8. JESUS AND CHILDREN (Mark 10:13-16)
Background: In Jesus’ time circumcision of boys or in other words the taking of boys as members among God’s people took place as early as the 8th day after birth. The situation of children in society was not otherwise particularly good. The Greek word used here ”pais” indicates children of all ages, also babies.
1. When you look at your siblings and friends, is it easy or difficult for you to believe that such as they own the Kingdom of God? Why is it / why is it not?
2. List different reasons why the mothers in our text brought their children to Jesus - even babies, who did not yet understand anything about his teachings?
Why weren’t most mothers then and are not now interested in bringing their children to Jesus?
3. Why didn’t the disciples rejoice that children were brought to Jesus?
Jesus is nowhere else said to have been annoyed. What was it that in this situation made him irritated?
4. In our situation the bringing of children to Jesus means bringing them in contact with the Bible. Why don’t even Christian parents always take care that their children hear the Word of God at home and in Sunday school, on camps or in other similar places?
5. Why is a child allowed to the Kingdom of God before adults?
6. In what way does a child receive a present? What about an adult?
How does a child receive God’s greatest gifts: friendship with Jesus and forgiveness of sins? What about an adult?
7. The children whom Jesus blessed became adults after a few decades. Some of them led normal everyday lives, others got into serious difficulties, some were happy, others unhappy. Do you think that the blessing of Jesus had some permanent effect on them? If it had, what was it like?
What might this blessing have meant to the mothers when their children met with trials later in their lives?
GLAD TIDINGS: Later the mothers in our text perhaps thought as follows: ”Jesus will never forget my child, over whom he once said the Lord’s Blessing”. You have a right to believe in the same way for your part when you have received the blessing of Jesus from your parents, godparents or your Bible study group leader, and this will carry you over your most difficult days, too.
We say together the Lord’s Blessing.
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