Hebrews 8:11
They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, and every man his brother, saying,'Know the Lord,' for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV WBS NAS RSV NIV)

James 2:8
But if you keep the greatest law of all, as it is given in the holy Writings, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself, you do well:
(BBE)

1 Peter 1:10
Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
(See NIV)

2 Peter 1:4
through which he has given to us the greatest and precious promises, that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(DBY)

Genesis 19:11
And they smote the men that were at the entrance of the house with blindness, from the smallest to the greatest; and they wearied themselves to find the entrance.
(DBY)

Joshua 14:15
Now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba, after the greatest man among the Anakim. The land had rest from war.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 7:9
And I have been with you wherever you went, cutting off before you all those who were against you; and I will make your name great, like the name of the greatest ones of the earth.
(BBE NIV)

1 Kings 3:6
And Solomon said, Great was your mercy to David my father, as his life before you was true and upright and his heart was true to you; and you have kept for him this greatest mercy, a son to take his place this day.
(BBE)

2 Kings 23:2
And the king went up to the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.
(See NIV)

2 Kings 25:26
And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces, arose, and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
(See NIV)

1 Chronicles 12:14
These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army: he who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

1 Chronicles 12:29
Of the children of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS)

1 Chronicles 17:8
And I have been with you wherever you went, cutting off before you all those who were against you; and I will make your name like the name of the greatest ones of the earth.
(BBE NIV)

2 Chronicles 34:30
And the king went up to the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.
(See NAS NIV)

Esther 1:5
And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the castle, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
(See NAS NIV)

Esther 1:20
and when the king's edict which he shall make shall be heard throughout his realm for it is great all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, from the greatest to the least.
(DBY NIV)

Job 1:3
His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 137:6
If I let you go out of my thoughts, and if I do not put Jerusalem before my greatest joy, let my tongue be fixed to the roof of my mouth.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 6:13
For from the least of them even to the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 8:10
Therefore will I give their wives to others, and their fields to those who shall possess them: for everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsely.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 31:34
and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 42:1
Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 42:8
Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 44:12
I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed; in the land of Egypt shall they fall; they shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine; they shall die, from the least even to the greatest, by the sword and by the famine; and they shall be an object of horror, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV NIV)

Jonah 3:5
The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Greatest

Related Terms

Surprised (46 Occurrences)

Rejoiceth (39 Occurrences)

Rejoices (30 Occurrences)

Rejoiced (83 Occurrences)

Feareth (36 Occurrences)

Perplexed (16 Occurrences)

Beloved (117 Occurrences)

Agitated (9 Occurrences)

Awe (32 Occurrences)