Jesus Blesses the Little Children
Mark provides a series of parables in
chronological order matched to the overall story
of the Bible. This one is about the childrn who crossed the Jordan.
The Story
42 Mark 10:13-15
13ܘܡܩܪܒܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗ ܛܠܝܐ ܕܢܩܪܘܒ ܠܗܘܢ ܬܠܡܝܕܘܗܝ ܕܝܢ ܟܐܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܒܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܩܪܒܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܀
14ܝܫܘܥ ܕܝܢ ܚܙܐ ܘܐܬܒܐܫ ܠܗ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܫܒܘܩܘ ܛܠܝܐ ܐܬܝܢ ܠܘܬܝ ܘܠܐ ܬܟܠܘܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܕܕܐܝܠܝܢ ܓܝܪ ܕܐܝܟ ܗܠܝܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܐܝܬܝܗ ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܀
15ܐܡܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܕܟܠ ܕܠܐ ܢܩܒܠ ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܐܝܟ ܛܠܝܐ ܠܐ ܢܥܘܠ ܠܗ ܀
(SYP)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14But 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.
15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
(KJV)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14But 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.
15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
(KJV/NC)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13And they were bringing unto him little children, that he should touch them: and the disciples rebuked them.
14But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me; forbid them not: for to such belongeth the kingdom of God.
15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.
(ASV)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13¶ And they brought little children to him, that he might touch them; but his disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14But when Jesus saw it, he was displeased, and he said to them, Allow the little children to come to me, and do not forbid them; for the kingdom of God is for such as these.
15Truly I say to you, Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child shall not enter it.
(LAM)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them.
14But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
15Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."
(RSV)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
(NIV)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.
14But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, 'Allow the little children to come to me! Don't forbid them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15Most assuredly I tell you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.'
(WEB)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.
14But when Yeshua saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, 'Allow the little children to come to me! Don't forbid them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.'
(WEB/HNV)
42 Mark 10:13-15
13And they brought little children to him, that he might touch them; but his disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14But when Jesus saw it, he was displeased, and he said to them, Allow the little children to come to me, and do not forbid them; for the kingdom of God is for such as these.
15Truly I say to you, Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it.
(BRB)
Background
This parable continues the earlier discussion of Marriage. Immediately
before this parable Jesus had been discussing with the Pharisees and then the
disciples about Marriage. Divorce, the subject of that parable, had been the
action of the people immediately after crossing the Red Sea.
Because they were hard of heart, the people of the time where forced to
wander around in the desert until 40 years had passed since the crossing of
the Red Sea. During that time the adults who were in their 20th year or older
at the time of the Exodus died off, leaving only those who were children at
the time of the Exodus.
Of course some of those children were now much older. The year indicated
here is 9040 AA, or 40 years after leaving Egypt. Those who had been in their
19th year at the time of the Exodus were now in their 59th year, marking the
upper age of those who would conquer Canaan. Soon after the crossing of the
Jordan river some of those in their 59th year would be passing into their 60th
year. Some, too, had also been born in the desert, those who had not reached
their 41st year.
Jesus uses the little children around him to drive home the point of the
earlier parable. Those who are like little children in regards to sin, in
this case the sin of adultery towards God, these children will enter the
Kingdom of God.
Properly understood, Jesus is not making the point that only little
children can be saved. Indeed, at the time of the Jordan river crossing there
were people up to their 59th year. Even people of that age can enter into the
Kingdom of God, but they must do so without committing adultery towards God,
they must not chase after foreign gods.
Notes on Adultery
Note that the young people at the time of the exodus, those in their 19th
year or below, are not old enough to enter into binding covenants. Adultery,
at the core, is a disrespect of covenant.
Paul talks about this in different terms. Once you've taisted of the
heavenly gifts the end is worse than if nothing had ever happened. (cite.)
The base parable is this Exodus story. For the generation that left Egypt,
and were old enough to enter into a binding covenant at the Red Sea crossing,
it would have been better if nothing had ever happened than to wander in the
desert. God seems to forgive wandering by children and those not under
covenant. Wandering away to other gods when we are older and know better is
what can cause great grief.
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