Mark 9:37
Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
Jesus spoke these words to rebuke His disciples for disputing who should be greatest after He had told them of His coming death and resurrection, taking a child and setting him in their midst and in His arms to instruct them, showing that to welcome one such child in His name is to welcome Him, and to welcome Him is to welcome the Father who sent Him.
Such children include humble, childlike persons, and the placing of the child among them was a call to become like the child, a lesson on humility for all His followers to the close of time.
The child illustrates the lowliness required for entry into the kingdom of heaven in contrast to ambition for rank, for true greatness is not grasping for honor but welcoming the lowly and serving others, and a person's worth before God rests not on rank, wealth, or learning but on meekness, humility, and oneness with Christ.
Those who have His Spirit set aside rivalry, superiority, pride, self-exaltation, and desire for supremacy, and instead become humble, teachable, and willing to learn, showing service, tender regard, love, and unity with one another.
Mercy, kindness, courtesy, and love to even a little child are direct duty to Christ lying in the pathway of life, so that to neglect a little child is to neglect Christ, and the saying also warns against selfish ambition and against hindering or harming even a humble servant who works for Christ.
Setting and Plain Meaning
On the way after He had told them of His coming death and resurrection, the disciples fell into dispute over which of them should be greatest. He read their hearts and met their ambition for rank with a rebuke. To instruct them He took a little child and set him in the midst of them and took him in His arms.
To welcome one of such children in His name is to welcome Him Himself. To welcome Him is not to welcome Him alone but to welcome the Father who sent Him. Welcoming even a little child in Christ's name is therefore welcoming Christ, and welcoming Christ is welcoming the Father.
Such children means also humble, childlike persons, whose worth before God rests not on rank, wealth, or learning but on meekness, humility, and oneness with Christ. By placing the little child among the disciples He called them to become like the child. The saying belongs to a discourse on humility, given as a lesson for all His followers to the close of time.
Humility and True Greatness
The little child set in the midst of the disciples stands as the pattern of the humility and lowliness that stands opposite ambition for place, and that lowliness is what is required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. True greatness in that kingdom is not seizing rank or honor but welcoming the lowly and serving others. Those who are small in their own eyes are counted great by God. A person's worth before God does not rest on rank or wealth or learning but on meekness and humility and oneness with Christ, for earthly distinctions have no place at the feet of Jesus.
Those who possess the Spirit of Christ have no ambition to occupy a position above their brethren. That Spirit sets aside rivalry and assumed superiority, and rebukes pride and self-exaltation and the desire for supremacy. In their place disciples are to become humble and teachable and willing to learn. They are to show service and tender regard for others, with love and unity among themselves.
Care for Children and Servants
Welcoming a child in Christ's name is welcoming Christ himself, and welcoming Christ is welcoming the Father who sent him. Children are not to be turned away, for they are open to the influence of the Spirit, and to receive them with care reflects a humble, serving spirit rather than a desire for greatness. Mercy and kindness, courtesy and love shown to even a little child are direct duty to Christ, lying in the pathway of life, so that to overlook those duties lying directly in the pathway and to neglect a little child is to neglect Christ.
The same saying warns against selfish ambition and against hindering or harming even a humble servant who works for Christ, with the child illustrating the humility required for entry into the kingdom of heaven. John felt the force of this lesson and was changed by it. Peter also later understood this lesson of becoming like the child more fully as he recognized his own weakness and Christ's power and learned to trust and obey in Christ's strength.