Matthew 19:15
in Matthew 19And after He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
KJV
And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
⋯
This verse in Matthew 19
Commentary
14 notes on this verseAnd he laid his hands on them,.... "And blessed them", as Mark says; he put his hands upon them, according to the custom of the country, and wished all kind of prosperity to them: and departed thence, out of the house where he had been, and his disciples with him: the Ethiopic version renders it, "and they went from thence", from those parts, towards Jerusalem.
This site's exposition
the disciples rebuked them
on Matthew 19:13-15
Brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray, was ordinary practice, parents seeking a rabbi's blessing on their children, and the disciples' rebuke likely came from a sense that such small matters should not interrupt serious teaching, especially so soon after the weighty exchange on marriage. Suffer little children, and forbid them not is Jesus' correction, and for of such is the kingdom of heaven repeats in substance the object lesson of 18:2 to 4, dependence and receptivity rather than achievement marking those who belong to the kingdom. The bench notes he laid his hands on them and departed thence, granting exactly what the parents came for, without the sign or the miracle the crowds usually pressed him for.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
But since children cannot follow all things that are commanded them, Jesus laid His hands upon them, and leaving virtue in them by His touch, went away from them, seeing they were not able to follow Him, like the other more perfect disciples.
The infants are a type of the Gentiles, to whom salvation is rendered by faith and hearing. But the disciples, in their first zeal for the salvation of Israel, forbid them to approach, but the Lord declares that they are not to be forbidden. For the gift of the Holy Ghost was to be conferred upon the Gentiles by laying on of hands, as soon as the Law had ceased.
Also laying His hands upon them, He blessed them, to signify that the lowly in spirit are worthy His grace and blessing.
(Verse 15.) Allow the children, and do not prohibit them from coming to me: for such is the kingdom of heaven. And when he had laid his hands on them, he departed from there. He specifically said 'such', not 'these', to show that it is not age that reigns but character; and that those who have similar innocence and simplicity will be rewarded. The apostle also agrees with this sentiment: Brothers, do not be children in your thinking, but be infants in evil, and mature in your thinking (1 Corinthians 14:20).
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 62 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
But mark thou, I pray, how from some men's wicked doings, other men gain. I mean, that the Jews went away having learnt nothing, for neither did they ask with the intent of learning, but the disciples gained even from hence. "Then were there brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But He said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven. And He laid His hands on them, and departed thence." And wherefore did the disciples repel the little children? For dignity. What then doth He? Teaching them to be lowly, and to trample under foot worldly pride, He doth receive them, and takes them in His arms, and to such as them promises the kingdom; which kind of thing He said before also. Let us also then, if we would be inheritors of the Heavens, possess ourselves of this virtue with much diligence. For this is the limit of true wisdom; to be simple with understanding; this is angelic life; yes, for the soul of a little child is pure from all the passions. Towards them who have vexed him he bears no resentment, but goes to them as to friends, as if nothing had been done; and how much soever he be beaten by his mother, after her he seeks, and her doth he prefer to all. Though thou show him the queen with a diadem, he prefers her not to his mother clad in rags, but would choose rather to see her in these, than the queen in splendor. For he useth to distinguish what pertains to him and what is strange to him, not by its poverty and wealth, but by friendship. And nothing more than necessary things doth he seek, but just to be satisfied from the breast, and then he leaves sucking. […]
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
(non occ.) He laid His hands upon them while men held them, to signify that the grace of His aid was necessary.
Consequently he satisfies their devotion: when he had imposed hands upon them. By which he strengthens their virtues. Isaiah 40:29: he gives power to the weary. He departed from thence. Sometimes Christ lays on hands and does not depart from thence; sometimes he lays on …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Here is an account of what passed between Christ and a hopeful young gentleman that addressed himself to him upon a serious errand; he said to be a young man (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
He - departed thence - That is, from that part of Judea which was beyond Jordan, Mat 19:1; and then went to Jericho. See Mat 20:29.
In these verses we have the mind of Christ declared on two subjects of great moment. One is the relation of husband and wife; the other is the light in which we should regard little children in the matter of their souls. It is difficult to overrate the importance of these two subjects: the well-being of nations and the happiness of society are closely connected with right views upon them. Nations are nothing but a collection of families.
In these verses we have the mind of Christ declared on two subjects of great moment. One is the relation of husband and wife; the other is the light in which we should regard little children in the matter of their souls. It is difficult to overrate the importance of these two subjects: the well-being of nations and the happiness of society are closely connected with right views upon them. Nations are nothing but a collection of families. The good order of families depends entirely on keeping up the highest standard of respect for the marriage tie, and on the right training of children. We ought to be thankful that, on both these points, the great head of the church pronounced judgment so clearly. With respect to marriage, our Lord teaches that the union of husband and wife ought never to be broken off, except for the greatest of all causes, namely, actual unfaithfulness. In these days when our Lord was upon earth divorces were permitted among the Jews for the most trifling and frivolous causes. The practice, though tolerated by Moses to prevent worse evils—such as cruelty or murder—had gradually become an enormous abuse, and no doubt led to much immorality ( Malachi 2:14–16 ). The remark made by our Lord’s disciples shows the deplorably low state of public feeling on the subject. They said, “If the case of the man be so it is not good to marry ”They meant, of course, “if a man may not put away his wife for a slight cause at any time, he had better not marry at all.” Such language from the mouths of apostles sounds strange indeed! Our Lord brings forward a widely different standard for the guidance of his disciples. He first founds his judgment on the original institution of marriage.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He laid his hands on them - Mark says he blessed them. That is, he pronounced or sought a blessing on them.
The words behind it
7 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐπιθεὶς | epitheis | having laid | G2007 → | 38 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χεῖρας | cheiras | hands | G5495 → | 175 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | upon them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐπορεύθη | eporeuthe | He departed | G4198 → | 147 times |
| ἐκεῖθεν.¶ | ekeithen | from there. | G1564 → | 37 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐπιθεὶςhaving laid
epitheisG2007 →38 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
χεῖραςhands
cheirasG5495 →175 times
αὐτοῖςupon them
autoisG846 →5565 times
ἐπορεύθηHe departed
eporeutheG4198 →147 times
ἐκεῖθεν.¶from there.
ekeithenG1564 →37 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 40:11He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
it leads to
- Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
- Psalms 23:1–6
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
- Micah 5:4
He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to…
- Ezekiel 34:23
I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
- John 10:11–16
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
- Revelation 7:17
Through
2 Timothy 3:15From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:98–99
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.
- Luke 24:45
Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
- Psalms 119:98–99
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Hilary of Poitiers, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 62; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Remigius of Rheims, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.