“Let the Little Children Come Unto Me!” Matthew 19:13 

Would you agree that in His ministry here on earth Jesus was bold?

If you ranked His actions, corrections, accusations, rebuffs and declarations into a list of the top ten bold actions what would you include? What comes to mind first? He took on the devil and basically told him to go to hell. He took on death so we would not go to hell. Perhaps you might not consider His rebuking the disciples and telling them to let the little children to come to Him a bold move but yet it was.

Why was this a bold move? In Jesus’ culture, although cherished by their families, children were viewed as unimportant. Not only did Jesus rebuke the adult disciples for restraining the children for bothering Him, He then said, “for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Really, a child has the necessary qualities that we all need to go to heaven. What did Jesus mean?

Question: What age were the children that the disciples did not want to allow to see Jesus?

Answer: In this narrative they were little children. Luke uses The Greek word brephos, translated babies, a very small child and infant.  In the Matthew 19:13 and Mark 10:13 parallel verses , paidion another Greek word for “child” is used, meaning a child, normally below the age of puberty.