Jesus Loves Babies: Luke 18:15-17

As we have been moving through events found within Jesus’ life and ministry, we come to an event where Jesus turned the cultural norms upside down. In many ways, what Jesus chose to do in the event we are about to read might be one of the most counter-culturally bold moves Jesus ever did. However, while being counter-cultural to those living in the first century, Jesus demonstrates an amazing picture of God’s love for all humanity.

The event found in our passage can be found in three of the four gospels. However, as I shared in the introduction, we will read this event from the gospel of Luke because Luke’s gospel has a slightly different angle than Matthew and Mark record, and Luke’s angle is worth paying attention to when unpacking just how profound and counter-cultural event this was.

With that said, our passage is found in Luke’s gospel, chapter 18, and we will read it using the God’s Word translation. Starting in verse 15, Luke tells us that:

¹⁵ Some people brought infants to Jesus to have him hold them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people not to do that.

¹⁶ But Jesus called the infants to him and said, “Don’t stop the children from coming to me! Children like these are part of God’s kingdom. ¹⁷ I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn’t receive God’s kingdom as a little child receives it will never enter it.”

I will be the first to say that when thinking about this event, I initially picture young children being welcomed by Jesus. Without Luke’s gospel describing these children differently, I would imagine kids somewhere in the 5-8 year-old range.

However, when reading Luke’s gospel, we get the description that the parents bringing their children to Jesus are bringing Jesus infants to hold. The picture I see Luke describe is that a mother or father bring their baby to Jesus because they want Jesus to hold their child for a period of time.

On seeing this scene take place, the disciples start to push back because they feel these parents are out of line and the situation might be getting out of hand. What probably started with one or two mothers wanting their children to have some “Jesus time”, or simply to have Jesus touch their child, quickly escalated into what could only be considered a crowd of parents and exponentially more children. Half a dozen children who were well-behaved young men and women were one thing, but if we understand and use Luke’s gospel to help us frame this event in our minds, when more parents caught on and started bringing more children, we might now begin to see some unruly children and even infants. Bringing babies and/or infants probably was a little too far for the disciples.

In this event, Luke’s gospel shares something else that is unique from the other two. Luke says in verse 16 that “Jesus called the infants to Him”. While Mathew and Mark include Jesus’ challenge to His disciples to stop keeping the children away, I am amazed that Luke frames Jesus calling the infants specifically. It is very possible Luke simply worded Jesus’ challenge to His disciples in a different way that leaves more room for interpretation, however I wonder if Jesus actually called any infants to come by name.

Right after our first child was born, my wife, baby daughter, and I went to her first baby appointment together. Being brand new parents, we didn’t know what to expect. When the nurse came to call us back, she called out our daughter’s name. It was an initially odd experience. The nurse didn’t do anything wrong, but my wife and I as new parents weren’t expecting our daughter’s name to be the one called.

I wonder if Jesus, calling out to the infants and perhaps toddlers, called them by name as our nurse did for our baby daughter. If this was the case, to help illustrate the truth He wanted the disciples to learn, Jesus may have called several of the children by name. By doing this, Jesus elevated these children and infants as being important to Him.

We can relate to this as well. The people who we know by name are in almost every case the most significant to us. Perhaps they are significant in a bad way, like that annoying person at work, or perhaps they are significant in a good way like a close friend or relative. People who call us by name tell us that we are significant to them.

When Jesus called the infants to Him, He may have called some of them by name, but even if He didn’t, He did want to be close to them, and that was something that was incredibly counter-cultural. First century culture was very hierarchal, almost certainly more hierarchal than most places in the world today, with each person alive being categorized above someone and below another. Babies were among the lowest in society, perhaps even being only slightly ahead of animals.

Jesus upsets the cultural norm by calling children to Him to set up His big truth in verse 17: “Whoever doesn’t receive God’s kingdom as a little child receives it will never enter it.”

If Jesus didn’t challenge the cultural norms at the time by being with babies, He certainly did by setting up these infants and toddlers as an example for the adults. Culture says that children must learn from adults, but Jesus’ big truth in this event is that adults must learn from children regarding entrance into God’s kingdom.

Jesus teaches us that we are all equal: Babies receive God’s kingdom in the same way adults do, and this should be encouraging for us as adults. Not only is everyone equal in God’s eyes, but the standard to receive salvation is simple: trust in Jesus. Babies err on the side of trusting the adults in their lives until they are old enough to determine if the adult is trustworthy.

In the same way, we should always err on the side of trusting God, regardless of whether what is happening in our life makes sense. The point in time when we will have grown up enough to decide whether God was worthy of our trust happens at the point in time when we enter heaven. Judging God’s trustworthiness anytime before heaven is judging with only half the perspective necessary. Someone could ultimately reach a very biased and inaccurate picture of God by looking only from an earthly perspective.

Children trust adults because this is a part of their nature. In the same way, originally we all trusted God as a part of our nature, but then sin came and distorted this trust. Jesus came as a representative from Heaven to tell us that God really is trustworthy, that He loves us, and that He wants to live with us forever. We are all equal in God’s eyes, and Jesus came to save us all equally.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life. Choose to understand, accept, and trust that God loves you more than you can imagine, regardless of your background or your place within society. Jesus came and died to save you, me, and every person, regardless of our age or any other social distinction culture chooses to push our way.

Also, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn, grow, and discover who God is, what He is really like, and how trustworthy He is. While pastors or podcasters can share ideas to think about, always take what you read, see, and hear and test it against the truth found within the Bible.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or doubt yourself into leaving where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!