Matthew 19:13-15 13Then children were brought to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them. 14But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for of such of these is the kingdom of heaven.” 15And after laying his hands on them he went away.
This great passage returns (18:1-6) to the topic of children and their importance in God’s kingdom. Unlike other religious and political leaders of history who have often neglected or abused children, Jesus showed great compassion for them by healing them and using their simple faith as a model for discipleship. This brief scene has several movements to it. The word for children (paidia) in these verses can mean children of any age though generally under puberty. Some translations interpret it to mean little children.
First, verse 13 indicates the care of others in bringing children to Jesus. These people are unnamed. We might imagine these people to be their parents or guardians. They took the time and effort to push through the crowds and bring their children to Jesus because they recognized something special in him. They asked Jesus to do two powerful actions. Laying on of hands was both symbolic and powerful. Jesus laid his hands on people for healing. There is no indication in this passage that the children were sick. Laying on of hands could also represent the giving of a blessing, which seems to be more of the case here. We can only imagine what was in the minds of those who brought these children when they asked Jesus to pray for them. The power of Jesus’ prayer in the will of the Father would be accomplished. The greatest things parents can do is to bring their children to Jesus.
Second, the short phrase at the end of verse 13 shockingly shows the negative response of the disciples who rebukedthese intercessors of the children. Them in this sentence obviously refers to those who brought the children to Jesus. The word rebuked (epetimēsan) is fairly strong and expresses a serious attempt to warn or reprove someone, even to the point of punishing. What were the disciples thinking? Obviously, children were not on the top of their list of priorities. They were more concerned about themselves and their place in the kingdom. They had no time to bother with children. Had they not learned anything from the episode in chapter 18?
Third, Jesus responds to the disciples by giving his own rebuke. The disciples were stopping the flow of blessing and putting up a wall to the spiritual growth of the children. They were in the danger zone of causing one of the “little ones” of 18:6 to stumble. Hinder (kōluete) can mean to forbid or stop something from happening. The disciples got in the way and told these people and their children to go away.
Fourth, Jesus gives the reason for his blessing and prayer and why children were so important to him. Children are a model for what the kingdom of heaven is like. The kingdom will be made up of many children. There will be millions whose lives were taken away in abortion or who died at birth or as infants. There will also be many who came to believe in Jesus. The simple faith and trust of a child becomes a model for how older people should respond to the good news of Jesus. Ministry to children and youth should be one of the highest priorities of any church and family. Jesus showed how important children were to him by laying his hands on them and praying for them–what a powerful representation of the love of God!
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