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Jesus said unless you become like little children
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Posted by: robertcyders
Why did Jesus say unless you become like little children, you can never enter the kingdom of heaven? Please read the following passages of scripture and then post your thoughts.
Matthew 18
1AT THAT time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven?
2And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,
3And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like
little children [trusting, humble, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of
heaven [at all].
4Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly,
loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake
and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me.
6But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and [1] acknowledge and
cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct
or thought], it would be better ([2] more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for
him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of
the sea.
Footnotes
1.Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
2.G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
Mark 10:13-16
13And they kept bringing young children to Him that He might touch them, and the
disciples were reproving them [for it].
14But when Jesus saw [it], He was indignant and [7] pained and said to them, Allow the
children to come to Me--do not forbid or prevent or hinder them--for to such belongs
the kingdom of God.
15Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive and accept and welcome the kingdom of
God like a little child [does] positively shall not enter it at all.
16And He took them [the children up [8] one by one] in His arms and [[9] fervently
invoked a] blessing, placing His hands upon them.
Footnotes
7.A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures.
8.W. Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Greek New Testament.
9.Henry Alford, The Greek New Testament.
Luke 18:15-17
15Now they were also bringing [even] babies to Him that He might touch them, and
when the disciples noticed it, they reproved them.
16But Jesus called them [[12] the parents] to Him, saying, Allow the little children to
come to Me, and do not hinder them, for to such [as these] belongs the kingdom of
God.
17Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of
God like a little child [does] shall not in any way enter it [at all].
Footnotes
12.Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Holy Bible.
All Quotes from the Amplified Version of the Bible.
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