Focus: Verse 15-17
King James Bible
And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
New International Version
People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
New Living Translation
One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
I have but 205 cynical bones in my body.
I fight cynicism every day. How can I not. My life's experience holds heavy visions and memories that I wish on no one. I was born damaged from my mother's alcoholism. I survived a childhood that by logical measure I should not have. I tried time and time again to return to the place that would erase my memories. As an adult, I literally repaired the broken bodies of children who didn't survive their own dark catastrophic loss of innocence. Man continues to teach me daily that he is worthy of my spite.
Faith and Grace are the only glue that can repair the damage from the things I have seen and felt. Jesus did not want man to protect him from the innocence of the children, he wanted to protect the adults from their jaded believe that he needed to be. In so doing, he was teaching the adults in the room that their arrogance would lead them down the wrong path.
This may be the hardest battle to win. We live in a world where billions of dollars are spent on frivolity in the never ending quest for power, fame and fortune. The basic tenets of communism are from the teachings of Christ.
I know that is a statement worthy of choking on, but communism only fails because of the failure of the men behind it. Satan will never let the true values of Christ take over, because if that were to happen, there would be no place for him.
I believe God watches as we despise the time that is His gift to us. For Him, there is no constraint of time. For us, there most certainly is.
This may be the hardest battle to win. We live in a world where billions of dollars are spent on frivolity in the never ending quest for power, fame and fortune. The basic tenets of communism are from the teachings of Christ.
I know that is a statement worthy of choking on, but communism only fails because of the failure of the men behind it. Satan will never let the true values of Christ take over, because if that were to happen, there would be no place for him.
I believe God watches as we despise the time that is His gift to us. For Him, there is no constraint of time. For us, there most certainly is.
Version Study & Takeaway
- What was the depth of the "touch"? Was the touch of Christ skin deep or was he to touch the children's souls?
- Shall in no wise enter therein or no way enter into it?
One of these approaches suggests more passivity than the other. In context, "touched" has a connotation that I can't find in place his hands on as told by the NIV interpretation. Think of the song Touched by the Hands of God by New Order. "I was touched by the hands of God." The words take on a deeper spiritual effect. I don't think the easy interpretation here tells the whole story. Jesus may have meant the deeper idea of being touched. "I was touched by his generosity." Its deeper than simple surface contact.
Jesus Blesses the Children
18 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:
2 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.
3 And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men,
5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Otherwise, she will wear me out with her perpetual requests.’”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge.
7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them?
8 I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
9 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable:
10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’
13 But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15 Now people were even bringing their babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. And when the disciples saw this, they rebuked those who brought them.
16 But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
17 Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
18 Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.
20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’”
21 “All these I have kept from my youth,” he said.
22 On hearing this, Jesus told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
23 But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.
24 Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”
27 But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
28 “Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
30 will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”
31 Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets have written about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.
33 They will flog Him and kill Him, and on the third day He will rise again.”
34 But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying.
35 As Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting beside the road, begging.
36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.
37 “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.
38 So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had come near, Jesus asked him,
41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “let me see again.”
42 “Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.”
43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
The Takeaway:
When we pray to God, we should do so with the innocence of a child. The only way to do that is to leave our pride and our Earthly expectations at the door. Jesus' blessing of a child goes far deeper than skin-deep in its clear warning. What we learn from our time on this Earth is driving a wedge between us and God. Jesus warned us of this. Every day of life in the flesh aims to take us further from the innocence that can only come from the nativity of the children who only seek one thing from their father. Life.