meaning well, their conduct in this matter was highly reprehensible.
The text presents two things to our view :
I. His rebuke to them —
Some parents were bringing their children to
Christ—
[To this they had probably been induced by the discourse which had recently passed between our Lord and his Disciples. On their inquiring, Who should be the greatest in his kingdom ? lie had set a little child before them, and declared that a con- formity to it in humility constituted the most exalted character of his subjects ; and that whosoever should receive one such little child in his name, would receive him ; whilst those who should offend one, would involve themselves in the most tremen- dous guilt and misery a. Hence it would naturally be supposed that Jesus had a peculiar love for little children ; and that as he required others to receive them, he himself would certainly receive, and bless them too. Hence many believing parents sought to avail themselves of the opportunity of obtaining a blessing for their children ; and brought them to him, that he might " put his hands upon them and bless them." It was not bodily, but spiritual, health, which the parents sought for their children : and we cannot but highly applaud their zeal in such a cause.]
But the Disciples interposed to prevent it —
[They doubtless thought that they were doing right, in not suffering their Lord to be so troubled. His time, they thought, was too precious to be so occupied ; his iv ork too important to be so interrupted ; his engagements too numerous to admit of such intrusions ; his fatigues too great to be so needlessly increased. Besides, to the children, they supposed, it could be of little use : and to the parents, only a momentary gratification : and if the precedent were once admitted, it ivould be followed to an unknown extent. Hence they would not suffer their Lord to be so distracted.
But, whilst they imagined that their conduct was precisely such as it ought to be, they were really acting a very unbe- coming part. It is not every one who means well, that acts well: there is " a zeal that is not according to knowledge ;" and such was theirs on the present occasion. Their conduct was in- deed very criminal in many respects : It argued low thoughts of their Divine Master, whose condescension they limited; whilst, in truth, it is infinite. It argued an ignorance of his office,
a Matt, xviii. 1—6.