The Motley Crew – September 8, 2010
Matthew 19:13-16
Happy Birthday, Rachael! 9-8-98
Read Matthew 19:13-15
1. Why would the children need to come to Jesus?
2. Why would the disciples respond in the way that they did?
3. How have these Words of Jesus changed history?
4. Have you ever seen this child like faith?
5. Have you ever had it?
6. What are we doing individually and collectively to perpetuate this child like faith?
Read Matthew 19:16
7. In Matthew's Gospel, he's recently been talking about marriage … children … earthly possessions. What is the inner connection?
8. What are a few fundamental problems with this man's question?
The Motley Crew – September 8, 2010
Matthew 19:13-16
Happy Birthday, Rachael! 9-8-98
We opened with prayer.
Read Matthew 19:13-15
Matthew 19:13-15 (New International Version)
The Little Children and Jesus
13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Parallel Versions: Mark 10:13-16 & Luke 18:15-17
Because the version recorded by Mark contains additional, valuable material, it is reproduced here instead of below (as is the usual case):
Mark 10:13-16 (New International Version)
The Little Children
and Jesus
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth,* anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
* Or more literally, “Amen I say to you” ( ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ), a phrase that our Lord uses when He wishes to emphasize the importance of one of His sayings.
Luke 18:15-17 (New International Version)
The Little
Children and Jesus
15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
1. Why would the children need to come to Jesus?
They need forgiveness, they need blessings, they need Jesus. Jesus wants them as children – not just as older children or adults. It's important to note that children have a place in His kingdom, too.
And, notwithstanding the popular fiction, little children can sin, too. The age of accountability is different from the age when we can first intentionally do something that is contrary to the will of God … that is, sin.
The implication is that children, and this includes babes, are ready to come to Jesus and need only that men let them do so. And this coming has the same purpose as the coming to Jesus of any adult, namely to receive of him the Messianic salvation. Their affinity for Jesus lies in their need of him which is due to their inborn sin. Lenski, pp. 742-743.
Note that Mark's Gospel includes “And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.” This putting on of the hands, and blessing of the children, is an important point.
Put his hands on them and pray – It was customary among the Jews, when blessings were sought for others in prayer, to lay the hands on the head of the person prayed for, implying a kind of consecration to God. See Genesis 48:14; Matthew 9:18. They had also much confidence in the prayers of pious men, believing that those blessed by a saint or a prophet would be happy. See Numbers 22:6; Luke 2:28. Barnes' Notes on the Bible.
It's thought that these were not infants, but were, rather, toddlers. However, Luke's Gospel includes a Greek term that might include them, too.
Last Sunday, in his comments before the installation of Trish as our new Director of Children's Ministry (hurray, hurray!), Pastor Eddie quoted the research of someone who has looked into the issue of becoming a Christian. That individual says that the temptations faced by fifth graders exceeds that faced by their grandfathers when they were in college, and that unless a child is brought to Jesus by the fifth grade, there is little likelihood that the child will ever be blessed with a life of faith. Knowing this, he recommends that at least half of the budget for ministry should be devoted to our children.
2. Why would the disciples respond in the way that they did?
They were trying to protect Jesus from the crowds that, at times, could overwhelm Him. They were working interference. As such, the disciples rebuked them; the Greek is epetimesan, (ἐπετίμησαν, Strong's 2008) meaning “to admonish or charge sharply.”
Jesus' response was to become indignant with the disciples;
the
Greek was ἀγανακτέω
(Strong's 23).
They didn't get it. He wanted the children
to come to Him, as He has already pointed out in Matthew 18.
Matthew 18
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
In addition, this gave Jesus the opportunity to emphasize that the faith displayed by children is the same type of faith that adults need to display. Too often, we adults tend to over-analyze things, when what we really need to do is believe with child-like simplicity.
3. How have these Words of Jesus changed history?
Here Jesus appears as the great Advocate of babes by opening His mouth for the dumb, out of whose mouth, by His grace, He perfects praise. It has been well said that without these words of Jesus and the attitude here expressed toward infants the Christian Church would have been far different from what it is. Lenski, p. 742.
These Words have impacted:
Infant baptism
The spiritual connection
Faith like a child
Importantly, Jesus values people who are not otherwise deemed important in society and religion. These people are “the least of these” about whom He often speaks, as in Matthew 25:40: “... whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Especially in contrast to that society, Jesus stands up for women and children. He ate with sinners and tax collectors. Anyone who was on the edges of society's hierarchy of values was one who Christ cherished, then and now.
How interesting that children are easier to teach than His disciples.
Matthew Henry's Commentary.
It is well for us, that Christ
has more love and tenderness in him than the best of his disciples
have. And let us learn of him not to discountenance any willing,
well-meaning souls, in their seeking after Christ, though they are
but weak. Those who are given to Christ, as part of his purchase, he
will in no wise cast out.
Mark 10:15: “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
In Mark and Luke it is said he
immediately added, "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of
God as a little child shall not enter therein." Whosoever shall
not be humble, unambitious, and docile, shall not be a true follower
of Christ or a member of his kingdom. Of such as these - that is, of
persons with such tempers as these - is the church to be composed.
4. Have you ever seen this child-like faith?
Dr. Lenski quotes Pank, who wrote
“Have you never noticed this mysterious thing that, when you tell the smallest child about God, it never asks with strangeness and wonder, 'What or who is God? I have never seen Him!' – but listens with shining face to the words as though they were soft, loving sounds from the land of home? Or when you teach a child to fold its little hands in prayer, that it does this as though it were a matter of course, as though there were opening for it that world which it had been dreaming with longing and anticipation? Or tell them, these little ones, the stores of the Savior, show them the pictures with scenes and personages of the Bible – how their pure eyes shine, how their little hearts bear!” Lenski, p. 743.
It is written in Proverbs 22:6 that “6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
As noted above, a child that is not brought to Jesus will not likely come to Him later. And even if a young adult drifts away from his or her faith, if there is that early foundation, it is more likely that he or she will come back in later years.
While children are surely not pure, their faith is phenomenal.
Pastor Eddie told the story about one of the children in our congregation who announced to his mother one morning that he was not going to church: “if da-da not go to church, I not go to church.” The mother asked the boy to go tell the father, which he did. Dad got up, got dressed, and took the family to church. He's now active in our congregation.
The husband of one of our members used to go fishing every Sunday morning with his buddies. One Sunday, however, our member got up and got dressed. Her husband asked what was up? She said that she was going to a Baptist revival that was being conducted nearby. Her husband never went fishing on Sunday morning again.
Another member recounted a story that happened while she was teaching a confirmation class. A pair of twins invited six of their friends to that church. Eventually, three of the six became members … and so did their parents!
5. Have you ever had it?
Yes, but it was a long time ago for some of us.
Pastor pointed out that a part of always retains this type of faith. It's a fall-back during tough times.
One of our members told us that her parents rarely taught Bible lessons per se, but often taught life lessons. It was only later that our member found out that those lessons were based directly on the teachings from Bible.
In some families, the parents study the Bible daily, a practice that their children observe and often follow.
As we study and think and pray, the lessons of the Bible become incorporated into our inmost being.
6. What are we doing individually and collectively to perpetuate this child-like faith?
Our faith community is doing several things to reach out to children, including the Preschool, the Boys and Girls Club, and the reading program at Austinville. Our full-time Children's Ministry is also a large part of our efforts in this regard.
Teach It.
Study It.
Pray It.
Live It.
Read Matthew 19:16
Matthew 19:16 (New International Version)
The Rich Young Man
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good
thing must I do to get eternal life?"
7. In Matthew's Gospel, he's recently been talking about marriage … children … earthly possessions. What is the inner connection?
The inner connection is to put all things in life in the most important perspective of all: His Kingdom. As was written in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
This young man was looking from the perspective of good deeds, like a young Luther, although the former wasn't beating himself up about it. He knows that good deeds aren't it, and neither are riches, but he doesn't know what the answer is.
8. What are a few fundamental problems with this man's question?
He is only seeing Jesus as a teacher, and he seems himself as able to do it. But Jesus, of course, is much more than just a teacher, and it is imperative that we shed the notion that this is something that we can do. Our “Protestant Work Ethic” often hurts us in spiritual matters. We must rely on God alone, through the salvation gifted to us in the death and resurrection of Christ.
Importantly, however, the young man sees that what he has done is not enough. He is seeking the truth of salvation, recognizing that neither his good deeds, nor his wealth, are the way. Fortunately, he's come to the one person who can answer that question. As recorded in John 4:16: “Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' “
Like many in Jesus; day, this young man assumed that eternal,l life is earned by fulfilling God's Law. Elsewhere, Scripture explains that this idea is wrong (Gal. 3:1-14). Lutheran Study Bible, p. 1623.
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Verses 1-3)
Aren't you glad that you weren't a member of the church in Galatia?
We closed with prayer.
Parallel Verses:
Mark 10:17 (New International Version)
The Rich Young Man
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Luke 18:18 (New International Version)
The Rich Ruler
A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
For Additional Study
Online Resources
Book of Concord in PDF Format, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod <http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/LCMS/TrigBOC.pdf> (2MB file)
These texts are in the public domain and may be copied and distributed freely. The source of these translations is Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921).
A number of important Lutheran texts can be found in the Belief and Practice section of the website of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=112
John
S. C. Abbott and Jacob Abbott, Illustrated
New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/ain/
Albert
Barnes, Notes
on the New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/bnn/
Harold
F. Buls
http://www.pericope.org/buls-notes/index.html
and
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-bul.html
Adapted
from Exegetical
Notes, Series A, Festival Season Sundays, Gospel Texts,
by Harold H. Buls, Concordia Theological Seminary Press: Ft Wayne IN,
1980
The
Adam Clarke Commentary
http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/
Burton
Coffman, Commentary
on the Whole Bible
http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/
John Darby, Synopsis of the Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/darby/matthew1.htm
The
Greek Interlinear Bible,
http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm
Based
on NA26/27. A word-by-word translation of the Greek New Testament.
David
Guzik, Commentaries
on the Bible
http://www.studylight.org/com/guz/
The Geneva Study Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/geneva/matthew1.htm
John Gill, Exposition of the Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/gill/matthew1.htm
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mh/matthew1.htm
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mhc/matthew1.htm
Jamieson, Faussett and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/jfb/matthew1.htm
B.W. Johnson, People's New Testament
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/johnson/matthew1.htm
John Lightfoot, Bible Commentary
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/light/matthew1.htm
Martin
Luther, Commentary
on Galatians
http://www.studylight.org/com/mlg/
J.
W. McGarvey, Original
Commentary on Acts
http://www.studylight.org/com/oca/
J.
W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The
Fourfold Gospel
(also known as "Harmony Of the Four Gospels")
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/four/matthew1.htm
Alexander
Maclaren's commentaries on the books of the Bible (various titles)
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a2330
The NET Bible. <http://bible.org/netbible/> A completely new translation of the Bible with 60,932 translators’ notes. It was completed by more than 25 scholars – experts in the original biblical languages – who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Excellent notes, citing both the Greek and Hebrew, as needed. Greek and Hebrew fonts available without cost.
A.T.
Robertson, Word
Pictures of the New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/rwp/
C.
I. Scofield, The
Scofield Reference Notes
(1917 Edition)
http://www.studylight.org/com/srn/
Charles
H. Spurgeon, The
Treasury of David
http://www.studylight.org/com/tod/
R.A.
Torrey, The
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
http://www.studylight.org/com/tsk/
W.E.
Vine,
Expository
Dictionary of New Testament
Words
http://www.antioch.com.sg/bible/vines/
John
Wesley,
Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/wesley/matthew1.htm
Other
Additional
Resources:
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/SPLC/Motley%20Crew%20Research%20Resources.html
Other Resources
Barker, Kenneth L., ed., TNIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006)
Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Readers Edition. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006)
Davies, Benjamin, ed., Baker's Pocket Harmony of the Gospels (Baker Book House, 1975). Formerly printed as Harmony of the Four Gospels.
Goodrick, Edward W. and John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999). This is the second edition, originally published as the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It was originally published as The NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It should be distinguished from The NIV Complete Concordance by the same authors.
Green, Jay P., ed., The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. Vol. IV. Second Edition. (Hendrickson Publishers, 1985)
Halley, Henry H., Halley's Bible Handbook. New Revised Edition (24th Edition). (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965)
Hickie, W.J., Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977). This is a reprint of an older edition, originally published by Macmillan, August. 1893. A contemporary review described this as "A handy little volume, compiled on sound principles from trustworthy authorities." The 1911 edition is available online and for download at http://openlibrary.org/b/OL17866849M/Greek-English_lexicon_to_the_New_Testament
Hoerber, Robert G., ed., Concordia Self-Study Bible. NIV (Great Rapids, Zondervan: 1973, 1984).
Lenski, R.C.H., The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943, reprinted 1964)
The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009).
Nave, Orville J., ed., Nave's Topical Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1979)
New Bible Dictionary. Second Edition. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1962)
Nicoll, W. Robertson, The Greek Expositor's Testament. Vol. 1. Five Volumes. (New York: George H. Doran Co., ca. 1910). Excellent notes on the Greek text and summaries of commentators. Available at Google Books ( www.books.google.com ) and the Internet Archive ( www.archive.org - easier to find here than at Google Books).
NIV Archeological Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005)
Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (Text from Project Gutenberg)
Robertson, A.T., Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Holman Reference, 2000). This “Concise Edition” is derived from the six-volume work by Robertson published in 1933. Robertson was also the author of 45 books, including numerous commentaries, a Harmony of the Gospels, etc. Also available online
Rogers, Cleon L. Jr., and Cleon L. Rogers III, eds., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998). This is the second edition of the excellent work by Fritz Rienecker, A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, translated and edited by Cleon L. Rogers, Jr.
Strong, James, ed., The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990)
Vine, W.E., Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words: A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Original Greek Words with their Precise Meanings for English Readers (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, no date). Originally published circa 1940.