Luke 18:16

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. BUT JESUS CALLED THEM UNTO HIM, AND SAID. In Mark, however, we have a precious addition, "But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased" [ eeganakteese (G23)], and said unto them," SUFFER [THE] LITTLE CHILDREN [ ta (G3588) paidia (G3813)] TO COME UNTO ME, AND FORBID THEM NOT. What words are these from the lips of Christ! The price of them is above rubies. But the reason assigned, in the words that follow, crowns the statement-FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD-or, as in Matt., "OF HEAVEN....

15-17 None are too little, too young, to be brought to Christ, who knows how to show kindness to those not capable of doing service to him. It is the mind of Christ, that little children should be brought to him. The promise is to us, and to our seed; therefore He will bid them welcome to him with us. And we must receive his kingdom as children, not by purchase, and must call it our Father's gift....

See the notes at Matthew 19:13....

EXPOSITION LUKE 18:1 _The Lord speaks the two parables on prayer_—_the importunate widow, and the Pharisee and publican._ LUKE 18:1 AND HE SPAKE A PARABLE UNTO THEM TO THIS END, THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY, AND NOT TO FAINT. The formnla ἕλεγε δὲ καί, literally, "and he spake also," calls attention to the fact that the parable-teaching immediately to follow was a continuation of what had preceded. Indeed, the connection between the first of the two parables, which urges restless continued prayer, and the picture which the Lord had just drawn of men's state of utter forgetfulness of God, is obvious. "The Son of man has been rejected; he has gone from view; the masses are plunged in gross worldliness; men of God are

BUT JESUS CALLED THEM UNTO HIM,.... Not the disciples, as the Ethiopic version reads, nor the persons that brought the children, but the children themselves; for the antecedent to the relative αυτα, "them", can be no other; which shows, that these infants were not new born babes, or children at the breast, but such as were more grown up, since they were capable of being called to, and of coming to Christ: AND SAID; that is, to the disciples; so the Persic version expresses it: SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME, AND FORBID THEM NOT; Matthew 19:14 FOR OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD; or "of heaven", as the Syriac version reads, and as in Matthew 19:14 that is, the kingdom of God belongs to such, "who are as these"; or, "like to th

Luke 18:1. _And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;_ Especially, not to faint in prayer, not to become disheartened, or weary, even if their prayers should, for a long time, remain unanswered. Luke 18:2. _Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary._ He would not have interested himself in her case simply because she was a poor widow, he had no bowels of compassion for her; nor would it have concerned him at all that her adversary had wronged her. He did not trouble to discharge the duties appertaining to his office. No fear of God and no respect for public opinion, affected him at all....

CHAPTER 18 _ 1. The Unjust Judge and the Avenging of His Elect. (Luke 18:1)_ 2. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. (Luke 18:9) 3. The Little Children and the Required Lowliness. (Luke 18:15) 4. The Rich Young Ruler. (Luke 18:18) 5. Rewards Promised. (Luke 18:28) 6. The Renewed Prediction of His Suffering, Death and Resurrection. (Luke 18:31) 7. The Blind Man near Jericho Healed. ...

JESUS BLESSES THE CHILDREN (Mark 10:13 *, Matthew 19:13 *). Lk. makes the children babes....

UNWEARIED IN PRAYER (Luke 18:1-8)...

JESUS. See App-98. LITTLE CHILDREN. App-108. THE KINGDOM OF GOD. App-112 and App-114....