Luke 18:15-17

Butler's Comments

SECTION 3

Pushy (Luke 18:15-17)

15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called them to him, saying, Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

Luke 18:15 Contempt: Apparently the discourse on marriage, divorce and celibacy (Matthew 19:1-12; Mark 10:1-12) took place between the parable of the Pharisee and the publican and the bringing of the children to Jesus. The reason for thinking so is the parallel treatment of this incident in Matthew and Mark after that discourse.

It was customary for Hebrew parents to present their babies to a rabbi for rabbinical blessing. Jesus was a very popular rabbi at this moment. But why would the disciples, of all people, rebuke the parents for bringing children to Jesus? Most probably it was a selfish reason. Like most of us when we are listening to something that interests us we do not wish to be interrupted. The disciples were enraptured in the teaching Jesus had just done on the law concerning marriage and divorce and celibacy. They were hanging on every word, and suddenly an interruption by precocious parents and crying, laughing babies. So the disciples rebuked the parents. One commentator has suggested the disciples had gotten a false view of Jesus-' purity from His discourse on celibacy. They thought anyone like Jesus was too holy, too transcendent to be bothered with children. Perhaps their motives were somewhat true and they simply wanted Him to have some rest. He was on the road to Jerusalem and the cross and the strain of the coming ordeal was already showing. He had had an extremely exhausting ministry just recently in Perea and Judea and He must have looked tired. One thing is certain: they did not know the heart of Jesus concerning children, nor did they comprehend the relationship of childlikeness to the kingdom of God.

Luke 18:16-17 Correction: The parallels to Luke's account are in Matthew 19:13-15; and Mark 10:13-16. It is important to read them in connection with Jesus-' correction of the disciple's attitude toward children. Mark records that Jesus was indignant (Gr. eganaktesen, angry) with the disciples and said, Permit the children to come to me. The three accounts together picture Jesus taking the children in His arms, blessing them, and laying His hands on them as He prayed. He embraced them and prayed for them. Touching and talking with children is essential to their being. It is really so with adults also. Even adults long to be given a friendly handshake or hugthere is nothing like it to say, I care. Reading of this incident we should be reminded that Jesus was angry only two or three times in all the records of His lifethis issue of forbidding the children to come to Him is a very serious matter to Him! It is central to the very life of the church that this issue be noted and understood! Children, even child-like adults, will want to come to Jesus almost the moment they are introduced to Him. Get a child into the presence of Jesus or tell a child who Jesus is and a child will almost always go straight to Him. For this reason it is significant that Jesus did not say, Bring them to me., but, Forbid them not to come to Me. If a child is not almost immediately drawn to Jesus after he has heard of Him it is because some adult has put a stumbling-block in the child's way. How many thousands of little ones have been forbidden to come to Jesus because of either deliberate or unconscious adult barriers? Children are the very life of the church on earth. The church dare not be superficial and hasty about selecting those who will introduce the children to Jesus. There is no business of the church more important than its ministry to children. Jesus teaches here that nothing should come before allowing children to come to Him. The best way the church can perform this primary ministry to children is to focus its overall ministry on families. The church must train its families to be the church apart from the corporate worship activities. Even in the congregational activities the constant emphasis should be on family.

Why was Jesus so emphatic about this matter of children? Because the kingdom of God belongs to children. Unless any man become like a child, he cannot enter the kingdom. That does not mean, of course, an adult must regress to the infantile level of maturation mentally and physically. It means become child-like in nature. It means to strip oneself of all the sophistries and facades of adulthood and return to the uncomplicated, guileless simplicity of a child's pure faith. What is a child like?

a.

conscious of imperfectionalways eager to be taught

b.

unprejudicedreceives peers without bias as to race, color, etc.

c.

malleablewill give in, bend and surrender to truth

d.

impressionabletrusting, receptive, vulnerable

e.

unhypocriticalhonest, open, candid

f.

delights to make others pleased with him by giving love and affection.

Hobbs writes, A child's simple, -I love Jesus and want to live for Him,-' may express a profounder Christian experience than reams of theological debate and explanation. Jesus was warning the disciples they had the whole thing backward. Instead of expecting an adult experience in the child, we should strive to bring about a childlike experience in the adult. Those who are scornful or contemptuous of the simplicity of a child have missed the very essence of right relationship to Jesus! Therefore, the thrust of all preaching and teaching of the gospel is to produce the character of childlikeness in people, old and young, or they will never be permitted to enter God's kingdom.

Applebury's Comments

Scripture

Luke 18:15-17 And they were bringing unto him also their babes, that he should touch them: but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them unto him, saying, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for to such be-longeth the kingdom of God. 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.

Comments

bringing unto him also their babes.There is nothing in this incident that supports the practice of infant baptism or the substitute for it, infant dedication. It does show that parents were concerned about their children and wanted Jesus to touch them. The desire to have Him pray for them was perfectly natural. See Matthew 9:13-15. They had seen the effect of His healing hand on the blind, the lame, and the sick. They wanted His blessing to be on their childrena thing that any parent who knows Him would want.

Parents are instructed to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Responsibility rests on them to see that their children have the opportunity to learn about the Lord Jesus and the blessing He has for all who walk in the light of His Word. This calls for parents to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to follow His instruction for child-training, including the example they should set in Christian living.

they rebuked them.It is strange that the disciples should think that Jesus was not interested in children or that He did not have time for them, The Old Testament speaks of the importance of training the child in the way of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Proverbs 22:6). Timothy is a good example of the effectiveness of such training (2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:14). Taking children to Sunday school is a poor substitute for parental responsibility in religious training of children. The Sunday school performs a much needed task, but is not designed to relieve parents of their responsibility. Too often what little religious instruction there is in the home is left to the mother, while it should be the responsibility of both parents. The home with the help of the church should be able to give every child a good foundation in Bible knowledge. Children who have the advantage of such instruction will probably love the Lord just as much as they did in the day when He laid His hands on the little children.

Suffer the little children to come unto me.Jesus turned the rebuke upon the disciples and told them to let the children come to Him. He said, Do not forbid them for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom as a little child.This implies the necessity of purity and trust on the part of those who would enter the kingdom. This is true of the heavenly kingdom, and it is true of the earthly phase of Christ's kingdom, the church. That's why sinners are commanded to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins in order to enter the body of Christ, the church.