The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 107

infants, that he would touoh them. Our blessings then, they are so now. It is Lord's not:cing children is ~evoral times noticeable that these children were not alluded to in the Gospels. There was some- brought to the Lord to be taught but "that thing eddently in his look and manner he should put his hands upon 'them, u.nd which singularly attracted little ones to bless them" (Mark x. 16). him. SS. Matthew a.nd Mark both recount Ver. 17.-Whosoever shall not reoeive the this blessing of the children immediately kingdom of God as a. little ohild shall in no after the teaching on divorce. Our Lord wise enter therein. Jesus here reminds thus sanctifies the bond of marriage and its !llen that if t~ey hope ~. enter the kingdom, legitimate offspring. It was a silent but it must be m the spmt of children who powerful reply to the mistaken inference never think of putting forward u.ny 'claim which his disciples had drawn from his of merit or paying any price for kindness words. Tiley had said, "It is not good to showed them. His late paru.ble of the marry" (Matt. xi.x. 10). But when his Pharisee and publican was evidently in the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. Some- Master's mind when he ea.id this. thing of what the Master had said concern- Ver. 18.-And a certain ruler asked him ing the marriage state affected the disciples. ae.ying, Good Me.star, what shall I do t~ He.d he not just (see Matt. xix. 10-12) been inherit eteme.l life 1 This incident is related claiming high honour for the solitary life in the three synoptical Gospels. St. Matthew where there were no family ties to claim speaks of him as the young me.n. St. Luke attention 7 Surely, then, these women and here styles him a rnler; by some the title their children had better stand aloof: what is supposed simply to denote that he was had that grave and earnest Teacher of theirs the ruler of a. synagogue or congregation: to do with these 7 He had higher and more others, however, consider that it denotes that important matters on his mind I the subject of the narrative was a ruler of Ver.16.-But 1esus ce.Iled them unto him, the Jews, a.nd possibly, but this is of course and said, Suffer little children to come unto doubtful, a member of the Sanhedrin. His me, e.nd forbid them not : for of BUoh is the youth (Matt. xix. 20) is not at variance kingdom of God. St. Mark, who gives us with this inference. Youth is defined by here the memories of a. faithful eye-witness Philo as including the period between -St. Peter-records how much displee.sed twenty-one e.nd twenty-eight. All the Jesus was when he se.w them pushing back three evangelists mention his great wealth. the mothers and their little ones, eager to Dean Plumptre suggests the.t his large pos- win a smile or perhaps a touch from him sessions and evident devotion had probably whom the people justly regarded e.s the opened to him, at e. comparatively early age, children's Friend. It seems also to have a. place in the great council. His question been the practice for Jewish mothers to concerning eternal life indicates that he was bring their babes to fa.moue rabbis, and to a Pharisee, a.nd he evidently represented the ask these teachers to bless their Ii ttle ones. noblest phase of this religious pu.rty. He Christ's "interest in the little children was had sedulously followed out the precepts of real, and fur their own sakes. It was the best rabbinic schools of his day, but primary; not merely secondary, and because there wa.s something lacking, he felt, e.nd of the childlikeness of his BUhjects. lf they his intercourse with J esue and the influence who are like little children be'long to the of the Master's words led him to tu.ke this kingdom nf heaven, why ~hould we for a question point-blank to the fa.moue Teacher, moment doubt that the little children them- who he felt-a.lone of any master whom he sel'Du be'long to the kingdom f Doubtless ha.d met-was a.hie to satisfy this longing they all do, And if that change which men desire of his heart. call death happen to them while they are Ver. 19.-And Jesus said unto him, Why still little children, we may rest assured callest thou me good 1 none is good, save that it will be to the little ones life ever- one, that is, God. The title " good" wu.s a uuting. They will not be shut out from singular one for the young ruler to have the higher province of the kingdom of used. It was never used to the most fa.D'!aua heaven when they are snatched a.way from rabbis by their pupils. It implied an in- the lower" (Dr. Morrison). St. Mark's ac- tense revernnce, but nothing more. The count, being that of an eye-witness, is fuller yonng man distinctly did not then believe and ruore graphic. It is ree.d in the Office the Master was Divine, else he ha.d never of the Church of England for the Baptism made the great refusal recorded direoUy of Infants, wherein young children are in afterwards, "To be a good man is im- like manner presented to Chri..st. It is con- possible. , . , God alone could have this sidered that the Master's words and act here honour" (Plato, 'Phmd.,' 27). " You are justify the Churcn in commending infants, looking at me," so.id the Master," as a mrm : as such, to the blessing of their Father. why give me this strange, lofty title? You Surely if little ones were capable of spiritual a.re looking on. me only as o.n earthly cm. xvm. 1-13.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 111