Mark 10:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

NIV: And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

NASB: And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

CSB: After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them.

NLT: Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

KJV: And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

NKJV: And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

"Bless" is from the Greek root word eulogeo. It can mean to praise or celebrate, or to consecrate something or someone, to acknowledge that ultimately, only God can work for their benefit. It is in the latter sense that the parents offer their children to Jesus. As a spiritual teacher with a large following, He honors their children by praying over them.

In Judaism, the people are separated from a direct relationship with God, with the priests as intermediaries. The parents consider Jesus a religious leader who is closer to God than they. In the church age, those of us who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit have direct access to God. Jesus' death literally ripped the veil between the Temple proper and the Holy of Holies where God met the priests (Matthew 27:51). This access is available to our children, as well. But parents still have a mysterious place in their children's lives, and our relationship with God can reflect on our kids (1 Corinthians 7:14). God gives every parent the important and honorable duties of praying for and about our children, asking His blessings on them, and drawing them to a relationship with Him.

Jesus doesn't teach the disciples—or us—without example. He doesn't stand in the synagogue and tell people what they should do without lifting a finger to help like the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:2–4). He walks in and shows how to serve (John 13:3–15), honor His mother (John 19:26–27), and sacrifice for others (Mark 15:22–37). That is why Paul tells us to take Jesus' humility and understanding of purpose as the example for our lives (Philippians 2:4–11). Here, He takes time away from His march to Jerusalem and the cross to show love to the least of these. As parents, we must prioritize our kids like He does.

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.