Another incident occurred that provided another opportunity for Jesus to emphasize the importance of childlike characteristics in His disciples (cf. ch 18).
19:13 It was customary for people to bring their children to rabbis for blessings.729The Old Testament reflects this practice (Gen. 48:14; Num. 27:18; cf. Acts 6:6; 13:3). The disciples rebuked those who brought the children to Jesus for doing so (Mark 10:13; Luke 18:15). The evangelists did not reveal why the disciples did this. However the fact that they did it revealed their need for Jesus' exhortation that followed. They were not behaving with humility as Jesus had previously taught them to do (ch. 18). Moreover Jesus' teaching about the sanctity of marriage (vv. 4-6) did not affect how they viewed children. The Jews cherished their children but viewed them as needing to learn, to be respectful, and to listen.
19:14-15 Jesus welcomed the children. This attitude is harmonious with His attitude toward all the humble, dependent, needy, trusting, and vulnerable people who came to Him. Furthermore children coming to Him symbolized people with the characteristics of children coming to Him. Jesus did not want to discourage anyone like them from coming to Him. He did not say the kingdom belonged to children but to people who are similar to children. Children provided anexcellent object lesson that Jesus used to illustrate the qualities necessary for entering and serving in the kingdom.
The difference between this lesson and the one in chapter 18 is that there the focus was on the childlike quality of humility that is so important in a disciple. Here Jesus broadened the lesson to include other childlike characteristics all of which are important.
