Luke 18:16, commentary and pictures

Jesus corrected His disciples for turning children away and commanded that they be allowed to come to Him and not be forbidden. Mothers had brought their little children to Him to receive His blessing, and He took them in His arms, laid His hands on them and blessed them. The kingdom of God belongs to those who are like little children in character, and little children themselves belong to that kingdom as its heirs and subjects redeemed by His blood. Little children can understand religion, give their hearts to God and be converted even when very young. Parents are to bring their children to Christ for His blessing, and His followers in every age are commanded not to hinder them by coldness, harshness or gloomy religion.

Setting and Actions

Jesus corrected the disciples for turning children away and commanded that the children be allowed to come to Him and not be forbidden. Mothers brought their little children to Him to receive His blessing, coming even tramping through the dusty streets of Jerusalem. The disciples tried to send them away, commanding them to be taken away lest they trouble Him, because they thought the children were too young to benefit and Christ's teaching work was too important to be interrupted.

Jesus heard the mothers, understood their care and burden in training children according to God's word, heard their prayers, understood their purpose in hoping His blessing would help them raise their children well, and Himself had drawn them into His presence. He received the children, took them in His arms, laid His hands upon them, and gave them the blessing sought as the mothers had desired. Even while busy teaching the multitudes He let the weary little ones rest their heads against His heart of love and compassion, put His hands on their heads, and blessed them.

He accepted the children's affection and praise, and His gentle, tender, loving and approachable manner won their love and trust. His loving presence brought them no fear or rejection, and they were drawn to Him and felt free to come close to Him. His simple teaching could be understood by children and even the most ignorant, bringing comfort and blessing even while He was ministering to others. Seeing His tender reception of the children, taking them in His arms and receiving them tenderly and showing them love, moved the wealthy ruler's heart to love Him and stirred his desire to become His disciple.

Kingdom Belongs to Such

The kingdom of God belongs to those represented by the little children, to people like them, and to people transformed through grace into childlikeness of character. Children are welcome to come and must not be kept away, and parents are called to teach them to seek the Lord while young and to devote their strength to His service. Little children themselves belong among those of whom the kingdom consists, as heirs of His grace, as subjects of His kingdom, and as members redeemed by His blood just as much as the children He gathered in Judea. His welcome shows His sympathy with mothers who bring their children for blessing, and He notices even their effort to come along a dusty path and by asking neighbors for help, setting an example for parents to teach and discipline with love by reminding them that Christ gave His life for them rather than by scolding or fretting.

With infinite tenderness and unutterable longing He claims children for the kingdom as souls He purchased with His blood. His heart is drawn not only to the best-trained and most attractive children but in pity to faulty and erring children with objectionable traits by inheritance and through neglect, tracing from cause to effect what made them what they are where parents are responsible and lack tenderness and wisdom to deal with them. Children can listen to His counsel and receive Him as Redeemer more readily than worldly-wise and hard-hearted adults, who are less likely to follow Him and find a place in the kingdom. He saw in them future men and women who would be heirs of His grace and subjects of His kingdom, some of whom would become martyrs for His name.

The verse assures that a little child who has died is saved and belongs to the kingdom, giving parents hope to see and know their children again in heaven. When believing parents have first done their duty, the promise covers the children, and the seal or mark of believing parents rests upon children brought up aright and saves them from the destroying angel soon to slay old and young, men and women and little children who have not the mark. If parents neglect this duty and leave children to indulge wicked, evil passions, the destroying angel will cut the children down. The blessing is for children brought by faithful mothers who do their duty to teach and train them in obedience and submission, for parents stand in the place of God to their children, and children so taught bear the test of character and obey the will of God. The faith of believing parents covers their children from the destroyer as the faith of Israelite parents in the lamb's blood covered their households in Egypt, while children left unrestrained to wicked tempers, passion, selfishness and disobedience under Satan's control would not be taken to heaven if they died, for the same temper would be revealed there, and whether all the children of unbelieving parents will be saved is not definitely told and must be left where God has left it.

Children Receiving Christ Early

Little children are able to be converted and give their hearts to God even when very young, to devote their young hearts to His service, to join His service while still young, and to be trained to resist temptation and to live by the help He gives. Their young hearts can respond with love in return for the tokens of His love given every day, for His blessings and preservation and restoration to health. Jesus loves to bless little children and accepts their efforts to love and serve Him.

A child who prays to Him and trusts and obeys Him will find the Saviour kinder even than father and mother. Angels are attracted to good children, and children who ask God for help can trust that He will not reject their prayers but will send angels to guard and protect them from evil and will help them to do right, so they need not rely on their own strength. Children are able to understand religion and accept Christ in childhood, and when the Holy Spirit moves upon their hearts they are to be taught that Jesus calls them and that giving themselves to Him in youth brings Him joy.

Even a baby may live under God's care through a mother's faith and prayers, and children may be shaped by the Holy Spirit from their earliest moments, as John the Baptist was from birth. In working for the conversion of children, violent emotion is not the essential evidence of conviction of sin, and it is not necessary to know the exact time when they are converted. They are to be taught to bring their sins to Jesus, to ask His forgiveness, and to believe that He pardons and receives them just as He received the children when He was personally on earth.

In every meeting, seeking children are to have opportunity to find the Lord and are not to be turned away, for the command is an invitation and encouragement to bring children to Christ. Coming to Christ and receiving His counsel and benediction stamps His image and gracious words upon their plastic minds never to be effaced. Those blessed children became witnesses of His love because their mothers told them over and over that His hands had been laid upon their heads, so that even at the crucifixion they could tell how He had blessed them, and that blessing stayed with them and prepared them to become laborers together with Him to press forward His work in the world.

Parents Bringing Children

Parents can bring their children to Christ, and His welcome shows that children belong with Him, while He sympathizes with mothers who bring them for blessing. His laying His hands on them and blessing them encourages mothers as they teach their children, for they brought them in hope that His blessing would help them raise them well. This shows His love for children and His concern for how parents care for and teach them. Mothers who bear the sacred burden of training children for the kingdom and feel their need of divine support bring their little ones to Jesus for His hand to be laid in blessing on their heads and for His Spirit to subdue their hearts. That work demands continual advancement in the mother's own life, being taught of God and learning daily in Christ's school, so she can lead her children to higher attainments and impart instruction in righteousness.

Parents must follow His direction in how they treat and discipline them, not harshly or in an overbearing manner. They are to teach and discipline with love and remind them that Christ gave His life for them, rather than scolding or fretting. They must separate their children from the world and from wicked children, subdue their tempers and evil passions, correct them when they do wrong, and teach them to obey, so they can more easily obey God's commandments. Jesus is ready to listen to the prayers of believing parents for their children and to bless the children when parents have first done this duty. Parents are called to teach children to seek the Lord while young and to devote their strength to His service, and He notices even their effort to come along a dusty path and by asking neighbors for help.

Fathers and mothers following His example begin a new life of pleasant, kind words at home. They form character fit for the future immortal life and the courts above, make the home a church, and lead children along step by step. They bring them to church to bear their testimonies and tell their little stories of overcoming.

Example for Followers

The command to let little children come and not forbid them is addressed to followers in every age, including church officers, ministers, helpers and all Christians, for Jesus Himself is drawing children and they will come to Him if His followers do not stand in the way. Followers must therefore not drive children away through coldness or harshness, must not portray religion as gloomy, must not make them feel that heaven would be unpleasant, must not suggest that religion is beyond their understanding or not for them in childhood, and must not give the impression that following Christ means giving up all that makes life joyful, for such conduct misrepresents Him and keeps children from Him.

The verse requires stooping from adult dignity and station to understand and minister to children's wants, valuing their trust and simple joys, granting innocent gratifications that make them happy rather than turning away with impatience and scorn of simple pleasures, and avoiding uneven treatment that at times indulges to injury and at times refuses. This follows His own pattern, for He identifies with the lowly, needy and afflicted, descends to the level of the young, comprehends their trials and necessities, enjoys their happiness, finds rest and peace from the bustle of the crowded city and from crafty and hypocritical men in innocent children's society, never repulses them, condescends to answer their questions, and simplifies important lessons to meet childish understanding.

The hearts of the young are most susceptible to Christian teaching, easy to influence toward piety and virtue and strong to retain impressions received, so truths planted in young expanding minds yield a plentiful harvest in riper years and can later bear fruit in eternal life. They retain the impressions of His words and character, and children may accept Him as Redeemer more readily than worldly-wise adults. Teachers should follow His kindness and respect by showing children calmness, kindness, patience and love, especially those who need it most, and children so treated are to be trained as missionaries.

His loving gentleness that drew children teaches ministers to cultivate tenderness, sympathy, courtesy and respect so people feel able to approach them, providing the model of approachability that helps others feel welcome. Christian workers become His agents in drawing children to Him, including faulty children where parents lack tenderness and wisdom, by tracing cause to effect, binding them to their hearts by wisdom and tact, and giving them courage and hope so that through grace they are transformed in character to belong to the kingdom. His heart is drawn not only to the best-trained and most attractive children but with pity to faulty and erring children who have objectionable traits by inheritance and through neglect, whom He claims for the kingdom with infinite tenderness and longing as souls purchased with His blood.

The call not to forbid or hinder willing learners also applies to those gaining a little instruction in healthful cookery in different localities and to those ignorant of the faith: they are to be allowed to begin experimenting, to be led rather than driven, without drawing lines too closely, without making diet prominent, and without urging sudden changes that would throw impediments in their path. The Lord will reveal Himself as Instructor and give skill and understanding in helping people reform diet.