Mark 10:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

NIV: Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

NASB: Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.'

CSB: Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

NLT: I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.'

KJV: Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

NKJV: Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

This verse can be easily misinterpreted. It does not mean that children are absolutely and perfectly sinless, as any parent can attest. It does not mean that children have special knowledge that earns them the right to receive God's blessings. It means that those most eligible to experience God's glory and sovereignty in their lives are the people who have no presumption that they legally or spiritually deserve it.

In Mark 9:37, Jesus says that His followers will accept children in His name, and in so doing, accept Him. In Mark 10:14, Jesus says that the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children. Here, Jesus commends those who receive the kingdom of God like children. When presented with a great gift they do not deserve, children will generally accept it gratefully and unselfconsciously. They have no thought of earning it or even feeling guilty about receiving it. They just want to enjoy it.

In our hyper-competitive world, characterized in equal amounts by pride and shame, we can quickly get to a place where we believe we must work to earn God's favor. We feel pressured to be successful in the world, with a steady income and an influential job, and successful in the church, able to serve, provide wisdom, and at least present the facade of a good family and righteous life. It's exhausting. And it's not what Jesus plans for us.

Our obedience to His will is to come out of a place of love for Him (1 John 5:3). That's all (John 14:15). And even so, He knows that we will not always obey. Our status in His kingdom is not dependent on how much we do. It's on how we love Him and how we know we can come to Him as the still-flawed children of God, with humility, boldness, and relief that He knows us and loves us anyway. It is then that the Holy Spirit can do the work in us that brings us a bit closer to holy (Philippians 2:13).

Mark 10:13–16 continues Mark's depiction of what Christ-followers look like by showing Jesus' attitude toward children. While in Capernaum, Jesus taught the disciples that in the kingdom of God, the powerless, like children, are most welcome (Mark 9:36–37). The kingdom is open to those who come humbly with no illusions that they belong there. Here, Jesus says that leaders in His ministry must not only accept the powerless, they must recognize that they are powerless, as well. This story is also recorded in Matthew 19:13–15 and Luke 18:15–17.

In this passage, Jesus again confronts the Pharisees by clarifying God's views on marriage and divorce. He reminds the disciples not to dismiss the spiritual perspective of children. This chapter also records Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler, who becomes an object lesson in why wealth makes it hard for people to rely on God. After this, Jesus deftly sets aside an arrogant request from James and John, and again predicts His impending death. Just prior to the triumphal entry of chapter 11, Jesus is sought out by Bartimaeus, whom He heals of blindness.

In between chapters 9 and 10, Jesus resumes His public teaching as He travels to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (Luke 9:57—18:14; John 7—10). We meet Him here across the Jordan in Perea and follow as He makes His way west again to Jericho. This chapter surrounds a third prophecy of Jesus' death (Mark 10:32–34) with lessons on His value for those others often dismiss: women (Mark 10:1–12), the powerless (Mark 10:13–16), those who value God more than the world (Mark 10:17–31), servant-hearted leaders (Mark 10:35–45), and those with bold faith (Mark 10:46–52). Next is the triumphal entry and the beginning of Passion Week.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.