And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But 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. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not breceive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (Mar 10:13-16 ESV)
This picture of Jesus is one that I particularly cherish. While the disciples convey self-importance in rebuking parents who would think Jesus had time for their children, Jesus gently calls the children to himself.
The nature of the scene is even more precious when we consider a couple of factors. First, the children involved are in all likelihood babes in arms. They are young enough that the parents are bringing them and it was common practice in 1st century Judaism to ask prominent rabbis to bless infants.
Second, verse 16 does not quite capture the picture of the event as it took place. Jesus didn't call the parents and children to gather around him for a group prayer. Rather, the text tells us that Jesus took each babe in his arms, placed his hand upon them and fervently prayed for God's blessing on each child in turn. We don't know how many children there were, but Jesus doesn't rush through them. He takes the time to cradle each in his arms and to bless each individual child.
The beauty of the scene is magnified by the fact that it is a picture of how our gentle shepherd treats all his children.
This picture of Jesus is one that I particularly cherish. While the disciples convey self-importance in rebuking parents who would think Jesus had time for their children, Jesus gently calls the children to himself.
The nature of the scene is even more precious when we consider a couple of factors. First, the children involved are in all likelihood babes in arms. They are young enough that the parents are bringing them and it was common practice in 1st century Judaism to ask prominent rabbis to bless infants.
Second, verse 16 does not quite capture the picture of the event as it took place. Jesus didn't call the parents and children to gather around him for a group prayer. Rather, the text tells us that Jesus took each babe in his arms, placed his hand upon them and fervently prayed for God's blessing on each child in turn. We don't know how many children there were, but Jesus doesn't rush through them. He takes the time to cradle each in his arms and to bless each individual child.
The beauty of the scene is magnified by the fact that it is a picture of how our gentle shepherd treats all his children.
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