Matthew 19:15

Mat 19:15. Ἐπιθεὶς αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας, having laid His hands upon them) as He had been asked to do in Mat 19:13. The imposition of the hand, and more particularly of the hands, was employed for conferring on, and propagating to, human beings, especially children and ministers of the Gospel, bodily blessings and spiritual gifts; see Act 9:12; Heb 6:2; 1Ti 5:22; 2Ti 1:6. Our Lord is not said to have prayed, as He had been asked to do in Mat 19:13, by those forsooth who were not fully aware of His oneness with the Father.

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

Mat 19:15 . ἐπορεύθη ἐκεῖθεν ; He departed thence, no indication whence or whither. The results of this meeting are conceivable. Christians may have come out of that company. Mothers would not forget Him who blessed their children on the way to His cross, or fail to speak of the event to them when they were older.

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

Verse 15. He - departed thence.] That is, from that part of Judea which was beyond Jordan, Mt 19:1; and then went to Jericho. See Mt 20:29.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) He laid his hands on them.—St. Mark records, as before, the act of caressing tenderness: “He folded them in His arms, and laid His hands upon them.” The words and the act have rightly been regarded, as in the Baptismal Office of the Church of England, as the true warrant for infant baptism. More than doubtful passages in the Acts and Epistles; more than the authority, real or supposed, of primitive antiquity; more than the legal fiction that they fulfil the condition of baptism by their sponsors—they justify the Church of Christ at large in commending infants, as such, to the blessing of their Father. The blessing and the prayer of Christ cannot be regarded as a mere sympathising compliance with the fond wishes of the parents, and if infants were capable of spiritual blessings then, why, it may well be asked, should they be thought incapable now?

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

15. laid his hands on them] No unmeaning act, therefore infants are capable of receiving a blessing, though not conscious of an obligation.

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.

And he laid his hands on them,.... "And blessed them", as Mark says; he put his hands upon them, according to the custom of the country, and wished all kind of prosperity to them:

and departed thence, out of the house where he had been, and his disciples with him: the Ethiopic version renders it, "and they went from thence", from those parts, towards Jerusalem.

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

15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

Ver. 15. And he laid his hands on them] So putting upon them his father’s blessing, as Jacob did upon Joseph’s sons, whom by this symbol he adopted for his own. And albeit our Saviour baptized not these infants (as neither did he those that were larger), yet forasmuch as they were confessedly capable of Christ’s gifts, they were doubtless capable of the signs and seals of those gifts; if capable of imposition of Christ’s hands, of his benediction and kingdom, then capable also of baptism, which sayeth us, saith St Peter, in the time present, because the use thereof is permanent (though the act transient) so long as one liveth, 1Pe 3:21. Whensoever a sinner repents and believes on the promises, baptism (the seal thereof) is as powerful and effectual as if it were then presently administered. The Decrees and Book of Sentences say that confirmation is of more value than baptism, and gives the Holy Ghost more plentifully and effectually. And the Papists generally abuse this text, to establish their sacrament of confirmation, or bishoping of children. But, 1. These were little infants, not led, but brought in their mothers’ arms. 2. Confirmation, as they use it, was never commanded to Christ’s ministers, nor practised by his apostles.

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.

He laid his hands on them - Mark says he blessed them. That is, he pronounced or sought a blessing on them.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He laid his hands on them. He was not influenced by the captious objections of the disciples. St. Mark tells us that "he took them up in his arms, put his bands upon them, and blessed them." Thus far he complied with the wishes of the parents who brought the babes to him. But we do not read that he prayed, as they had asked. Doubtless there was meaning in this omission. In conferring blessing he was acting in his Divine nature, and had no need of prayer. Sometimes, indeed, he prayed for the sake of bystanders; (see Joh_11:42 Joh 12:30) here he prays not, that he may teach a lesson of his Divinity. Departed thence. Set out from Peraea, journeying towards Jerusalem.

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

15. Laid his hands on them. And blessed them.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

15. ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας. No unmeaning act, therefore infants are capable of receiving a blessing, though not conscious of an obligation. It is the authorization of infant baptism. St Mark, as often, records a further loving act of Jesus, ἐναγκαλισάμενος αὐτά.

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.

(M) 15. Mt. here omits Mk v. 15. He has anticipated it in 18:3-4: And having laid His hands upon them, He departed thence.] Mk. has: “And having taken them in His arms, He was blessing them, having laid His hands upon them. And as He was going forth to travel” (εἰς ὁδόν). Mt. omits Mk.’s ἐναγκαλισάμενος, as in 18:2.

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