Mark 10:14, commentary and pictures

When the disciples rebuked those bringing young children and tried to send them away as too young to be benefited and an interruption to His work, Jesus was much displeased with the disciples and commanded that the little children be allowed to come to Him and not be forbidden, receiving them in His arms, laying His hands on them and blessing them. His words that of such is the kingdom of God mean that little children belong in God's kingdom and have a place in it as His heritage ransomed by His death. The kingdom belongs to those who receive it as a little child, with humility, teachability, trust and simplicity of faith, and receiving it in this way is necessary to enter it. The same Jesus still invites mothers to bring their little ones to be blessed, with the way open for every mother to lay her burdens at His feet and find grace sufficient for their care and training. Keeping them away happens by unchristlike coldness and harshness, by speaking of religion as what children cannot understand, and by acting as if they are not expected to accept Christ in childhood, while parents and the church are called to bring them to Him for instruction and discipline in tenderness and love.

Episode Setting and Actions

Mothers burdened with the care of training their children brought the young children to Jesus that He should touch them and lay His hands upon them in blessing, hoping that touch would give them better courage to bring them up as they ought to go. The disciples rebuked those who brought them and tried to send the mothers and children away as a trouble and an interruption to the teaching Master. They thought His work too important to be interrupted by them, that the children were too young to be benefited, and that He would be displeased by their coming.

When Jesus saw it He was much displeased, and His displeasure was with the disciples, not with the mothers or children, for turning children away and commanding that they be taken away lest they trouble Him. He showed their course to be error and reproved them for hindering those who belonged in His presence. He knew why the mothers had come, He had heard their prayers, and He Himself had drawn them into His presence.

They had left their homes and gathered from family to family along the dusty streets to reach Him even while He was in discourse instructing the disciples, and He interrupted that instruction to receive them. He commanded that the little children be suffered to come unto Him and forbade keeping them away, for of such is the kingdom of God. He received them personally and with compassion, taking them in His arms, laying His hands upon them, and giving the blessing they came for.

He let them climb upon Him and rest against Him, taking the tired ones on His knee with one on one arm and an arm around another and another at His feet. He went on instructing children and parents together so that all could gather light and parents could carry that light to their children's hearts. The ruler seeking eternal life witnessed this tender reception and blessing of the children, and it stirred love for the Saviour and moved his heart toward Him with desire to become His disciple. That loving care for children helped draw people to listen to His words about the higher life, presenting before the ruler the very kind of blessing he hoped would satisfy his own deepest need.

Command Meaning Explained

The command to let the little children come and not to keep them back was spoken not only to the disciples at that time but to followers in every age. It is addressed to officers of the church, to ministers, to helpers, and to all Christians. Jesus Himself is drawing the children, and they will come when they are not hindered or obstructed.

The invitation welcomes children of all young ages, from infancy to childhood and youth. It includes children from one year old to four or five years old, who are to be spoken to each one personally and blessed. Even a babe and an infant may dwell under God's care and protection through the earnest faith of a praying mother, and God's Spirit may shape them from their earliest moments. That blessing may remain with them until they are converted.

The words about such belonging to the kingdom of God mean that children belong among those welcomed into God's kingdom and have a place in it. They show the kind of people who belong to God's kingdom, those who receive counsel and accept Him as Redeemer. The children of today belong to Him by His blood as much as the children in Judea, loved by Him who gave His life for their salvation. They are His heritage and precious flock ransomed by His death, honored by God, and the claim of His love.

The same Jesus still invites mothers to bring their little ones to Him to be blessed. The way is open for every mother to lay her burdens at His feet and find grace sufficient for the care and training of her children. His welcome comforts and strengthens care-burdened mothers, sending them home with new cheerfulness to work hopefully for their children. He is as truly a personal Saviour today as when He lived as a man among men, and as truly the helper of mothers today as when He gathered the little ones into His arms in Judea.

Jesus Love Revealed

He is ever a lover of children who accepted their childish sympathy and open, unaffected love, and the grateful praise from their pure lips was music to Him that refreshed His spirit when oppressed by contact with crafty and hypocritical men. When wearied with the bustle and confusion of the crowded city and tired of such contact, He found rest and peace in the society of innocent little children. He understood their needs and troubles, shared in their simple joys, and His presence never repelled them. As a public teacher He never lost sight of children but welcomed and blessed them.

His kindness of face and gentle, kindly manner won their love and confidence wherever He went. His great heart of love was drawn out to them, and children quick to know who loves them and is interested in them were attracted to catch His eye and His smile, for His face drew them and He had comfort and love for everyone. Little children felt welcome near Him, climbed upon His lap, kissed His face, put their elbows upon His knees looking up into His sweet face, and read there depths of love and gentleness beaming from Him. His attention to them reveals His tender compassion, love and mercy, and His love in the heart springs up as gentleness and love toward others.

He understood the care and burden of mothers seeking to train their children according to the word of God, for He had heard their prayers and had Himself drawn them into His presence. Attention to things counted small is proof of His greatness. He knows the burden of every mother's heart, sympathized through His own mother's poverty and privation, and will comfort and help in every grief and need. He blessed afflicted mothers and spoke words of hope and comfort to weary mothers, revealing unfailing tenderness and gentleness toward every form of woe and affliction in a life spent not for Himself but for others as the servant of all, whose meat and drink was to comfort and console others and to gladden the sad and heavy-laden with whom He daily came in contact.

He is easily approached without fear even by the poorest and most lowly, joining purity and elevated morality with love and gentle benignity that awed men while inspiring enthusiasm. His large heart of love comprehended their trials and necessities and found happiness in their simple joys. He did not frown on their innocent play but loved to see them happy, showing that genuine religion is not cold, rigid or joyless. He loved little children and soothed their childish griefs and disappointments and injuries, comforting them in their childish sorrows with words that eased grief and sharing their simple joys and sorrows.

He came down to their level, did not disdain to answer their questions, and simplified His important lessons to meet their childish understanding. His teaching was simple enough for children to understand, meeting them at their level and explaining lessons in ways they could understand, speaking words they could understand while comforting their mothers. He valued their company, understood their needs and trials, comprehended their trials and necessities and enjoyed their happiness, never repulsing them. In this He planted seeds of truth in their expanding, plastic minds which in after years would spring up and bear fruit unto eternal life.

His heart is drawn with infinite tenderness, pity and longing not only to the best-trained and most attractive children but to faulty and erring children with objectionable traits from inheritance and neglect. He traces their character from cause to effect, knowing parents are largely responsible through lack of tenderness and wisdom. He loves little children with human passions even when wayward, is pleased by their goodness and by their trying to do what is right, and is grieved when they behave badly. His blessing makes them more and more lovable and beautiful in character like Himself, and through grace their character is transformed so they belong to the kingdom of God as Christian workers bind them to their hearts by wisdom and tact and give them courage and hope.

His receiving of children shows why He came to the world with blessed purposes of love. Laying aside His royal robe, royal crown and royal throne and clothing His divinity with humanity, He became a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and from babyhood He lived as a human being to help humanity. In that joining of divinity grasping humanity and humanity grasping divinity, He reached with divine pity the very depths of human woe and misery among the poor, blessing the afflicted, healing the sick and soothing the infirmities of age, so that all who come to Him and accept His pardon have transgressions pardoned and receive Him as personal Saviour. Even as a child He was always kind and tender, never repulsing any child, with face and eyes lighting up with smiles for them, and as a man He did not exclude Himself from society but played with little children and took them in His arms and blessed them, combining the innocence and simplicity of the child with manly strength and all-absorbing devotion to God with tender love for man.

He values children, cares for their safety, seeks those who stray, and protects the young from evil, welcoming them with love and tender care.

Kingdom Belongs to Childlike

The kingdom belongs to those who come to it and take it the way a little child does, with humility, teachability, trust, simplicity of faith, and willingness to receive without deserving, and taking it this way is necessary to enter it. All the treasures of eternal love are given as a free gift to those who lay aside doubt and unbelief and receive with childlike simplicity. The same welcome that delights in a child's simple faith teaches believers to become like little children, welcoming Christ and being welcomed by Him.

The saying stands against ambition and self-exaltation, for those reaching for greatness and position must become humble and lowly like little children instead of striving for place. Ambition to be greatest is opposed to the humble character of those who belong to the kingdom, while the meek and lowly receive help. Children are quick to know who loves them and takes interest in them, and the same drawing that brought the child to Jesus brings older persons to Him. Older ones must become what the child is and become children in order to be saved and to be sheep and lambs of His fold.

Young hearts are most susceptible to the Spirit, easy to influence toward piety and virtue, open to counsel, and strong to retain impressions received. For that reason they are to be approached with kindness and taught with love and patience while young, taught to seek the Lord while young and to devote strength to His service. In the children brought to Him He saw future men and women who would be heirs of grace and subjects of His kingdom, some of whom would become martyrs for His name. He knew they would listen to His counsel and accept Him as Redeemer far more readily than worldly-wise and hard-hearted grown people, and children transformed through grace exemplify those of whom the kingdom is made.

Coming to Him and receiving His advice and benediction stamped His image and gracious words upon plastic, expanding minds never to be effaced. The seeds of truth thus planted spring up in after years and bear fruit unto eternal life, with a plentiful harvest in riper years. His loving words could remain in memory and help keep them from straying from the path of the redeemed, and early instruction in kindness and tender care can plant lasting goodness that bears fruit for eternity. He still pardons and receives children who bring their sins to Him, ask His forgiveness, and believe that He pardons them. Their conversion does not require violent emotion as the essential evidence of conviction of sin, nor knowing the exact time when they are converted, and little children taught to come to Him may be saved and share the promised remission of sins and gift of the Holy Spirit as well as adults.

Children who try to do right, obey, and overcome impatience are promised a place in God's kingdom. That promise is applied as encouragement to learn patience and self-control, to choose to be Christians, and to love and serve God now in the present opportunity to be converted and do what pleases Him.

Mothers and Parents Charged

Parents are to bring their children to Jesus, place them where they can learn from Him, and seek His grace to lead the unconverted to give their hearts to Him. This bringing requires faith holding fast to the throne of God, prayer and watching unto prayer, cleansed thoughts and a cleansed soul, a decided change and rising from a low level, and a home life that adorns doctrine. Fathers and mothers are to consecrate the whole being to God in full surrender, seek Him with all the heart in prayer and belief in His promises, seek to be taught His way and will, remove every stumbling block from the path of their children, and labor together with God for their own souls and the souls of others. The duty is to be fulfilled without delay in the fear of the Lord, patiently and lovingly teaching that Jesus is their best friend, giving them the light about righteousness coming in mercy and love, praying for wisdom to mold their minds, and bringing religion into home duties so truth shines into the family circle, and when this is done more serve in the army of the Lord trained to do His will.

When children are not religiously inclined it is because they lack parents who love Christ and His truth, and such parents have no reason for surprise and disappointment unless their own faith becomes different. Parents must solemnly dedicate their children to God as soon as they are born, dedicate them daily, and conscientiously surround them as they grow with the best possible influences. They are to keep family worship and bring them in the arms of faith, teaching that Jesus is the very best Friend to whom they can go with all trials and sorrows for sympathy, and that the heavenly Father is a God of love and not tyranny, so they will want to be children of God and followers of Christ. The work to be done is to open the way for them to take in that He loves them and is greatly pleased when they love Him and give their young hearts to Him, with parents and children united in willing service.

In correction parents are to bring them to Him and plead His own invitation, never correcting in anger and passion but acting with humility, patience and prayer. Before causing physical pain they are to kneel with the child to ask God for pardon, revealing Christian love for the erring little one. Prayed in this way, discipline brings angels beside parent and child, puts the blessing of God on instruction, gives the child an experience he will never forget, and leads him to Christ. Guiding is to be with tenderness and with pleasant, gentle speech rather than cruelty, scolding, fretting, quarreling or harsh tones, and children raised even with harsh punishment can still respond to loving, patient, careful efforts to lead them to Him.

Mothers who feel need of divine support are to bring their little ones so His hand may be laid in blessing on their heads and His Spirit may subdue their hearts. Doing this requires continual advancement in the mother's own life, being taught of God and learning daily in the school of Christ, so she can lead them to higher attainments and impart instruction in righteousness. Mothers are to bring them in faith, entrusting them to His compassionate care and seeking grace and wisdom for training. Mothers of children are to be helped and encouraged by praying with and for them.

God honors the young, Christ died for children, and He is ready to do a great work for them if parents cooperate with Him in training and educating them according to His instruction. This is shown by Joseph chosen in youth for a special work, Samuel accepted when dedicated and given a solemn message as a boy while the aged priest who neglected to train his children was passed by, and John the Baptist whose childhood character encourages parents. To bring them up in nurture and admonition is the greatest missionary work parents can perform, greater than a king upon his throne. If they leave home training pure and virtuous to serve in even the least place in God's plan, the parents' life-work has not failed. Children are precious to Him and have a place in His kingdom, and because He Himself was once a child they are to be honored as God's property and sacred charge, taught to live pure, noble lives and form upright characters, not indulged or idolized.

He loves little ones, hears the prayers of weeping, careworn mothers who take them to God pleading that He keep them from evil and soften and subdue their hearts, and watches to see how parents are doing their work of bringing them up. Burdened mothers brought them because they thought if He would lay His hands on them they would have better courage to bring them up as they ought to go, and He knew why they came. His welcome applies to children now when parents, standing in God's place to them, teach obedience and submission to prepare them to bear the test and obey His will, while the fate of children of unbelieving parents is left unrevealed.

Letting them come means working earnestly for their salvation, not educating them to be helpless so they require constant time, care and attention. In this solemn time so near the judgment on the borders of the eternal world, those called to a special work must give whole souls to warning the world instead of divorcing interests and hearts from it by accumulating domestic cares and serving tables. While probationary time still lasts they are His precious little flock to be helped without delay to choose the path to the fold of safety before it is forever too late, carefully and tenderly shielded from temptation and kept from the vanity and corruptions in the world. When parents patiently and lovingly fulfill this neglected duty, more children serve in the army of the Lord.

Parents and the church together are to bring them to Christ, include them in church life, and lead them step by step so they can share testimonies and learn to overcome. Even while busy teaching He received them in His arms, let them rest against Him and blessed them, and those blessed were repeatedly reminded of it and prepared to work with Him in advancing His work. Engaging, clear Bible teaching can bring them to Him and help them carry truth into their homes. Parents are to bring children from one year old to four or five years old, with His servants speaking to each child personally and blessing them in His name.

Church Welcomes Without Hindering

Keeping them away happens by an unchristlike character that misrepresents Jesus, by coldness and harshness, and by giving children cause to feel that heaven would not be a pleasant place. It happens by speaking of religion as something children cannot understand and by acting as if they are not expected to accept Christ in childhood. It happens by giving the false impression that the religion of Christ is gloom and that coming to the Saviour requires giving up all that makes life joyful. The Holy Spirit moves upon the hearts of children, and adults are to cooperate with that work by teaching children that the Saviour is calling them and that nothing gives Him greater joy than for them to give themselves to Him in the bloom and freshness of their years.

He is much displeased when His people maintain a forbidding attitude toward children and keep them away, because children are the heritage of the Lord. They are to be brought to Him for instruction and discipline and welcomed into His presence and teaching, not kept from Him or sent elsewhere and not neglected. They are not to be sent to religious teachers who do not lead them to Him, but are to learn from Him who is meek and lowly in heart. This charges parents to be like Him toward them, not scolding and fretting and quarreling with voice and tongue but speaking with tenderness and love, teaching them obedience that pleases Him, and guarding them as responsible to God in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It requires helping and encouraging mothers of children by praying with and for them, and to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is the greatest missionary work parents can perform, greater than a king upon his throne.

Teachers and ministers must follow His example, for He welcomes children and young people with love and tender concern, does not treat them as unimportant, and seeks to draw them to God amid efforts to lead them away, and those who labor share responsibility to help win them to Him. They are to be calm and kind, showing forbearance and love especially for the ones who most need it, with the true missionary spirit to train children to become missionaries and to cooperate with God to restore His image in each child. His heart was moved by their helplessness, especially when subject to rough treatment, and gospel workers must cultivate that same loving tenderness, love, sympathy, courtesy and respect for others without loss of dignity in order to open closed hearts and save souls. His example shows that genuine religion is not cold, rigid, or joyless, for He did not repel children or frown on their innocent play but loved to see them happy, and teachers should meet children where they are so they can help them grow.

Children are not too young to choose to love and obey Him, and they should be taught to bring their small troubles, perplexities and little wants directly to Christ, who loves them, comes down to their wants, and gives relief. They should ask Him confidently for what they need, trusting that He will help them do right, and they can rely on His strength rather than their own. They are to pray for His protection from evil and try to avoid sinful words and actions as they prepare to live with God in heaven, giving their hearts to Him as lambs of His fold and pleasing Him by doing His will. He loves the youngest members of the family with His eyes upon the youngest, will not repulse children who love Him with full hearts, values and blesses children who give to Him willingly, and wants beautiful characters in them under the True Shepherd's guidance. He mingles their simple prayers with the incense of His own spotless merits so they come up as a sweet-smelling savor before God, made fragrant by the purity and loveliness of His character.

Children and youth welcomed by Him are to sanctify their speech, be kind, tender and courteous, stop hasty temper, pray as never before, wash their hands in innocency, and form beautiful characters like Him in kindness and helpfulness. Parents and children should be united in willing service to God, creating a heavenly atmosphere and a little heaven here below while preparing to enter through the pearly gates into the city of God. His blessing makes them more and more lovable, beautiful in character like Jesus, and little children can be the Lord's by being dedicated to Him daily. He loves children and desires to bless them in their homes as when on earth, for they are His precious little flock and heritage ransomed by His death, and while probation lasts they must be helped to choose the path to the fold of safety and be carefully and tenderly shielded from temptation before it is forever too late. Fathers and mothers are to take care in training their children and children are to accept that care and respond by helping their parents, since the influence parents reflect upon children is reflected back, and all heaven watches what kind of characters they are forming for the courts above.

Mothers brought sick and dying little ones in their arms to Jesus, and He took the little ones into His arms with tenderness and blessing and healed them so that disease fled at His touch. He returned them well and strong, and children and youth were restored to health from a dying condition, for His power was not limited and His healing grace rested on the afflicted. The same Jesus still cures maladies, so His receiving of the children gives hope to every invalid and to every heart that sickness may be healed.

The command not to forbid is applied beyond children to welcoming all who come to Christ including outcasts, who are not to be turned away. It is applied to the circulation of books, where workers should not obstruct people who take or buy them even in large numbers or at reduced prices, but the books are to be spread widely so people can be warned that Jesus will soon appear in the clouds of heaven. It is applied to allowing those carrying out healthful cooking and diet reform to proceed, where God will reveal Himself as Instructor and teach and guide those who carry out His plans to prepare healthful, wholesome, inexpensive foods and encourage reform of diet.