Jesus Calls Unto Himself A Child
by Jerry Whitlow
On numerous occasions Jesus used little children as illustrations. One such illustration is found in Matthew 18:1-6, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
As Jesus was approaching the end of His ministry in Galilee, the disciples began to discuss which of them would have the greater position in the Kingdom of Heaven. This kingdom, they believed, was to be set here on earth and these disciples would rule. Thus, they believed the Kingdom of Heaven to be a secular kingdom. Even after this illustration, the mother of James and John requests they might have a high position (Matt. 20).
To illustrate the truth Jesus was about to teach, He called a “little child” to come to Him. This child must have been old enough to walk as Jesus called and the child immediately came. However, this child was small enough for Jesus to hold in His arms according to Mark 9:36, “And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them...”. Luke 9:47 says, “And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him.” These passages suggest this was not an infant, nor one old enough to be considered at the age of responsibility.
Jesus was illustrating several different truths. By calling this child to Him, He showed how the child came without being begged or forced. It is in this same manner that a sinner must come to God. The Lord calls the sinner to repentance, but never will He force him to come to Him. It is the choice of the sinner to respond by either coming to Christ or refusing His call. At the call of the Savior, all will make a choice.
Jesus then tells His disciples, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children...”. The disciples needed to turn from their course of action. They were being filled with jealousy. This action needed to be turned from, or they would not see the Kingdom of Heaven.
A little child is also trusting, and that was missing in the lives of these disciples. A child does not think he or she is the greatest, they think YOU are the greatest. It is not about them; they simply trust those around them.
The child Jesus placed in front of them was free from worldly passions. This child would have been quick to forgive and would have possessed humility of mind. These same characteristics were needed in the lives of the disciples. Therefore, instead of saying which disciple would be holding the greatest position in the kingdom, Jesus instructed them they must become as this little child, or they would not even see the Kingdom of Heaven.
By looking carefully into this passage, I found help for my question concerning children who leave this world and step out into eternity. The following thoughts are little nuggets the Lord game me to help during this tragic time in our lives:
Verse five mentions “one such little child.” This immediately showed me Jesus cares for each child individually. The desire of Christ was for no child to be left out or to feel unloved and alone. Receiving “one such little child” is to accept and help Him. Jesus showed His care for this child individually.
Jesus then warns against leading a child in the wrong direction. He is using this child to illustrate all young believers in Christ. Never should we lead a young believer to sin against God. When one starts out in his new walk with Christ he needs instruction. However, wrong instruction will lead to disaster. A young child is trusting and expects no harm to be done to him. It is the same with a new believer. Jesus also warns against being a stumbling block in the lives of these children.
Finally, He warns against despising a little child. This is done when the child is considered unimportant and neglected; when she is pushed aside and ignored.
Children are not to have their minds corrupted and twisted by this worlds behavior. Children are special in the eyes of God, and parents have a tremendous responsibility to train them appropriately. It seems obvious the Lord cares deeply for these children and cares for each one specifically.
In the text given, Jesus is using this little child to illustrate spiritual truths. This little child is innocent, trusting, humble, and willing to accept the call of Christ. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
In verse ten of Matthew 18 the Word of God says, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” From this passage one can see how precious children are to God. Each child has a favored position before God, his or her own guardian angel. These angels have direct access to God. It is very interesting to note how the Lord makes every effort to care for each and every child. It would seem to go against the very nature of God to leave a child in the grave or send him to Hell upon his death.
Matthew 19:13-15 also speaks of children being used as an illustration for those desiring the Kingdom of Heaven, “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them and departed thence.”
By studying the previous passages, one should realize the love and compassion our Saviour has for children. If we are to come as little children, then I assume little children will be a part of God’s Kingdom. It was through this passage I came to the understanding that our little unborn child simply followed the Lord’s call to “Come.”