Let the children come
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Background
Background
This is part of Jesus’ final trip to Jersualem
He is focusing on teaching his disciples () but attention is inevitable
He is teaching his disciples about His coming death and they were arguing over “who would be first”
Jesus Rebukes them saying “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
And then, as an example of humility, he puts a child in their midst
In Matt, we get a more complete version of Jesus words at that time
3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matt 18:
Matthew makes it clear that the point of this object lesson is to emphasize Humility
But interestingly, Mark completely omits this.
Why on earth would Mark omit the “main point” of the example?
Simply put, Mark is trying to emphasize something different then Matthew.
Read Verse 36-37
The command is never altered or modified
Such as the disciples instruction to Take no money, staff, bread
The Apostles action elicits Christ’s Indignation
God does not change. If The disciples action made God mad, it is reasonable to assume that a similar would continue to elicit God’s anger.
His reasoning is not Cultural or situation based, it is Eschatological
He appeals to the nature of the Kingdom and its citizens
33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
The point of putting of Emphasis in Mark of putting the child in their midst is to instruct the disciples to “Receive Children”
No doubt the disciples argument about who would be the greatest was based upon the greatness of their works. Christ put forward the act of receiving a child, something of little consequence, as the ideal service for kingdom of God.
So lets keep this in mind as shift to our primary text in
Later in Judea
Start with Verse 13 only
13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them.
How is is that the disciples missed Christ’s earlier instruction to Receive children?
How is is that the disciples missed Christ’s earlier instruction to Receive children?
Either they forgot
Disregarded it
Or, More likely they interpreted it metaphorically
After all Christ frequently spoke in parables and used metaphors
Its fair to think that the Apostles thought?
He says receive children, but what does he really mean by that?
Surely he doesn’t actually mean children
So the people begin bringing their children to Jesus, and rather than accepting the children, the Disciples rebuke the parents to prevent the children from getting to Jesus
Reading on ...
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Ἄφετε Let and κωλύετε and in the negative Do not Hinder
Two commands, on in the positive and one in the negative
Each of these commands occurs in Matt, MK, Lk which brings us to 6
Do these commands have implications today?
Do these commands have implications today?
In the Two commands a couple of things should be noted
It was given to the Apostles, those appointed to lead the early church. Should we consider that these commands were only relevant to them in that time.
The command is never altered or modified
Such as the disciples instruction to Take no money, staff, bread
His reasoning is not Cultural or situation based, it is Eschatological
God does not change. If The disciples action made God mad, it is reasonable to assume that a similar would continue to elicit God’s anger.
His reasoning is not Cultural or situation based, it is Eschatological
He appeals to the nature of the Kingdom and its citizens
His appeal is to something which still has relevance today
If His reasoning had been temporal we may assume that the commands would be limited to that event
The Apostles action elicits Christ’s Indignation
This I believe is the most compelling argument
God does not change. If The disciples action made God mad, it is reasonable to assume that a similar would continue to elicit God’s anger.
The church has almost no additional teaching regarding Children
Admittedly, this is not a good evidence
However, if this passage doesn’t have relevance today then we would have basically no NT instruction regarding children
What is the relevance of this command today?
What is the relevance of this command today?
If this passage has implications today, It is in its principles
We cannot today stop children from physically coming to sit on Jesus lap
Furthermore, What was it that Christ did for the Children?
16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
Mk
Obviously this is not happening today.
So the question then is, Are there ways today that Children can be hindered from coming to Jesus? How might we by our actions be incurring Christ’s indignation?
indiciating som
He is speaking of actual children. The reason is that they characterize those who will receive the kingdom.
Mark 9:33
Moving on, we are going to look at the phrase in Mark 14b-15
English Standard Version Chapter 10
for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 qTruly, I say to you, whoever does not rreceive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
The question here is what does it mean to receive the Kingdom of God like a child.
The answer to this question is critical to our understanding of salvation.
The good news is that the Gospel writers do not leave us with this statement alone to understand what it means to receive the Kingdom.
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke this narrative this narrative about the Children is immediately followed by the story of the Rich young man.
In that sense, the rich young man is a negative example
2 major points, I’m sure you could subdivide these up but i’m going to leave it at 2.
Humble
Without works or accomplishment
Children really don’t deserve anything
When a small child ask for something, it is not on the basis that they somehow earned it
When they ask their parents for something their appeal is completely on the basis of their parents love for them.
As they get older this changes a bit.
Without possessions
Small children own nothing
Rex might say this is my shirt or my bed but its not really true
There mine, i bought them and I can sell them if I want.
Yet they are provided for by their parents
Likewise, we should recognize that there is nothing in this world for us to hold on to.
Everything we have is provided by our loving father.
We must be willing
Such as the disciples instruction to Take no money, staff, bread
The Apostles action elicits Christ’s Indignation
God does not change. If The disciples action made God mad, it is reasonable to assume that a similar would continue to elicit God’s anger.
His reasoning is not Cultural or situation based, it is Eschatological
He appeals to the nature of the Kingdom and its citizens
English Standard Version Chapter 3
12 dPut on then, as eGod’s chosen ones
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
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20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
English Standard Version Chapter 3
20 Children, obey your parents xin everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Paul’s instructions to the children is an instruction to believing Children.
Paul’s instructions to the children is an instruction to believing Children.