Matthew 19:13-15
Let the Children Come
Read the passage
13Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. And the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
15And after He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
People bring children to Jesus so that he may lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuke the people, but Jesus tells them to let the children come and not to hinder them. He says that the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these, then lays his hands on them and goes away.
The scene is brief, but Jesus' action is deliberate. The disciples try to block their approach; Jesus receives them as welcome members of the kingdom. He does not ask them to prove their usefulness, understanding, or status before blessing them.
Jesus' words do not romanticize childhood or say that children are morally perfect. In the surrounding context, they point to the humility and dependence that belong to kingdom life. The children are also real people whom Jesus chooses to welcome, not illustrations that adults may use and then ignore.
Families can notice who is often asked to wait while adults finish important things. A child may need time, an answer, protection, or a chance to speak. Receiving children well requires more than affection; it includes attention, boundaries, and patient teaching.
The account corrects every community that makes access to Jesus depend on age, influence, or impressive performance. The kingdom's welcome is generous, and the household should reflect it.
How We Know
Mark and Luke also record people bringing children, the disciples’ rebuke and Jesus’ welcome. Mark adds that He takes the children in His arms and blesses them; Luke specifically mentions infants being brought. The accounts give concrete actions behind the saying that the kingdom belongs to such as these.
Questions
1 Why does Jesus insist that the children be allowed to come?
AnswerHe says the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these and commands the disciples not to hinder them.
2 How do the disciples try to treat the children, and how does Jesus respond?
AnswerThe disciples try to send the children away, but Jesus calls them forward, lays his hands on them, and blesses them.
3 How should Jesus’ welcome affect a church’s treatment of children?
AnswerChildren should receive patient teaching, prayer and care. They must not be kept at a distance as though Jesus were only interested in important adults.
4 What would it look like to give a child our full attention?
AnswerAdults can ask a child what he or she needs to say, listen without rushing, and make one change that helps children feel safe, valued, and included.
What This Means for Us
Jesus notices people whom his disciples are willing to screen out. In a family, that may mean putting down the phone, changing a schedule, explaining a decision, or taking a child's fear seriously instead of dismissing it as childish.
Welcome is not the same as giving children adult responsibilities or removing wise boundaries. Children need protection, supervision, truthful answers, and adults who accept responsibility for their safety. They should not be pressured to perform spirituality for the approval of older people.
The passage also challenges churches and households to examine their access points. Who gets heard? Who is expected to be quiet? Who receives patient instruction, and who is labeled difficult before anyone listens?
Ask, “What would help the children around us come closer to Jesus rather than associate faith with being ignored?” Put one answer into practice.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for welcoming children. Make our household humble, attentive, and safe. Help us protect young people, listen to them with patience, and never place needless barriers between them and your love. Amen.