Gospel of Matthew
Entering the Kingdom of Heaven
Chapter 19:13-30
We are not informed specifically who brought these children to the Lord Jesus, but, without doubt, as the crowd brought their sick to be cured, some now decided to bring their children, apparently healthy, so that He might touch them and pray for them
The disciples rebuked them, perhaps not wanting them to disturb the Teacher who was involved in some things that they thought more important, such as healing the sick and discussing with the Pharisees about the law. Children were not as important in their view.
However, the Lord was greatly displeased with the disciples (Mark 10:14) because of their attitude. In the original it reads, "He was propelled by indignation", an expression that indicates a strong emotion, pain. The love of the Lord Jesus for children was thus demonstrated, and He was angry because His disciples were preventing them from being brought to Him.
He then ordered them to let the children come to Him, and not to prevent them, "for of such is the kingdom of heaven." He did not say, "the kingdom of heaven is for them", because it is not restricted to children, but rather "for those like them" — including the disciples, for example.
Verses 13 and 14, repeated in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, provide ample basis for understanding that children, in their innocence, are saved, although under the curse of sin. Theirs is also the Kingdom of Heaven, for the blood shed by the Lord Jesus is also valid for them.
This understanding indicates that, as they grow, there will be a point at which they will acquire full awareness of their sin and then they voluntarily have to take hold of salvation by faith in Christ. If they reject it, they will continue in their sins and suffer the punishment of eternal perdition.
The Lord Jesus placed his hands on the little children — a gesture used at that time to symbolize God's blessing, as we find in Mark. It was not an essential ritual for the salvation of children. It is a lesson to teach us the importance of bringing children to Christ, from their young age, so God may bless them in their lives.
The Gospels of Mark and Luke add here the words of the Lord Jesus, "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it" (Mark 10:15, Luke 18:17), similar to that found in chapter 18: 3 (view explanation in the article "Christian humility" of this series). A child learns to obey its parents with simplicity and trust. Simplicity, trust and love of God are essential requirements for His Kingdom.
A certain ruler (Luke 18:18) sought the Lord Jesus and asked Him "good Teacher, what good thing shall I do to that I may inherit eternal life?" In His reply, the Lord made him consider the word “good” that he had used. If this young man had reflected on who was "Good", to use the word in this way would be to recognize the divinity of the Lord Jesus, because only God is Good. The disciples had already acknowledged that He was "... The Christ, the Son of the living God"(Matthew 16:16).
Then the Lord declared that if he wanted to "enter into life", i.e. to have eternal life, he should obey the commandments, that is to say, the commandments of God found in the Law of Moses.
The commandments were given to stipulate the standard of rectitude of conduct of God. No one in the entire humanity manages to maintain this high standard in his or her life, so the Bible tells us that the law was given to convince us of sin. Sin means "failure", and all fail, too much or too little, but the slightest failure makes us sinners, and unworthy of communion with God, eternal life.
As the young man wanted to inherit eternal life by works ("shall I do"), the Lord gave him the proper response to conquer this right: it was necessary to obey the commandments. The young man asked, "Which?" Would that be an honest question, or was he checking with the good Teacher to find out if there were some series of new ordinances that would provide a prescription to inherit life?
Many people have made a separate recipe for themselves in order to obtain justification by works: charity, penance, prayer and contributions to the "saints", monastic life, etc., but never come to a certainty of salvation, because their sins continue to weigh on their conscience.
The Lord Jesus then pointed directly to the law of Moses and cited, as an example, the commandments which relate to human relationship: do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not lie, honour your father and mother, and love your neighbour as yourself.
The young man, as if wanting to show that he was already a righteous person, stated that he had obeyed all of them, and asked if there was something missing. That is the attitude of most people: they ignore little things, and consider themselves innocent because they never committed serious crimes.
The Lord did not contradict what the young man had said, which He could well have done. The young man was in fact of a good character, so much so that Jesus looked at him and loved him (Mark 10:21). Nevertheless, the Lord knew how to prove the young man's sin: He told him he would be perfect and would have a treasure in heaven if he sold his possessions and gave the money to the poor. Then he should come and follow Him.
The test was to see how far his love towards God and towards his neighbour would go. Later on the Lord Jesus was asked, by a lawyer, which was the great commandment of the law, and He said “'you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' this is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'you shall love your neighbour as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-39)
The young man failed this test, and retired because he loved his riches above all. His faith in the Lord Jesus was not enough for him to replace the wealth in the world by a promise of eternal treasure in heaven, and to put his life at risk by following Him.
His attachment to riches was nothing unusual. Indeed, it characterizes most of those who are rich in this world, to the point that the Lord told His disciples that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven: "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God".
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle” was a popular expression to indicate something that was virtually impossible to do. The "bottom of a needle" was a low and tight door, used as an emergency when the gates of a city wall were closed. It was very difficult to pass a camel through it, but it was not altogether impossible.
The disciples soon opposed that, "in this case, who can be saved?" The rich have ample means to buy for themselves whatever they want, but if it is difficult for them to gain entry to the Kingdom of heaven, what about the others? The Lord agreed: "For a man it is impossible." In fact, no man can gain entry to the Kingdom of heaven, be it with his wealth, his goodness, his mercy, his prayers, or anything else. It is impossible to erase sin by means of works, because nobody can comply with the perfect law of God.
However, the Lord added: "With God all things are possible." He had the answer "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).
Peter, still worried about that seeming impossibility, demonstrated his concern for himself and the other disciples, who had left everything to follow the Lord Jesus, and asked, "what will become of us?" The Lord then reassured him with the promise of a high position for the apostles in His glorious Kingdom on earth, where they will judge the twelve tribes of Israel, and to all who left houses, family or lands for His name’s sake, a refund by a hundredfold and the inheritance of eternal life.
The explanation of the last phrase "But many who are first will be last, and the last first” is given in the next commentary.
R David Jones
13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"
17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."
18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " 'YOU SHALL NOT MURDER,' 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,' 'YOU SHALL NOT STEAL,' 'YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS,'
19 'HONOUR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER,' and, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.' "
20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"
26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?"
28 So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Gospel of Matthew chapter 19, verses 13 to 30