So how is one to obey this requirement? ". . . Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. . . ."
Gill, from the what it is worth department, with
my comments in blue.
"like" or "as" are used in similes to show a comparison,
not a direct similarity.
"Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God;
the Gospel, and the mysteries of it:
"as a little child;
laying aside all pride and prejudice,
attending thereunto with humility and meekness:
(
because they are saved and showing they are saved)
"he shall not enter therein;
he shall attain to no true spiritual knowledge of the Gospel;
nor should he be admitted into a Gospel church state,
and to the ordinances of it.
Mark 10:15 - Bible Verse Meaning and Commentary
Jesus said nothing about "Believe like a child." How about believe like an infant? An infant is without a doubt a little child.
Again, "as" is the comparison. "Be converted"
comes from the New Birth.
Matthew 18:3
"And said, Verily I say unto you,
Except ye be converted, and become as little children,
ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
"except ye be converted or turned; from that gross notion of a temporal kingdom, (
that they had as lost) and of enjoying great grandeur, and outward felicity in this world; and from all your vain views of honor, wealth, and riches,
"and become as little children: the Arabic renders it, "as this child"; that is,
unless ye learn (
even after saved)
to entertain an humble, and modest opinion of yourselves, are not envious at one another, and drop all contentions about primacy and pre-eminence, and all your ambitious views of one being greater than another, in a vainly expected temporal kingdom; things which are not to be found in little children,
though not free from sin in other respects,
"ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven: ye shall be so far from being one greater than another in it, that you shall not enter into it at all; meaning his visible, spiritual kingdom, which should take place, and appear after his resurrection, upon his ascension to heaven, and pouring forth of the Spirit: and it is to be observed, that the apostles carried these carnal views, contentions, and sentiments, till that time, and then were turned from them, and dropped them; for, upon the extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit, they were cleared of these worldly principles, and understood the spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom; which they then entered into, and took their place in, and filled it up with great success, without envying one another; having received the same commission from their Lord, and Master: so that these words are a sort of prophecy of what should be, as well as designed as a rebuke to them for their present ambition and contentions.
Matthew 18:3 Commentaries: and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14
"
But Jesus said, Suffer little children,
and forbid them not, to come unto me:
for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
"But Jesus said, suffer little children.... This he said to show his humility, that he was not above taking notice of any; and to teach his disciples to regard the weakest believers, and such as were but children in knowledge; and to inform them what all ought to be, who expect the kingdom of heaven; for it follows;
"and forbid them not to come unto me, now, or at any other time;
"for of such is the kingdom of heaven; that is, as the Syriac renders it, "who are as these" or as the Persic version, rather paraphrasing than translating, renders it,
"who have been humble as these little children":
"and it is as if our Lord should say, do not drive away these children from my person and presence;
they are lively emblems of the proper subjects of a Gospel church state,
It is as if Jesus is saying: "by these" (
as emblems or examples, by comparison) "I may instruct and point out to you,
what converted persons should be, who have a place in my church below, (
as saved) and expect to enter into my kingdom and glory above; that they are, or ought to be,
like such children,
harmless and inoffensive; free from rancour and malice, meek, modest, and humble; without pride, self-conceit, and ambitious views, and desires of grandeur and superiority."
"...
It is not denied that little children, whether born of believers or unbelievers, which matters not, may be chosen of God, redeemed by the blood of Christ, and have the passive work of the Spirit on their souls, and so enter into heaven;
but this is not the sense of this text.
"It was indeed a controversy among the Jews, whether the little children of the wicked of Israel, "go into the world to come":
"some affirmed, and others denied;
"but all agreed, that the little children of the wicked of the nations of the world, do not.
"They dispute about the time of entrance of a child into the world to come; some say, as soon as it is born, according to
Psalm 22:31
"others, as soon as it can speak, or count, according to
Psalm 22:30
"others as soon as it is sown, as the gloss says, as soon as the seed is received in its mother's womb, though it becomes an abortion; according to the same words, "a seed shall serve thee":
"others, as soon as he is circumcised, according to
Psalm 88:15
"others, as soon as he can say "Amen", according (z) to
Isaiah 26:2
All weak, frivolous, and impertinent."
Matthew 19:14 Commentaries: But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Luke 18:17
"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."
"Verily I say unto you,...., Christ takes an occasion from hence to teach his disciples humility, and guard them against pride and vanity:
"whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God; the King Messiah, the doctrines of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it, even the whole Gospel dispensation;
"as a little child; without prejudice, pride, ambition, and vanity, with meekness, and humility:
"shall in no wise enter therein;
a very unfit and improper person to be a professor (
ONLY) of the Gospel;
"or to be admitted to Gospel ordinances:
(
they haven't "brought forth fruit" indicating they were saved)
"or be a member of a Gospel church;
(
only believers, with believer's baptism
to make up a regenerated church membership)
"or be reckoned a subject of the Messiah's kingdom,
(
having not shown they had been born into the Family of God,
by the New Birth, Spiritually)
"which is of a spiritual nature;
"and as he has not a meetness (
fitness) for,
and a right unto the kingdom of glory,
he (
the lost) shall never see it, and enjoy it."
Luke 18:17 Commentaries: "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."