Mark 10:13-16

Jesus Blesses the Children. That the more original form of this story is given by Mk. is clear from the reference to the annoyance of Jesus at the disciples-' action (Mark 10:14) and from the naturalness of Mark 10:16. Jesus does not simply place His hands on the children, He puts His arms round them and blesses them much. The verb used is intensive, and far removed from any official benediction. Jesus welcomes and appreciates children, not simply the childlike. It would be tempting to interchange Mark 9:37 and Mark 10:15, but there is no warrant for such a transference. The attitude of Jesus towards children is not, I think, paralleled either in NT or ancient literature (cf. Burkitt, The Gospel History and its Transmission, p. 285f.; Apart from the gospels, I cannot find that early Christian literature exhibits the slightest sympathy towards the young).