Notes on Mark 10:13-16

These notes accompany my podast Children and Divine Priorities.

Translation and Notes

¹³And they brought him children so that he might touch them. But the disciples rebuked them.

Notice again that the disciples are not on the same agenda as Jesus is. They haven’t gotten kingdom principles. To Jesus children are important both in themselves—they receive the kingdom with the right spirit—but they are also important as an example to others. His disciples could learn from children. But instead they turn them away.

There is a common picture in people’s minds about this incident with the children. First, we see it as singular. Some children, once or twice, make it in to have Jesus bless them. It’s a nice little “bless you, bless you” kind of scenario, sort of like a politician kissing babies. But I think that children were attracted to Jesus and that this was a constant sort of scene. Jesus enjoyed talking with them, listening to them, and pointing to them as examples.

This beautiful little episode, expressing an attitude so unlike the academic rabbinical attitude toward women and children, and yet so characteristically Jewish, can scarcely have been invented. — IB Exegesis on Mark 10:13-16

¹⁴But when Jesus saw what had happened he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me, don’t prevent them, for the kingdom of God is made up of this sort of people!”

Back in Mark 9:42 Jesus has warned against being a stumbling block. Just as the disciples didn’t “get it” about the crucifixion, so they didn’t get it about not putting a stumbling block in front of other people. The children referred to in these two passages can include both those young in the faith and those young in years. What happens when we get up on our eminence based on years of experience or years of education and turn away those who lack the majesty of our own position in the church?

We need to be prepared to learn from children and youth. I have had frequent conversations with people about church services and why the young people or children don’t like them, and have to be forced to attend. Once they get old enough to resist, they no longer go. Why? Well, don’t ask me! Ask the children and young people. What would you like to do on Sunday morning that would truly excite you? Now you’re going to get answers that you can’t use, but you’ll also get many sincere answers that you can.

What do you do if the adults are offended by what is done in order to work with the youth? Good question. What did Jesus do? He was angry with those who turned the children away, but he received the children.

This matter of the indignations of Jesus throws a clear light on his spiritual greatness. He never showed indignation over personal affronts. All through the scourging and crucifixion “opened he not his mouth.” The only reference he made to his executioners was, “Father, forgive them.” It is a humbling experience to compare his indignations with our own. What most quickly rouses ours as a rule is some injury done us, real or fancied, some slight, some rejection. Then we blaze like a freshly lighted fire. While many of us continue to look out on evils that engulf vast numbers, or on injustices that cry to the skies, with undisturbed equanimity. — IB Exposition on Mark 10:14

¹⁵I tell you truly, whoever doesn’t receive the kingdom of God as a child will never enter into it.”

Jesus could never resist the opportunity to provide a lesson. Here he repeats his lesson from Mark 9:37.

¹⁶And he called the children, placed his hands on them, and blessed them.

Jesus suits actions to his words. He takes the children in and blesses them.

— Mark 10:13-16

References

For your convenience, here again are the key references I’m using:

Commentaries

Barclay, William. The Gospel of Mark (Daily Study Bible). Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1956.

Bock, Darrell L. Jesus According to Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002.

Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993. Via Logos Bible Software.

Wesley, John. John Wesley’s Commentary, from eSword.

Wuest, Kenneth S. Mark in the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1950.

Bibles:

The New Oxford Annotated Bible (NRSV)
The Learning Bible (CEV)
The Oxford Study Bible (REB)
UBS Greek New Testament, 4th Edition