T. Jesus and the children (18:15–17)
T. Jesus and the children (18:15–17)
After the long section from 9:51, in which there are practically no Marcan parallels, Luke now rejoins Mark.
15. We are not told who brought the children. We usually assume that it was the mothers, but the pronoun translated them is masculine and probably includes the fathers. We must take touch them in the sense ‘lay his hands on them’, a natural action in blessing. It is not clear why the disciples rebuked those who brought the children. They may have thought that Jesus was too busy or too tired to be bothered with children. Or they may have thought that children were too insignificant for the Master’s notice, for it is a fact that few of the world’s great religious teachers have been greatly concerned with children. Jesus is different.
16–17. The Master called the children and made them welcome. He went on to point out that it is the childlike to whom the kingdom of God belongs (not those proud of their virtues like the Pharisee, 11f.) What matters is whole-hearted trust like that of a child. The negative is also true. Unless one receives the kingdom like a child one will never enter it. Children show us the way in their utter dependence, their unworldliness, their openness, the completeness of their trust.