Mark 10:15

Mar_10:15

As a little child.

Intellectual submission

Chrysostom, says Manton, has the following comparison: A smith that takes up his red-hot iron with his hands, and not with his tongs, what can he expect but to burn his fingers? So we destroy our souls, when we judge of the mysteries of faith by the laws of common reason. Common enough is this error. Men must needs comprehend when their main business is to apprehend. That which God reveals to us is, to a large extent, beyond the reach of understanding; and therefore, in refusing to believe until we can understand, we are doing ourselves and the truth a grievous wrong. Our wisdom lies as much in taking heed how we receive, as in being careful what we receive. Spiritual truth must be received by a spiritual faculty, viz., by faith. As well hope to grasp a star by the hand as Divine truth by reason. Faith is well likened to the golden tongs, with which we may carry live coals; and carnal reason is the burned hand, which lets fall the glowing mass, which it is not capable of canting. Let it not, however, be thought that faith is contrary to reason. No: it is not unreasonable for a little child to believe its fathers statements, though it is quite incapable of perceiving all their bearings. It is quite reasonable that a pupil should accept his masters principles at the beginning of his studies; he will get but little from his discipleship if he begins by disputing with his teacher. How are we to learn anything if we will not believe? In the gloriously sublime truths of Godhead, incarnation, atonement, regeneration, and so forth, we must believe, or be forever ignorant: these masses of the molten metal of eternal truth must be handled by faith, or let alone. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Necessity of humility

A high-caste Brahmin came to receive Holy Baptism. He approached the font wearing the sacred thread which, amongst his Hindoo coreligionists, was the badge of his being amongst the twice-born, entitling him to little short of religious worship from those of a lower caste. But at the moment when he answered, I renounce them all, he stripped off the sign of idolatrous preeminence and trampled it under his feet.

Childlike trust in prayer

People say, What a wonderful thing it is that God hears George Mullers prayers! But is it not a sad thing that we should think it wonderful for God to hear prayer? We are come to a pretty pass certainly when we think it wonderful that God is true! Much better faith was that of a little boy in one of the schools at Edinburgh, who had attended the prayer meetings, and at last said to his teacher who conducted the meeting, Teacher, I wish my sister could be got to read the Bible; she never reads it. Why, Johnny, should your sister read the Bible? Because if she should once read it, I am sure it would do her good, and she would be converted and be saved. Do you think so, Johnny? Yes, I do, sir; and I wish the next time theres a prayer meeting, you would ask the people to pray for my sister, that she may begin to read the Bible. Well, well, it shall be done, John. So the teacher gave out that a little boy was very anxious that prayers should be offered that his sister should begin to read the Bible. John was observed to get up and go out. The teacher thought it very unkind of the boy to disturb the people in a crowded room and go out like that, and so the next day when the lad came, he said, John, I thought that was very rude of you to get up in the prayer meeting, and go out. You ought not to have done it. Oh, sir, said the boy, I did not mean to be rude, but I thought I should just like to go home and see my sister reading her Bible for the first time. That is how we ought to believe, and wait with expectation to see the answer to prayer. The girl was reading the Bible when the boy went home. God had been pleased to hear the prayer; and if we could but trust God after that fashion we should often see similar things accomplished. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

A dying blessing

A few days previous to his death, Dr. Belfrage, of Falkirk, hearing his infant sons voice in an adjoining room, desired that he should be brought to him. When the child was lifted into the bed the dying father placed his hands upon his head, and said, in the language of Jacob, The God before whom my fathers did walk, the God who fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who redeemed me from all evil, bless the lad. When the boy was removed he added: Remember and tell John Henry of this; tell him of these prayers, and how earnest I was that he might become early acquainted with his fathers God. Happy are they who have their parents prayers.

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 10:15. Ὃς ἐὰν, whosoever) This He did to mark His disapproval of that very feeling, by which the disciples were moved to put away the infants from Him.—δέξηται, shall receive) for it is offered [to all].—ὡς παίδιον, as a little child) receives: for it receives the kingdom in very deed.

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

Mar 10:15 answers to Mat 18:3 . As Jesus gave several lessons on humility and kindred virtues, in Capernaum, here, and on the way to Jericho (Mar 10:35 f.), it is not to be wondered at if the sayings spoken in the several lessons got somewhat mixed in the tradition. It does not greatly matter when they were uttered. The thing to be thankful for is their preservation.

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

We must in malice become children, if we will enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(15) Verily I say unto you.—St. Matthew does not give the verse. St. Mark has it in common with St. Luke. To receive the kingdom of God “as a little child,” is to receive it after the manner of a child, with simplicity and faith, humility and love. Unless these conditions were fulfilled, those who were disputing who was the greatest in it, were as if they had not even entered it.

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

And he took them up in his arms,.... "Upon his arms", the Syriac version says; "he put them into his bosom", according to the Ethiopic; and the Persic renders it, "he took them into his bosom": all which expresses great tenderness towards them, and affection for them:

put his hands upon them, and blessed them. The Ethiopic version transposes these clauses, and puts blessing first, contrary to the natural order of the words, and things; for he first put his hands on the children, according to the custom of the Jews, and then prayed over them, and wished all happiness and prosperity to them; See Gill on Mat 19:15.

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

15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Ver. 15. {See Trapp on "Mat 19:1"}

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.

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein. Observe the "verily" with which our Lord introduces these words. He here adds something which extends what he has just said to those who are, not literally, but figuratively, little children. We must first receive the kingdom into our affections before we can really enter into it. It is as though Christ said, "It is not unworthy of my dignity to take little children into my arms and bless them, because by my benediction they become fit for the kingdom of heaven. And if you full-grown men would become fit for my kingdom, you must give up your ambitious aims and earthly contests, and imitate the simple unworldly ways of little children. The simplicity of the little child is the model and the rule for every one who desires, by the grace of Christ, to obtain the kingdom of heaven. Our Lord"s whole action here is a great encouragement to the receiving of little children by Holy Baptism into covenant with him.

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

Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child - As totally disclaiming all worthiness and fitness, as if he were but a week old.

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

whoever will not receive ... child will definitely not enter it

"if anyone will not recieve ... child, he will definitely not enter it"

as a little child

Jesus is comparing how people must receive the kingdom of God to how little children would receive it. AT: "in the same manner as a child would" (See: Simile)

will not receive the kingdom of God

"will not accept God as their king"

definitely not enter it

The word "it" refers to the kingdom of God.

he took the children into his arms

"he hugged the children"

translationWords

amen

receive

kingdom of God

children

bless

hand

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

15. ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν. This solemn warning, “the final lesson of His ministry in Galilee” (Swete), is omitted by Mt., who has recorded similar words Mat 18:3, but without the important δέξηται, which implies that the Kingdom is offered. “Receiving the Kingdom” means accepting the rule and sovereignty of God. “Entering the Kingdom” means becoming a member of the society in which His rule prevails. The leave to enter is always open to those who qualify themselves for entering.

ὡς παιδίον. With perfect trust, joy, and hope; “even as a weaned child” (Psa 131:2).

οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ. Shall in no wise enter; cf. Mar 9:1; Mar 9:41, Mar 13:2; Mar 13:19; Mar 13:30.

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.

15. ὅς ἂν μὴ δέξηται τ. βασιλείαν τ. Θεοῦ ὡς παιδίον οὐ μὴ εἰσελθῇ εἰς αὐτὴν—whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter into it. The kingdom of God is in its idea, its essence, the rule and the authority of God, and then the sphere in which he bears rule, either the spirit of the individual man, or the assemblage of its subjects, the society constituted by them. When Jesus speaks of its acceptance, it is the rule itself which is meant; that is to be accepted with unquestioning obedience, as the child accepts the parental rule. And on the other hand, when he speaks of entrance into it, he means the society of its subjects, the perfect state and order which results from doing the will of God.

ἄν, instead of ἐὰν, after ὅς Tisch. Treg. WH. א BCDL Δ 1.

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