Teaching of Jesus about little children

New Testament

The King James Version of Matthew's gospel (chapter 18) relates that: ⁷Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!⁸Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. ⁹And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. ¹⁰Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. | }}

The word translated as converted in the King James Version (, straphēte) literally means 'turn'. It is translated as "turn" in the English and American Standard Versions and as "change" in the New International Version. Elsewhere in the New Testament, the change of heart demanded by John the Baptist and by Jesus often uses the word metanoia (). German theologian Heinrich Meyer suggests that Jesus' challenge to his disciples is to "turn round upon [the] road, and to acquire a moral disposition similar to the nature of little children".

The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to little children at other places in the New Testament:

Gospel of Thomas

Another saying referring to small children can be found in the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas. The two passages (Matthew 18:1-6 and the passage in Thomas) are different in tone. However, both start by comparing those who enter the Kingdom of Heaven to children, and then make references to eyes, hands, and feet. In Matthew, Jesus suggests that these offending parts should be "cut off," whereas the passage in Thomas takes a different tone in describing spiritual cleansing and renewal:

From the Gospel of Thomas:

Commentary

Cornelius a Lapide makes the following note in his Great Commentary:

Friedrich Justus Knecht comments on the phrase “Suffer little children to come unto Me:”

References

Citations

Sources

References

1. {{bibleverse. Matthew. 18:3. KJV KJV
2. {{bibleref2. Matthew. 3:1. WHNU WHNU
3. Heinrich Meyer, [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/meyer/matthew/18.htm NT Commentary] on Matthew 18, accessed 31 January 2017
4. [http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html The Gospel of Thomas], translated by Stephen Patterson and [[Marvin Meyer]]: selection from Robert J. Miller, ed., ''The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version'', Polebridge Press, 1992, 1994, accessed 6 February 2017
5. Cornelius Cornelii a Lapide; Thomas Wimberly Mossman [https://www.ecatholic2000.com/lapide/untitled-170.shtml ''The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide''], London: J. Hodges, 1889-1896.