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Michael Gilliam
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The Little Children and Jesus
star it|2 comments|April 01, 2008|364 reads
 

I started reading The Ragamuffin Gospel last night.  While I have not made it very far into it, I have been hit with what probably will be the first of many challenges to my perspective on the Gospel.  This one is dealing with Jesus' rebuke of the disciples when they were turning away the little children.  For reference here is how Mark records it:

10:13 And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. 10:14 But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 10:15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 10:16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.

I have always read this as Jesus telling us to have a simple faith of a child, and I was shocked to find that the author of The Ragamuffin Gospel had a much different perspective. The author believes that the reason why Jesus said we should be like little children is not because of their innocence but because of their incompetence. We should grasp that we are incompetent, we should accept it and by holding this attitude we can get to have an even better relationship with God.

As I said, I find myself fascinated with this new way of looking at such a simple story in the Bible.  I am looking forward to see how he hopefully ties this claim together in future chapters.  Perhaps when I finish the book, I will share my thoughts.


 
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Chris McGown
 Chris McGown
April 01, 2008
Are you meaning "incompetence" as in 'simplistic' or even 'naive''?  Or the more traditional definition such as 'lacking in ability'?   If it is the later, more traditional view, I'm not sure I would agree.
 
However, I will withhold final verdict until you share how the author expands on the thought.   I don't want to take it out-of-context.

In any event, it did make me think...and you know how I hate that.   
Michael Gilliam
 Michael Gilliam
April 02, 2008

Last night I came across two things that seem to clarify it a little better.  The first was his explaination that the Greek word used for 'mere children' is napioi and really means babes.  If that is correct (and I have no reason to doubt it) I think the children in the account were really only toddlers.  The second thing was his comparison of receiving the gift of the Kingdom like a three year old getting a cookie. As he puts it:

"The child doesn't have to struggle to get himself in a good position for having a relationship with God; he doesn't have to craft ingenious ways of explaining his position to Jesus; he doesn't have to create a pretty face for himself; he doesn't have to achieve any state of spiritual feeling or intellectual understanding.  All he has to do is happily accept the cookies: the gift of the Kingdom."