In the Life of Christ
When people brought children to Jesus, the disciples rebuked them. Mark does not tell us whether the disciples thought Jesus was too busy or believed the children could wait. He does tell us how Jesus responded: He was indignant. He called the children to Himself, took them in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them (Mark 10:13–16). (Bible Gateway)
I find myself lingering over that scene. The disciples were close to Jesus and had seen His compassion, yet they still tried to manage who could reach Him. Perhaps they imagined they were protecting His time. Whatever their reason, they had placed a barrier where Jesus wanted to offer a welcome. His displeasure tells us that this was no small interruption to overlook. It mattered to Him that the children were being turned away.
Earlier in Mark’s Gospel, the disciples had argued about which of them was greatest. Jesus answered by placing a child among them and teaching them to welcome such a child in His name (Mark 9:33–37). Now people are doing exactly that—bringing children near—and the disciples resist them. Commentator Mark G. Vitalis Hoffman observes that a reader who remembers the earlier lesson already knows “the proper response is indeed to welcome them.” The disciples were still learning to put Jesus’ teaching into practice. I recognize that distance between hearing and doing in my own life. (Working Preacher from Luther Seminary)
Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” Then He adds that the kingdom of God belongs to such as these and that anyone who does not receive it like a little child will never enter it. We sometimes turn those words into a picture of children who never question or struggle. The passage points us to something sturdier than an idealized picture. These children came with empty hands. They could receive Jesus’ blessing; they could not earn their place beside Him through achievement or rank. (Bible Gateway)
That challenges the way I sometimes approach God. I may want to arrive with a record of all I have done well, as though I must establish why He should make time for me. A child being carried toward Jesus offers no such argument. To receive God’s kingdom like a child is to come in need and trust the One who welcomes us. The kingdom is received as a gift from Jesus, never secured by our importance.
The scene also asks how we treat the people trying to come near Him. John Mark Hicks writes, “The disciples should not hinder those for whom the kingdom of God was designed.” His words make me examine the quiet barriers a church or a believer can create. Do we make room for a child’s question? Do we offer patience to a family whose circumstances make participation difficult? Do we listen to someone whose understanding is just beginning? Welcoming children includes helping them know Jesus through our attention, our teaching, and the way we treat them when they need us. (johnmarkhicks.com)
Parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends can take heart here. Bringing a child to Jesus may look like reading a Gospel story together, answering an honest question, praying at bedtime, or admitting that we ourselves need His help. We cannot manufacture faith in another person. We can make space for children to encounter the words and kindness of Christ, and we can refuse to treat their presence as a distraction from more important work.
Mark closes with a picture I hope we will keep before us: Jesus holding the children and blessing them. He had a journey ahead of Him, yet He gave them His attention. If you are guiding a child today, let His welcome shape yours. If you feel too small or too needy to approach Him yourself, hear His invitation again. The arms that received those children show us the heart of the Savior who calls us near. (Bible Gateway)
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