Children and Childhood
R. Collyer. Luke 9:46-48 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.… It is very good to me, in reading the Bible, to notice how much of the interest and hope of the world is made to depend upon the children that are unborn when the hope springs up. The hope of humanity rests in the children. When the Spartans replied to the king who demanded fifty of their children as hostages, "We would prefer to give you a hundred of our most distinguished men," it was only an expression of the everlasting value of the child to any commonwealth and to every age. The great hope is always in the new birth. This the deepest reason for the unspeakable loyalty and reverence for children that so constantly filled the heart and life of Christ. 1. If it be true, then, that the hope of the world lies in the cradle, in what relation do we, who are now responsible for this new life, stand to it? 2. If we are wise and faithful to our trust there is in each child the making of a man or a woman who shall be a blessing and be blessed. 3. What is it, then, to receive a child in the name of Christ? This question would need no answer had there not been so many mistakes made about this simple, natural, and beautiful truth. (1) Have faith in the Son of Man in the child. Guide and govern with best wisdom and love the life that is of the earth, earthy. (2) Guard and reverence the Son of God in the child — the life that is from above. (R. Collyer.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. WEB: There arose an argument among them about which of them was the greatest.