Matthew 19:13

‘Then were there brought to him little children, that he should lay his hands on them, and pray, and the disciples rebuked them.'

The practise of mothers taking their children from one to twelve years old to the Scribes for God's blessing at certain feasts such as the Day of Atonement was well known in Israel. There the Scribes would lay their hands on them and pray for them. Thus these women are treating Jesus as a Prophet and on a par with the Scribes.

The words used for ‘little children' can in fact signify children of various ages up to twelve. We should not therefore see these as babes in arms. It was not babes in arms that the Scribes blessed. These were thus simply children of various ages.

But the practical disciples, knowing that Jesus is tired, and not counting the blessing of little children as very important, rebuke them (their mothers) for seeking to break in on their Master for such a petty reason. Perhaps they were aware that He was on the point of departing (Matthew 19:15) or perhaps they had their minds set on larger matters, the things that awaited them in Jerusalem about which Jesus was speaking so mysteriously. Or perhaps they were repudiating the idea that ‘blessing' could just be passed on by the laying on of hands. Whichever way it was they saw the children as an intrusion. For to them more important matters were at hand. Indeed matters so important that all their ideas about marriage had just been turned upside down. And yet all these women could think of was having their children blessed and prayed for! It was just not acceptable. So they sought to turn them away.