What does Mark 10:15 mean?

[Douglas Hendrickson]

When I said "this", what I meant is the kingdom of God.

"As we know it" negates any understanding of the definitions of awe and wonder, for wrapped up in the very definition of awe and wonder is the idea that this goes beyond any experience of earth that we have had.

The verse suggest to me that Jesus was inviting us to recall something that is already in our experience. We all were a little child at one time. We can all recall what that was like. The verse suggests to me that we remember what that was like.

And yes, when I said "this" what I meant is the Kingdom of God. If that was not clear in the original context, I hope that it is clear enough now.

So would it be the case that LITTLE children are in the kingdom of God, and we adults are not? If Jesus had meant that, I think it would have been more clearly seen.

There would then still be the problem we have to "realize" the kingdom.
What concrete steps would that take, as opposed to prescriptions that we have wonder and awe without any real idea of how that would come about?
Are we somehow supposed to "remember" that?

"Be like Jesus," would seem to be the answer which has been much tried (supposedly) ; just what of "like Jesus" would be most critical and first steps?
Surely not anything that has been done so far, or is commonly done? By anyone?

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

if I had to pick one I would say that chiefly the bible preserves the more fundamental spiritual meaning as more meaningful and so it would be talking about a spiritual condition first and only literal children secondly but such children could posses those mentioned spiritual qualities.



the KJV seems more confusing to me but I would need a greek expert to tell me which is better.

I am not certain about the YLT (youngs literal translation) because I don't know ancient greek but it is one of my favorite translations because I like literal translations. it seems there are several different words for child. in the KJV 1 john 2:1 they translated teknion as "little children" as did YLT.

G5040 τεκνίον teknion (tek-nee'-on) n.
1. an infant
2. (plural figuratively) darlings (Christian converts)
[diminutive of G5043]
KJV: little children
Root(s): G5043


1 John 2:1 (KJV)
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

1 John 2:1 (YLT)
My little children, these things I write to you, that ye may not sin: and if any one may sin, an advocate we have with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one,


then in the KJV in mark 10:15 they translated paidion as "little child" as well but YLT just translated it as "child"

G3813 παιδίον paidion (pai-dee'-on) n.
1. a young child (of either sex)
2. (properly) an infant
3. (by extension) a half-grown boy or girl
4. (figuratively) an immature Christian
[neuter diminutive of G3816]
KJV: (little, young) child, damsel
Root(s): G3816


Mark 10:15 (KJV)
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Mark 10:15 (YLT)
verily I say to you, whoever may not receive the reign of God, as a child--he may not enter into it;'

Your definitions of the Greek for Mark 10:15 would seem to pretty definitely indicate "young child"; is there any good reason to try to maintain the "child" of YLT - is that not misleading?

Seems to me it makes a great deal of difference if Jesus is speaking of any child, and not only the very youngest.

 

[Noxot]

Your definitions of the Greek for Mark 10:15 would seem to pretty definitely indicate "young child"; is there any good reason to try to maintain the "child" of YLT - is that not misleading?

Seems to me it makes a great deal of difference if Jesus is speaking of any child, and not only the very youngest.

probably the very youngest are the greatest

 

[JIMINZ]

Mat. 19:14
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Mar. 10:15
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

CHILD -CHILDREN
G3813
παιδίον
paidion
pahee-dee'-on
A childling (of either sex), that is, (properly) an infant, or (by extension) a half grown boy or girl; figuratively an immature Christian: - (little, young) child, damsel.

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

probably the very youngest are the greatest

The very next post says it includes the meaning, "figuratively an immature Christian." Hardly a great one, it would seem.

Got anything to support your supposition?
Not intuitively correct, it seems.

 

[Noxot]

The very next post says it includes the meaning, "figuratively an immature Christian." Hardly a great one, it would seem.

Got anything to support your supposition?
Not intuitively correct, it seems.

yes I had a night vision of God and saw her as a young girl.

in the bible there is usually more than one way to understand something in it for the wisdom of God is deep.

 

[SolomonVII]

So would it be the case that LITTLE children are in the kingdom of God, and we adults are not?

Probably not.
If adults are not going to be saved, abortion would almost be the most moral choice that could be done.
Pretty sure that Jesus was not saying that.

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

Mat. 19:14
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Mar. 10:15
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

CHILD -CHILDREN
G3813
παιδίον
paidion
pahee-dee'-on
A childling (of either sex), that is, (properly) an infant, or (by extension) a half grown boy or girl; figuratively an immature Christian: - (little, young) child, damsel.

Do we receive "half" of the kingdom of God when we receive the kingdom of the earth?

And what would the "other half" be?

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

Is the kingdom of God heaven, the kingdom heaven?

THY KINGDOM COME
Thy kingdom, come. (Or "coming," like we say in English.)

So, is the Kingdom of God "being saved"? (Like "Solomon" suggests.)

On the, "if not being saved means abortion would have been just as good or better," [not exact quote], the moral choice would be abortion, perhaps that is true half the time?

Is it an average if we consider half of all saved?

 

[SolomonVII]

Is the kingdom of God heaven, the kingdom heaven?

THY KINGDOM COME
Thy kingdom, come.

Why are you asking?
Don't you know already?

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

Why are you asking?
Don't you know already?

Some hereabouts are talking as though children are in it. And perhaps only children.
Might be nice, as we go along, to sum up, "what everybody knows."
To begin to know, WHAT DO WE KNOW, and if anybody disagrees, why?

Some seem to think being saved is to be in heaven, if the Kingdom of God is such.
Seems to me we must first know if it is anything presently existing we are talking about. Is that ruled out for sure? Or what?

What do you know, I mean what do you think. I want to know what people think, not assume I know "the everything of everything" already.

 

[SolomonVII]

Some hereabouts are talking as though children are in it. And perhaps only children.

I never heard anyone talking about, or even just implying, that only children are in it. I think that you must be imagining people are saying that. I don't know why you would have pulled that conclusion out of what anyone has been saying.

Might be nice, as we go along, to sum up, "what everybody knows."
To begin to know, WHAT DO WE KNOW, and if anybody disagrees, why?

Some seem to think being saved is to be in heaven, if the Kingdom of God is such.
Seems to me we must first know if it is anything presently existing we are talking about. Is that ruled out for sure? Or what?

What do you know, I mean what do you think. I want to know what people think, not assume I know "the everything of everything" already.

There are two connotations to the Kingdom of God, nay at least three. One has to do with Heaven where God's throne is, and one the Kingdom of God here on earth when Jesus will come again to rule. There is also a third connotation as per Luke 17, where the Kingdom of God is 'within you'. This is close to the concept of Jesus explaining that his kingdom is not of this world in John, and that therefore he was in no way a leader of a insurrection against Caesar, as later Jewish leaders would strive to be. His Kingdom is not based on minting coins and displacing the image of the Emperor with his own, but on redeeming the hearts and minds of a people living in the slavery and misery of a sinful and ignorant existence.

It is a complex term, and includes the philosophical and emotional mindset available to us right now starting with the conversion process; it includes the Kingdom of God in Heaven and the afterlife and therefore something that can be only contemplated through the eyes of faith until the next life; and it includes the establishment of the Kingdom on earth when Jesus returns sometime in the future.
Ultimately it is a mystery. Hence the centrality of faith to Christianity.

Some people will express more of one of the facets of heaven in their understanding more than another, but as long as none of the aforementioned Biblical aspects of what Heaven means are never outright denied, differences may be assumed to be as a result of points of view, rather than over essential Biblical truths.
Free and open discussion works better when we stop trying to find doctrinal fault in what anyone is saying, and join along in exploring all possible connotations of what Jesus may have meant when he talked about "being like a child".

 

[Fireinfolding]

Becoming as children could be shown here

1 Cr 14:20
Brethren, be not children in understanding:
howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

Becoming as children could be shown here

1 Cr 14:20
Brethren, be not children in understanding:
howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Adult understanding.

OF LOVE AND LOVING.

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

There are two connotations to the Kingdom of God, nay at least three. One has to do with Heaven where God's throne is, and one the Kingdom of God here on earth when Jesus will come again to rule. There is also a third connotation as per Luke 17, where the Kingdom of God is 'within you'. This is close to the concept of Jesus explaining that his kingdom is not of this world in John, and that therefore he was in no way a leader of a insurrection against Caesar, as later Jewish leaders would strive to be. His Kingdom is not based on minting coins and displacing the image of the Emperor with his own, but on redeeming the hearts and minds of a people living in the slavery and misery of a sinful and ignorant existence.

It is a complex term, and includes the philosophical and emotional mindset available to us right now starting with the conversion process; it includes the Kingdom of God in Heaven and the afterlife and therefore something that can be only contemplated through the eyes of faith until the next life; and it includes the establishment of the Kingdom on earth when Jesus returns sometime in the future.
Ultimately it is a mystery. Hence the centrality of faith to Christianity.


Some people will express more of one of the facets of heaven in their understanding more than another, but as long as none of the aforementioned Biblical aspects of what Heaven means are never outright denied, differences may be assumed to be as a result of points of view, rather than over essential Biblical truths.
Free and open discussion works better when we stop trying to find doctrinal fault in what anyone is saying, and join along in exploring all possible connotations of what Jesus may have meant when he talked about "being like a child".

So good so accurate!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEACHING.

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

Noxot said: ↑
probably the very youngest are the greatest

yes I had a night vision of God and saw her as a young girl.

Bull.

If you mean to say you saw God.

 

[Douglas Hendrickson]

I never heard anyone talking about, or even just implying, that only children are in it. I think that you must be imagining people are saying that. I don't know why you would have pulled that conclusion out of what anyone has been saying.



There are two connotations to the Kingdom of God, nay at least three. One has to do with Heaven where God's throne is, and one the Kingdom of God here on earth when Jesus will come again to rule. There is also a third connotation as per Luke 17, where the Kingdom of God is 'within you'. This is close to the concept of Jesus explaining that his kingdom is not of this world in John, and that therefore he was in no way a leader of a insurrection against Caesar, as later Jewish leaders would strive to be. His Kingdom is not based on minting coins and displacing the image of the Emperor with his own, but on redeeming the hearts and minds of a people living in the slavery and misery of a sinful and ignorant existence.

It is a complex term, and includes the philosophical and emotional mindset available to us right now starting with the conversion process; it includes the Kingdom of God in Heaven and the afterlife and therefore something that can be only contemplated through the eyes of faith until the next life; and it includes the establishment of the Kingdom on earth when Jesus returns sometime in the future.
Ultimately it is a mystery. Hence the centrality of faith to Christianity.

Some people will express more of one of the facets of heaven in their understanding more than another, but as long as none of the aforementioned Biblical aspects of what Heaven means are never outright denied, differences may be assumed to be as a result of points of view, rather than over essential Biblical truths.
Free and open discussion works better when we stop trying to find doctrinal fault in what anyone is saying, and join along in exploring all possible connotations of what Jesus may have meant when he talked about "being like a child".

Here you seem to be saying the kingdom of God is NOT of this world, except for the return of Christ times? Which I thought was a good response.

Yet, have you not indicated you think Mark 10:15 is about receiving the kingdom of God when a child? See post #27, ff.

 

[Ron Gurley]

A little child in His Father's arms can do none else but have simple TRUST + LOVE + BELIEVE/Have FAITH.