Mark 10:14

10:14-15 Mark does not explain what characteristics of children make them fit for the Kingdom of God; Matthew 18:4-5 suggests that the attributes include humility and the ability to receive things simply.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 10:14. Ἠγανάκτησε, was much displeased) on account of the obstruction thrown in the way of His love by the disciples.—τοιούτων ἐστὶν, of such is) Of such as these, it is [to such belongs] the privilege to receive the kingdom of God, Mar 10:15.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 10:14 . ἠγανάκτησε , “was moved with indignation” (R. V [91] ) is too strong, “was much displeased” (A. V [92] ) is better, “was annoyed” is better still (“ward unwillig,” Weizsäcker). μὴ κωλύετε , καὶ of T. R. before μὴ is much better left out: suffer them to come; do not hinder them; an expressive asyndeton . This saying is the main point in the story for the evangelist, hence the imperfects in Mar 10:13 . It is another lesson for the still spiritually crude disciples.

[91] Revised Version.

[92] Authorised Version.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(14) He was much displeased.—The word, as used by our Lord, is peculiar to St. Mark; St. Matthew uses it of the disciples (Mat_20:24; Mat_26:8) and of the chief priests (Mat_21:15).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. he was much displeased] This feature is peculiar to St Mark. Only lately the Lord had expressed His love towards little children in a very remarkable manner (Mar_9:36-37).

of such] Rather, to such belongs the Kingdom of God. He says not of these, but of such: shewing that it is not children only, but the disposition of children which obtains the kingdom, and that to such as have the like innocence and simplicity the reward is promised.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verily I say, unto you,.... A form of speech used when our Lord was about to asseverate a thing, and assert something of moment and importance, and which he would have attended to.

Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God; the Gospel, and the mysteries of it:

as a little child; laying aside all pride and prejudice, attending thereunto with humility and meekness:

he shall not enter therein; he shall attain to no true spiritual knowledge of the Gospel; nor should he be admitted into a Gospel church state, and to the ordinances of it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Ver. 14. For of such is the kingdom of God] As oft, therefore, as we see an infant, let us think that a teacher is given us of God, Psa 131:1-2.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Unless we are possessed of the innocence and purity of little children, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. By the kingdom of heaven, we may here understand the truths of the gospel; for as a child never contradicts its teachers, nor opposes to them vain reasonings and empty words, but faithfully and readily receives their instructions, and with fear obeys them; so must we implicitly obey, and without any, the least, opposition, receive the word of the Lord. (Ven. Bede)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

But when Jesus saw it (idw o Ihsouv). The Greek shows that there was no interval between the acts of the parents and the disciples, and our Lord"s seeing it. The parents were bringing the children, the disciples were rebuking them, Jesus was perceiving. He was much displeased (hganakthse); literally, he was moved with indignation. His words imply eagerness and earnestness: Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not. The copulative kai is not to be found in the best authorities. The omission adds force and vividness to the words. The simplicity, candour, and innocence of little children are very attractive. This narrative shows with what care children should be educated. For of such is the kingdom of God; that is, of such little children as these. The kingdom of heaven belongs in a peculiar manner to little children. We know for certain that little children who have been brought to Christ in Holy Baptism, if they die before they are old enough for moral accountableness, are undoubtedly saved. They pass at once into a nearer position to the throne. "They are without fault before the throne of God."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jesus seeing it was much displeased - At their blaming those who were not blame worthy: and endeavouring to hinder the children from receiving a blessing. Of such is the kingdom of God - The members of the kingdom which I am come to set up in the world are such as these, as well as grown persons, of a child-like temper.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

14. [2209][2210][2211][2212][2213][2214][2215][2216] omit καί before μὴ κωλύετε.

[2209] Codex Vaticanus. 4th cent., but perhaps a little later than א. In the Vatican Library almost since its foundation by Pope Nicolas V., and one of its greatest treasures. The whole Gospel, ending at Mar 16:8. Photographic facsimile, 1889.

[2210] Codex Campianus. 9th cent. At Paris. Gospels complete.

[2211] Codex Purpureus. 6th cent. Full text in Texts and Studies v. No. 4, 1899. Contains Mar 5:20 to Mar 7:4; Mar 7:20 to Mar 8:32; Mar 9:1 to Mar 10:43; Mar 11:7 to Mar 12:19; Mar 14:25 to Mar 15:23; Mar 15:33-42. See below on Ψ.

[2212] Codex Monacensis. 10th cent. Contains Mar 6:47 to Mar 16:20. Many verses in 14, 15, 16 are defective.

[2213] Codex Oxoniensis. 9th cent. Contains Mark, except Mar 3:35 to Mar 6:20.

[2214] Codex Sangallensis. 9th or 10th cent. Contains the Gospels nearly complete, with an interlinear Latin translation. The text of Mark is specially good, agreeing often with CL. At St Gall.

[2215] Codex Petropolitanus. 9th cent. Gospels almost complete. Mar 16:18-20 is in a later hand.

[2216] Codex Athous Laurae. 8th cent. Like N and Σ, it is written in silver letters on purple vellum. Contains Mar 9:5 to Mar 16:20, and, as in L, the shorter ending is inserted between Mar 16:8 and Mar 16:9. As in Δ, the text of Mark is specially good.

14. ἠγανάκτησεν. Was much displeased (A.V.); cf. Mar 10:41, Mar 14:4; Luk 13:14; Mat 26:8. Another instance of human emotion in Christ; see on Mar 3:5. He was indignant that His disciples should put such a limit on His love and His work as to exclude children. In a smaller degree it was a repetition of the error of Peter (Mar 8:32). Peter wished to keep Him from future suffering and death; the disciples now wish to keep Him from present trouble and fatigue. Like the records of their terror at the storm, their misunderstanding about the leaven, their powerlessness in dealing with the demoniac boy, and their disputing about the first place, this narrative illustrates the candour of the Evangelists in telling what is not to the credit of the Apostles.

Ἄφετε, μὴ κωλύετε. See crit. note. Mt. and Lk. weaken the sharp decisive commands by inserting a connecting καί between them. “Allow them; cease to forbid them” (cf. Mar 9:39) is doubtless nearer to the original utterance. We have similarly expressive instances of short, unconnected sentences, Mar 1:27, Mar 2:7, Mar 6:38, and of short, unconnected rebukes, Mar 4:39-40, Mar 8:17-18, Mar 9:19.

τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων. His, qui similem haberent innocentiam et simplicitatem, praemium promittit (Bede, from Jerome). This, like ἄφετε and μὴ κωλύετε, is in all three. The gen. is possessive; For to such belongs the Kingdom of God. The disciples were trying to keep from the Son of God some of those who were the most fit to be admitted to His presence. The end and aim of His work was to bring people into the Kingdom, and His ministers were turning most promising candidates away. Various writers point out that Jesus says τοιούτων, not τούτων, to show that it is simple character that counts and not tender years.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14.] We can hardly read our Lord’s solemn saying, without seeing that it reaches further than the mere then present occasion. It might one day become a question whether the new Christian covenant of repentance and faith could take in the unconscious infant, as the old covenant did:—whether when Jesus was no longer on earth, little children might be brought to Him, dedicated to his service, and made partakers of his blessing? Nay, in the pride of the human intellect, this question was sure one day to be raised: and our Lord furnishes the Church, by anticipation, with an answer to it for all ages. Not only may the little infants be brought to Him,—but in order for us who are mature to come to Him, we must cast away all that wherein our maturity has caused us to differ from them, and become like them. Not only is Infant Baptism justified, but it is (abstractedly considered;—not as to preparation for it, which from the nature of the case is precluded) the normal pattern of all baptism; none can enter God’s kingdom, except as an infant. In adult baptism, the exceptional case (see above), we strive to secure that state of simplicity and childlikeness, which in the infant we have ready and undoubted to our hands.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. ἠγανάκτησε—was indignant. Or rather, in accordance with the use of aor. to denote the entering on a state denoted by the verb, became indignant.1 The composition with ἄγαν makes this a strong word.

Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία ἔρχεσθαι πρός με· μὴ κωλύετε αὐτά—Suffer the little children to come to me; forbid them not. The omission of the conjunction between the two clauses gives abruptness and force.

Omit καὶ, and, before μὴ κωλύετε Tisch. Treg. WH. RV. BM* NX ΓΔΠ Memph.

τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία, etc.—for to such belongs the kingdom of God. The gen. is possessive, which is not denoted by of such is, AV. and RV. τῶν τοιούτων denotes those possessing the childlike spirit of docility and humility. Cf. Mat 18:4. The spirit is one that belongs to them as children, and is the result of their position of dependence and subordination, the same as the discipline which belongs to the condition of a soldier. But those who show that disposition, when it is no longer the effect of position, but a manifestation of character, belong to the kingdom of God. In children therefore, as children, appears the very quality of the kingdom, and this gives them a special distinction in the eyes of its members. They are not to be turned away as unworthy the attention of its king. The kingdom of God in the world consists of those who substitute for self-will and independence the will of God, and trust in his wisdom and goodness. And this is the attitude of childhood. What children feel towards their parents man should feel towards God.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.