Mark 10:16

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) And he took them up in his arms.—Better, folded them in His arms, leaving the question whether they were lifted from the ground open. The word is used by St. Mark only. The actual “blessing,” though implied in St. Matthew, is also definitely mentioned by him only.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:13-16 Some parents or nurses brought little children to Christ, that he should touch them, in token of his blessing them. It does not appear that they needed bodily cures, nor were they capable of being taught: but those who had the care of them believed that Christ's blessing would do their souls good; therefore they brought them to him. Jesus ordered that they should be brought to him, and that nothing should be said or done to hinder it. Children should be directed to the Saviour as soon as they are able to understand his words. Also, we must receive the kingdom of God as little children; we must stand affected to Christ and his grace, as little children to their parents, nurses, and teachers.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Took them up in his arms - These were small children.

Blessed them - Prayed for them, sought a blessing on them, or gave them the assurance of his favor as the Messiah. How happy would it be if all parents thus felt it to be their privilege to present their children to Christ! The question with a parent should be, not whether he ought to present them by prayer, but whether he "may" do it. And so, too, the question respecting infant baptism is not so much whether a parent ought to devote his children to God in this ordinance, as whether he may do it. It is an inestimable privilege to do it; it is not a matter of mere stern and iron-handed duty; and a parent with right feelings will come to God with his children "in every way," and seek his blessing on them in the beginning of their journey of life. Our children are given to us but for a little time. They are in a world of danger, sin, and woe. They are exposed to temptation on every hand,

If God be not their friend, they "have" no friend that can aid them in the day of adversity, or keep them from the snares of the destroyer. If he is their friend they have nothing to fear. The "proper expression, then, of parental feeling," is to come and offer them early to God. A parent should ask only the "privilege" of doing it. He should seek God's favor as the best inheritance of his children; and if a parent may devote his offspring to God - if he may daily seek his blessing on them by prayer - it is all that he should ask. With proper feelings he will rush to the throne of grace, and daily seek the protection and guidance of God for his children amid the temptations and snares of an ungodly world, and implore Him to be their guide when the parent shall be laid in the silent grave. So children who have been devoted to God - who have been the daily objects of a father's prayers and a mother's - tears who have been again and again presented to Jesus in infancy and childhood - are under the most sacred obligations to live to God. They should never forget that a parent sought the favor of God as the chief blessing; and having been offered to "Jesus" by prayer and baptism in their first days on earth, they should make it their great aim to be prepared to meet "him" when he shall come in the clouds of heaven.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mr 10:13-16. Little Children Brought to Christ. ( = Mt 19:13-15; Lu 18:15-17).

See on [1472]Lu 18:15-17.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 10:13"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he took them up in his arms,.... "Upon his arms", the Syriac version says; "he put them into his bosom", according to the Ethiopic; and the Persic renders it, "he took them into his bosom": all which expresses great tenderness towards them, and affection for them:

put his hands upon them, and blessed them. The Ethiopic version transposes these clauses, and puts blessing first, contrary to the natural order of the words, and things; for he first put his hands on the children, according to the custom of the Jews, and then prayed over them, and wished all happiness and prosperity to them; See Gill on Matthew 19:15.

Geneva Study Bible

And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 10:16. ἐναγκαλισάμενος, as in Mark 9:36. Jesus took each child in His arms, one by one, and blessed it: κατευλόγει, imperfect. The process would last a while, but Jesus would not soon weary in such work. The compound verb κατευλόγει ([93] [94] [95] [96], etc.), here only, has intensive force like καταφιλέω in Matthew 26:49 (vide notes there and Maclear in C. G. T.).

[93] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[94] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[95] Codex Ephraemi

[96] Codex Regius--eighth century, represents an ancient text, and is often in agreement with א and B.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. took them up in his arms] He ever giveth more than men ask or think. He had been asked only to touch the children. He takes them into His arms, lays His Hands upon them, and blesses them. Twice we read of our Lord taking into His arms, and both times they were children whom He embraced, and both times the scenes are recorded only by St Mark (Mark 9:36, Mark 10:16).

blessed them] Rather, He blesses them, according to some MSS. The present tense is in keeping with the graphic style of the Evangelist.

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 10:16. Καὶ, and) He did more than He was asked, Mark 10:13. [εὐλόγει αὐτὰ, He blessed them) By that very act conferring on them the blessings, which He afforded to adults by the mediation of the word.—V. g.]

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - And he took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon them. This is considered the true order of the words, according to the best authorities. The word rendered "taking in the arms" (ἐναγκαλισάμενος) has already occurred in this Gospel at Mark 9:36 (where see the note). The description here is very graphic. Our Savior would first embrace the little child,. He folding it in his arms; then he would lay his right hand upon the child's head, and bless it. Mark 10:16

Vincent's Word Studies

Took them in his arms

See on Mark 9:36.

Put his hands upon them and blessed them

The best texts read κατευλόγει τιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας ἐπ' αὐτά, blessed them, laying his hands upon them; including the laying on of hands in the blessing. The compound rendered blessed occurs only here in the New Testament. It is stronger than the simple form, and expresses the earnestness of Christ's interest. Alford renders fervently blessed.