Luke 18:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

NIV: People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.

NASB: Now they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them.

CSB: People were bringing infants to him so that he might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

NLT: One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.

KJV: And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

NKJV: Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

Because Luke arranged much of this section by theme, rather than by time, we're not given much context. We don't know if Jesus is traveling or teaching or performing miracles. The text doesn't say if the children need healing, as in Luke 6:19, or if it's the night before the Day of Atonement when elders bless children. Apparently, none of those details are necessary for Luke's purposes.

The conflict comes when parents want Jesus' attention for their children, but the disciples won't allow it. In fact, they actively rebuke the parents for contemplating such a thing. Either they don't want Jesus to be interrupted, or they think children are beneath Him.

It's likely the latter. Luke says Jesus countermands the disciples' order (Luke 18:16). Mark says Jesus is "indignant" (Mark 10:14). Jesus believes that welcoming children into the kingdom of God is well worth whatever interruption is incurred.

Translated into English, the Greek word brephē—here translated as "infants"—can generate confusion. In Luke 18:16–17, Jesus talks about these "children"—using a different Greek word—receiving the kingdom of God, which "infants" can't do. But in 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul uses the same Greek root word to refer to Timothy when he was old enough to listen to the Scriptures. Rather than meaning a baby or an extremely young child, the Greek term is a more generic term for those who are young.

Luke 18:15–17 begins another comparison and sets up yet one more. Here, Luke compares Jesus, who welcomes children gladly, to the disciples, who want to "protect" Him from wasting His time. When paired with the next story about the rich ruler, we see how children with no worldly treasures are freer to enter God's kingdom than a powerful adult who values riches (Luke 18:18–25). Jesus also interacts with children in Matthew 19:13–15 and Mark 10:13–16.

Luke continues to arrange Jesus' teachings by their topic. Here, he includes two parables: the persistent widow and the Pharisee and the tax collector. Jesus encourages children to approach Him. He interacts with a moral, wealthy man who can't bear to follow Jesus if it means giving up wealth. After another prediction of His death, Jesus encounters and heals a blind man on His way to Jerusalem.

Luke 18 approaches the end of Jesus' "travelogue" to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51—19:27). Luke has selected miracles, teachings, and events to show how Jesus trained His disciples. His emphasis was explaining the kingdom of God in preparation for their work to build the church. Luke 18 includes several contrasts between those who understand God's kingdom and those who don't. Luke 19 includes the story of Zacchaeus and another parable before Jesus' triumphal entry and the Passion Week. These stories are also found primarily in Matthew 19—20 and Mark 10.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.