Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 10:15
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Mar 10:15
As a little child.
Intellectual submission
Chrysostom, says Manton, has the following comparison: A smith that takes up his red-hot iron with his hands, and not with his tongs, what can he expect but to burn his fingers? So we destroy our souls, when we judge of the mysteries of faith by the laws of common reason. Common enough is this error. Men must needs comprehend when their main business is to apprehend. That which God reveals to us is, to a large extent, beyond the reach of understanding; and therefore, in refusing to believe until we can understand, we are doing ourselves and the truth a grievous wrong. Our wisdom lies as much in taking heed how we receive, as in being careful what we receive. Spiritual truth must be received by a spiritual faculty, viz., by faith. As well hope to grasp a star by the hand as Divine truth by reason. Faith is well likened to the golden tongs, with which we may carry live coals; and carnal reason is the burned hand, which lets fall the glowing mass, which it is not capable of canting. Let it not, however, be thought that faith is contrary to reason. No: it is not unreasonable for a little child to believe its fathers statements, though it is quite incapable of perceiving all their bearings. It is quite reasonable that a pupil should accept his masters principles at the beginning of his studies; he will get but little from his discipleship if he begins by disputing with his teacher. How are we to learn anything if we will not believe? In the gloriously sublime truths of Godhead, incarnation, atonement, regeneration, and so forth, we must believe, or be forever ignorant: these masses of the molten metal of eternal truth must be handled by faith, or let alone. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Necessity of humility
A high-caste Brahmin came to receive Holy Baptism. He approached the font wearing the sacred thread which, amongst his Hindoo coreligionists, was the badge of his being amongst the twice-born, entitling him to little short of religious worship from those of a lower caste. But at the moment when he answered, I renounce them all, he stripped off the sign of idolatrous preeminence and trampled it under his feet.
Childlike trust in prayer
People say, What a wonderful thing it is that God hears George Mullers prayers! But is it not a sad thing that we should think it wonderful for God to hear prayer? We are come to a pretty pass certainly when we think it wonderful that God is true! Much better faith was that of a little boy in one of the schools at Edinburgh, who had attended the prayer meetings, and at last said to his teacher who conducted the meeting, Teacher, I wish my sister could be got to read the Bible; she never reads it. Why, Johnny, should your sister read the Bible? Because if she should once read it, I am sure it would do her good, and she would be converted and be saved. Do you think so, Johnny? Yes, I do, sir; and I wish the next time theres a prayer meeting, you would ask the people to pray for my sister, that she may begin to read the Bible. Well, well, it shall be done, John. So the teacher gave out that a little boy was very anxious that prayers should be offered that his sister should begin to read the Bible. John was observed to get up and go out. The teacher thought it very unkind of the boy to disturb the people in a crowded room and go out like that, and so the next day when the lad came, he said, John, I thought that was very rude of you to get up in the prayer meeting, and go out. You ought not to have done it. Oh, sir, said the boy, I did not mean to be rude, but I thought I should just like to go home and see my sister reading her Bible for the first time. That is how we ought to believe, and wait with expectation to see the answer to prayer. The girl was reading the Bible when the boy went home. God had been pleased to hear the prayer; and if we could but trust God after that fashion we should often see similar things accomplished. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
A dying blessing
A few days previous to his death, Dr. Belfrage, of Falkirk, hearing his infant sons voice in an adjoining room, desired that he should be brought to him. When the child was lifted into the bed the dying father placed his hands upon his head, and said, in the language of Jacob, The God before whom my fathers did walk, the God who fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who redeemed me from all evil, bless the lad. When the boy was removed he added: Remember and tell John Henry of this; tell him of these prayers, and how earnest I was that he might become early acquainted with his fathers God. Happy are they who have their parents prayers.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verily I say, unto you,…. A form of speech used when our Lord was about to asseverate a thing, and assert something of moment and importance, and which he would have attended to.
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God; the Gospel, and the mysteries of it:
as a little child; laying aside all pride and prejudice, attending thereunto with humility and meekness:
he shall not enter therein; he shall attain to no true spiritual knowledge of the Gospel; nor should he be admitted into a Gospel church state, and to the ordinances of it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
As a little child ( ). How does a little child receive the kingdom of God? The little child learns to obey its parents simply and uncomplainingly. There are some new psychologists who argue against teaching obedience to children. The results have not been inspiring. Jesus here presents the little child with trusting and simple and loving obedience as the model for adults in coming into the kingdom. Jesus does not here say that children are in the kingdom of God because they are children.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Verily I say unto you,” (amen lego humin) “Truly I tell you all,” as disciples who must show compassion and hospitality to all seekers, Joh 6:37; Heb 13:1-2.
2) “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God, as a little child,” (hos an me deksetai ten basileian tou theou hos paidion) “Anyone (whoever) does or will not receive the kingdom of God, as a small child,” in humility, by personal choice, by faith, Joh 1:11-12.
3) “He shall not enter therein.” (ou me eiselthe eis auten) “Shall not by any means (any other means) enter into it at all,” Luk 18:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(15) Verily I say unto you.St. Matthew does not give the verse. St. Mark has it in common with St. Luke. To receive the kingdom of God as a little child, is to receive it after the manner of a child, with simplicity and faith, humility and love. Unless these conditions were fulfilled, those who were disputing who was the greatest in it, were as if they had not even entered it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“Truly I say to you, whoever will not receive the Kingly Rule of God as a little child, he shall not under any circumstances enter into it.”
The real problem for men when they sought to come under the Kingly Rule of God was that they were not like children. They were not receptive, open, responsive, simple, believing. They were prejudiced, self-opinionated, proud, and unwilling to believe unless it fitted in with their ideas. Thus until they could put such things aside and become childlike in their openness and response, until they could come like children with nothing but their openness and need (compare Luk 18:13), they could not and would not receive the Kingly Rule of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mar 10:15. Whosoever shall not, &c. “As to adult persons, I assuredly tell you, who, by your behaviour on this occasion, plainly need the admonition, whoever he be, that does not embrace the Gospel of the kingdom with humility and meekness, free from hypocrisy, wrath and malice, pride and ambition, in resemblance of the temper of a little child, shall never be a partaker of its great and glorious blessings.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Ver. 15. See Trapp on “ Mat 19:1 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 10:15 answers to Mat 18:3 . As Jesus gave several lessons on humility and kindred virtues, in Capernaum, here, and on the way to Jericho (Mar 10:35 f.), it is not to be wondered at if the sayings spoken in the several lessons got somewhat mixed in the tradition. It does not greatly matter when they were uttered. The thing to be thankful for is their preservation.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Verily. See note on Mat 5:18.
not = by no means. See App-105.
therein = into (as in Mar 10:1, &c.) it.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 10:15. , whosoever) This He did to mark His disapproval of that very feeling, by which the disciples were moved to put away the infants from Him.-, shall receive) for it is offered [to all].- , as a little child) receives: for it receives the kingdom in very deed.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mat 18:3, Luk 18:17, Joh 3:3-6
Reciprocal: Psa 131:2 – as a child Isa 28:9 – weaned Mat 5:18 – verily Mat 5:20 – ye Mat 13:23 – good Mat 18:1 – in Mar 10:23 – enter Mar 14:18 – Verily Luk 9:47 – took Luk 10:21 – revealed Act 8:31 – How Act 10:33 – are we Act 18:26 – expounded Rom 2:19 – art confident 1Co 3:18 – let 1Co 14:20 – malice Heb 5:13 – he 1Pe 2:2 – newborn
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
MODERN CULTURE
Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Mar 10:15
It has been remarked that the Church has neglected a great duty in not dealing faithfully with modern culture. There are from the standpoint of Christianity at least three grave charges against the so-called culture of the present day:
I. It thinks more highly of itself than it ought to think. Its lofty pretensions would be ridiculous if not so sad. Art is but a playthinga noble plaything if you willbut not essential to the stern work of human souls. St. Paul gave up culture for the Cross. He entered the Kingdom as a little child.
II. The one-sidedness of modern culture impresses us. The tendency of modern culture is to develop the intellectual side of mans nature at the expense of his moral. The culture of character should stand first.
III. Modern culture is in the main selfish.Those who have received the most of Gods gifts do not always make the best response to His bounty. No man has a right to enjoy anything that he is not willing to share with others. If we can, where is the sacrifice of our life? Where is our cross?
There in that one word cross is the gulf which separates Christianity from modern culture.
Rev. Canon S. A. Alexander.
Illustration
In the preface to his Souvenirs de lEnfance et de la Jeunesse, the brilliant Frenchman tells a legend of his native Brittany. It relates to an imaginary town called Is, which the fishermen supposed to have been swallowed up by the sea far back in the ages of the past. But sometimes, so these simple folk believe, the spires of the churches can be seen in the hollow of the waves when the sea is rough, and during a calm, if you listen well, you may hear the bells ringing forth the hymn appropriate to the day. And M. Renan adds, pathetically enough: I often fancy that I have at the bottom of my heart a city of Is, with its bells summoning to prayer a recalcitrant congregation. Happy are they whose souls are still thrilled with the echoes of the texts and prayers learned in childhoodwho are child-like and simple-heartedgrace, mercy, and peace be with all such in exceeding measure!
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
5
Receive the kingdom of God as a little child means they must become as the child in spirit, otherwise they will not be welcomed into the kingdom.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 10:15. See on Mat 18:3. The connection here is remarkable. Not only may infants be brought to Christ, but adults, in order to enter the kingdom, to come to Him, must become like them. Only as a little child can any one enter the kingdom. It is fairly implied that children in years can be Christians, recognized as such by their parents act and the Masters act through His ministers, trained as such by parents and pastors, and a promise that His grace will not fail, where our faith does not fail.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 15
As a little child; with docility and an humble mind.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God {3} as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
(3) In our malice we must become as children if we will enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This verse occurs in Mark and Luke (Luk 18:17), but Matthew recorded Jesus’ similar statement on another occasion (Mat 18:3). It expands Jesus’ words in Mar 10:14. Jesus’ point was that people must receive things associated with the kingdom of God as children receive things, namely, with trust and dependence on Himself. Personal ability and effort do not determine one’s reception of God’s best gifts, but a proper orientation to Jesus does.
"We tell the children to behave like adults, but Jesus tells the adults to model themselves after the children!" [Note: Wiersbe, 1:145.]