Least And Greatest

Ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. Φαμὲν τὸ μικρότερον περὶ αὐτοῦ λέγειν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· μικρότερον δὲ κατὰ τὴν δόκησιν τῶν ἀκουόντων. Τὸ δὲ, ἑν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, δηλοῖ ἐν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς, καὶ ἐν τοῖς κατ' οὐρανὸν ἄπασι καὶ θεῖκοῖς μείζονα ὑπάρχειν ἐκείνου τὸν Χριστόν. Οὕτως δὲ ἀναγνωσόμεθα, ὅτι, Μικρότερος· εἶτα, μικρὸν διαλιπόντες, ἐποίσομεν τὸ, Ἐν τῃ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν. Ἡ δὲ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, προτρεπόμενος πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν, καὶ ἕλκων εἰς ἑαυτὸν διὰ τῆς χάριτος. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Ἐπαγγελιον, Κεφ ΙΑ' Source: Migne PG 17.293a-b

But the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than him. 1 We say that the 'least' concerning him speaks of Christ, and least according to the opinion of those listening. But 'in the kingdom of heaven' clearly refers to spiritual things and everything which pertains to heaven and Divinity, in which Christ is greater than him. So let us read it, that 'least' is as a leaving of a little thing, so that we make the 'in the kingdom of heaven is greater than him.' And the kingdom of heaven is Christ Himself, He who calls all to penitence, and draws them to Himself through grace. Origen, On the Gospel of St Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 11.11