Matthew 19

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:13-15

The little children. I. THEY WERE BROUGHT TO CHRIST . 1 . The reason . It seems to have been customary to bring young children into the synagogues to be blessed by the elders. The Lord was regarded with reverence as a great Rabbi now in Peraea, as he once bad been in Galilee. Wives and mothers were naturally drawn to him by the high view of marriage which he taught. The frequency of divorce destroyed the sanctity of the marriage bond, degraded woman, interfered grievously... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:13-15

Christ blessing little children. This incident, familiar to us from our childhood, not only throws light on the character of our Lord and his interest in child life. It reveals something in all who took part in it. I. THE MOTHERS . The word "then," with which the paragraph opens, is deeply significant, because it closely connects this paragraph with that which precedes. Jesus had been vindicating the sanctity of marriage. The degenerate Jews bad come to regard the subject too much,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:13-15

The children, of the kingdom. Here we have the kingdom of heaven, its children, and its King. I. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN . 1 . This is a name for the invisible Church of God . 2 . This is also a name for the collective Christian Church . II. THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM . 1 . These are the disciples who are childlike . 2 . These are also little children proper . III. THE KING OF SAINTS . 1 . Jesus is present to welcome the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:14

Suffer [ the ] little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me . He speaks as though the infants were ready and eager to come to him, if they were not prevented. He thus intimates the truth that, though incompetent to undo, stand God's blessing, children were not incompetent to receive it. There was no natural impediment to bar the way. Unconscious intents, under the Mosaic dispensation, were admitted to the privileges of the Jewish Church by the rite of circumcision; in Christ's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:15

He laid his hands on them. He was not influenced by the captious objections of the disciples. St. Mark tells us that "he took them up in his arms, put his bands upon them, and blessed them." Thus far he complied with the wishes of the parents who brought the babes to him. But we do not read that he prayed, as they had asked. Doubtless there was meaning in this omission. In conferring blessing he was acting in his Divine nature, and had no need of prayer. Sometimes, indeed, he prayed for the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16

And, behold. The exclamation, as usual, denotes the suddenness and unexpected nature of the occurrence. It took place probably on the next day after the blessing of the children. One came ( εἶς προσελθω ì ν ). This is more emphatic than the enclitic τις , and we learn from St. Luke that he was "a ruler," i . e . of the synagogue, and he must have been of noted piety and worth to have arrived at this dignity while still a youth (verse 22). St. Mark gives more... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16

The ruler's mistakes. The assumption that this ruler was a youth has no, foundation. The man could not have been a ruler if he had been a youth. He must have been in what we should call the prime of life; but he evidently retained something of the impetuousness of youth. His mistakes suggest the impulsive temperament, that readily yields to emotion, and is wont to act before it thinks. Our Lord skilfully dealt with individuals. "He needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16-22

Answer to the inquiry of the rich young ruler concerning eternal life . ( Mark 10:17-22 ; Luke 18:18-23 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16-22

The great refusal. The young man who won the love of Christ by his ardour and enthusiasm, and who grieved our Lord by his refusal to make an unexpected sacrifice, stands before us in vivid portraiture—an example, and yet a warning. Let us consider the successive traits of his character revealed by his conduct. I. HIS WISE QUESTION . It is much for a man to have a definite object before him; it is more for him to choose a worthy pursuit. Of all personal things the young ruler chose... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16-22

The perfection of goodness. To attain to this should be the aim of every rational being. In quest of it we should be willing to do anything and to sacrifice anything. "Who will show us any good?" I. CHRIST IS THE IMPERSONATION OF PERFECT GOODNESS . 1 . The ruler, in a sense, discerned this . 2 . But he discerned it falsely . II. THE LAW OF GOD IS THE RULE OF GOODNESS . 1 . This is expressed in the instruction of Christ . 2 .... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:13-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:13-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:13-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16-22

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16-22

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 19:16-22

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