Luke 18:16

Thus, not having rejected the children, but having received them with pleasure, the Lord teaches humility "by deed." He also teaches "by word," saying that "of such is the Kingdom of Heaven," those who have a childlike disposition.

Third, as regards the gracious reception of those brought, it is added: But Jesus, calling them together, said: Let the children come to me, and do not forbid them, whom indeed you ought rather to draw and call; hence Proverbs 9: "She sent her handmaids …

But Jesus, calling them, said: Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them. For of such is the kingdom of God. He significantly said "of such," not "of these ones," to show that it is not age that reigns, but manners, and …

Hence our Lord pointedly says, of such, not "of these," to show that to character, not to age, is the kingdom given, and to such as have a childlike innocence and simplicity is the promise of the reward.

After what He had said, our Lord teaches us a lesson of humility by His own example; He does not turn away the little children who are brought to Him, but graciously receives them. The wise men of the Gentiles therefore who seek for wisdom in a mystery, which is the kingdom of God, and will not receive this without the evidence of logical proof, are rightly shut out from this kingdom.

It is the mind of Christ that little children should be brought to him, and presented as living sacrifices to his honour: " Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not; let nothing be done to hinder them, for they shall be as welcome as any." The promise is to us, and to our seed; and therefore he that has the dispensing of promised blessings will bid them welcome to him with us.

Calling them - Those that brought the children: of such is the kingdom of God - Such are subjects of the Messiah's kingdom. And such as these it properly belongs to.

But Jesus called them unto him,....

The ignorance of the disciples does not stand alone. On few subjects, perhaps, shall we find such strange opinions in the churches, as on the subject of the souls of children . Some think that children ought to be baptized, as a matter of course; and that if they die unbaptized — they cannot be saved. Others think that children ought not to be baptized, but can give no satisfactory reason why they think so. Some think that all children are regenerate by virtue of their baptism.

What words are these from the lips of Christ! The price of them is above rubies. But the reason assigned, "FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD," or "of heaven," as in Mt 19:14, completes the previous information here conveyed; especially as interpreted by what immediately follows: "AND HE TOOK THEM UP IN HIS ARMS, PUT HIS HANDS UPON THEM, AND BLESSED THEM" (Mr 10:16).

The ignorance of the disciples does not stand alone. On few subjects, perhaps, shall we find such strange opinions in the churches, as on the subject of the souls of children . Some think that children ought to be baptized, as a matter of course; and that if they die unbaptized — they cannot be saved. Others think that children ought not to be baptized, but can give no satisfactory reason why they think so. Some think that all children are regenerate by virtue of their baptism. Others seem to think that children are incapable of receiving any grace, and that they ought not to be enrolled in the Church until they are grown up. Some think that children are naturally innocent, and would do no wickedness unless they learned it from others. Others think that it is no use to expect them to be converted when young — and that they must be treated as unbelievers until they come to years of discretion. All these opinions appear to be errors, in one direction or another. All are to be disapproved — for all lead to many painful mistakes. We shall do well to get hold of some settled scriptural principles about the spiritual condition of children. To do so may save us much perplexity — and preserve us from grave false doctrines. The souls of young children are evidently precious in God's sight. Both here and elsewhere, there is plain proof that Christ cares for them no less than for grown-up people. The souls of young children are capable of receiving grace. They are born in sin — and without grace cannot be saved. There is nothing, either in the Bible or experience — to make us think that they cannot receive the Holy Spirit, and be justified, even from their earliest infancy. The baptism of young children seems agreeable to the general tenor of Scripture, and the mind of Christ in the passage before us.