Whoever welcomes this little child: To welcome means to honor and treat as an equal. This statement is surprising because, in the time of Jesus, children had no social status in the community. People viewed children as the property of their parents. Jesus took the lowest and most vulnerable members of society and announced that welcoming them was the same as welcoming him.
in My name: This means “as my representative.”
whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest: True leadership in the kingdom of Jesus comes from serving others, not the exercise of power (see also Mark 10:42–45).