Mat 19:13-30 | Family | STEP | Little children ; so small that Jesus took them up in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them. . Luke calls them infants. . Rebuked them ; the disciples thought them too young to occupy the attention of Christ, or to be benefited by being brought to him.

Matthew 19:13-30

Little children; so small that Jesus took them up in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them. Mr 10.16. Luke calls them infants. Lu 18:15.

Rebuked them; the disciples thought them too young to occupy the attention of Christ, or to be benefited by being brought to him. Suffer little children; they have great need of me; they can be benefited by me; they are not beneath my notice, and I greatly delight in doing them good.

Of such is the kingdom of heaven; see Mt 18:3, and note. Jesus Christ feels an interest in little children, and approves of their being brought to him in faith, love, and prayer. All parents should feel this, and thus bring them to the Saviour. Laid his hands on them; in token of his blessing them. Why callest thou me good? this question is asked because the young man addressed him simply as a human teacher, not as divine. Have I kept; only in outward appearance, not in heart, as the sequel showed. A man may think he has always been good, and yet be entirely mistaken and totally unfit for heaven. He may sometimes feel uneasy, and be anxious to know what he must do to be saved; yet when told, he may not be willing to do it. Be perfect; have a character that is "perfect and entire, wanting nothing." The Saviour, by this command, lays his hand immediately upon the faulty spot in his character, and points it out to him. Sorrowful; by this he showed that he was not prepared for heaven. He loved his riches more than he loved his neighbor or God. Hardly enter; it is with great difficulty that he can enter. All things; God could make even a rich man humble, believing, and obedient, though men could not do it. It is possible for a rich man to go to heaven; but he will be much less likely to go there, than if he were not rich. Those, therefore, who are making it their chief object to be rich, are taking a course which tends for ever to destroy them. In the regeneration; the reference here is not to the regeneration of the soul, for which the Greek commonly uses a different word, but to the time when God shall make all things new by bringing in the new heaven and new earth. 2Pe 3:13; Re 21:1,5.

Sit upon twelve thrones; as assessors with Christ.

Judging the twelve tribes of Israel; not authoritatively, for the final sentence belongs to Christ alone, but cooperating with him in his decisions. See note on 1Co 6:2. The world shall be acquitted or condemned according to the doctrines the appostles were inspired to preach. A hundred-fold; shall receive vastly more real good in this world than all which he renounces for the sake of Christ, and in the world to come shall receive eternal life. For all the sacrifices which persons make from love to Christ and his cause, they will be graciously and abundantly rewarded, both in this world and in the world to come. First--last; see Mt 20:16.