Mark 10:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

NIV: 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.

NASB: But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, 'Allow the children to come to Me; do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

CSB: When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

NLT: When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, 'Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.

KJV: But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

NKJV: But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). The "kingdom of heaven" and the "kingdom of God" refer to the same thing: any manifestation of the glory, power, sovereignty, and authority of God over His creation. To be "poor in spirit" means to be spiritually bankrupt. To have no spiritual currency, nothing to recommend you before God.

As we become more spiritually mature and biblically knowledgeable, we tend to overestimate our standing and abilities before God. We see those who are not as far along and try to use the Bible to control them into right behavior—behavior more in line with what we think is appropriate in the kingdom of God. Too often, we build a kingdom of our own with half-understood truths and pressure others to fit our expectations, much like the Pharisees.

Soon, James and John will ask for positions of authority in Jesus' kingdom. The disciples expect Jesus to restore the kingdom of Israel with Himself at the head and themselves in appropriately grand positions. In their minds this kingdom certainly doesn't include giving deference to the powerless. Jesus compares their attitude to that of the Gentile rulers who lord over their subjects (Mark 10:42). He tells them, once again, that He is there to manifest the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of Israel. He is certainly not there to manifest the kingdom of John, or of James. In the kingdom of God, the powerless are the most welcome of all and the leaders are not gate-keepers but servants (Mark 10:43–45).

"Indignant" is from the Greek root word aganakteō, which is used for irritation or exasperation. In modern terms, it refers to someone who is "irked." Mark uses the term two other times. First, in the disciples' response to James and John's request for positions of authority in Jesus' kingdom (Mark 10:41). Second, of observers of the "waste" of the expense of the perfume Mary of Bethany used to anoint Jesus (Mark 14:4; John 12:3). Jesus gets indignant when children are kept away from Him; the disciples when someone threatens their power or even money.

This is not to say all expressions of anger or annoyance are acceptable. Many years later, Jesus' half-brother James will write, "For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:20), using the Greek term orgē.

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.