6. Then children were brought to him, etc., up to, And after laying hands on them, he went from there ^[109]. The story which recounts children being brought to Jesus took place at that time, with the people bringing them desiring that he lay hands on them and offer a prayer. But we must understand that there is no time when children [in terms of] the soul^[20] are not being brought to Jesus, about whom he (after receiving them from God as a deposit entrusted to his care) might say: “Behold I and the children which God gave me” ^[110]. And from these children let certain ones be named “infants,” but others be called “nurslings,” as those who are in some wise inferior to “infants,” and let our Lord prepare “praise from the mouth” of both of them, in order that, when we have perceived his great kindness towards his children, we might say, “From the mouth of infants and nurslings you prepared praise” ^[111]. We must read “children” and as those in Christ who are fleshly and “infants,” the same sort as the Corinthians whom the apostle Paul had in mind when he said, “I am not able to speak to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ” ^[112]. Such children were brought <indeed> at that time and are continually being brought to Jesus. This approach of infants is a sign that the multitude of the Church in Christ are infants and nurslings, “having need of milk, not solid food,” to whom <the speaker> (who cares for them “as a nurse cares for her own children” ^[113]) might say, “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able, <but you are still not able>” ^[114].

Then, since the evangelists who have remembered the events in this passage have recorded that (as Matthew says) Children were brought to Jesus, or (as Mark says), “they were also bringing <children to him” ^[115], or (as Luke says), “they were also bringing to him> babes” ^[116], but they have <all> at the same time omitted by whom they were brought, or the certain ones bringing [them], leaving us to inquire about what has been omitted, so as to see whether it was simply a coincidence that this has been omitted by the Three (who could have recorded, “They were brought to him by parents,” or “from mothers,” or “Their mothers were bringing babes or children”), or whether they did this knowingly with reflection and wisdom so as to represent this [reality]: that angels who approach Jesus and serve him, who observe with a more divine mind the differences of children and babes, and who know that it is necessary to bring certain ones to Jesus, and at what time, in order that, after bringing them to him, they might have hands laid on them by him. But they also know that it is not necessary for certain ones, or that it is not the right time for certain ones. For I do not think that these children are brought to Jesus apart from the angelic economy.^[21] ^According to Matthew, the intention of those who are bringing the children is so that Jesus may lay hands on them and pray ^[117], but according to Mark, “in order that he might touch them” ^[118]. According to Luke who also calls them “babes,” it is “in order that he might touch them” ^[119]. For by the prayer of Jesus, and by his touch, children and babes—who are not able to hear such things as those who are already spiritual might hear—are provided with a sufficient cure, and receive benefit from it. For the power of Jesus touches them when he simply lays the hands of his own care^[22] on them, and no longer does anything of the bad things touch them. Perhaps also (in terms of the literal reading) the intention of those bringing babes and children to him was this: they were determining, after Jesus touched babes or children and discharged [his] power to them through the touch, that it was not possible that chance, or a demon, or anything else touch what Jesus had previously touched.^[23]

7. I also think that, since there are many evil powers that occupy themselves with the human soul from the beginning, plotting against it in sundry ways, for this reason those who bring the <children or the> babes to the Savior do this because they already know of his power from former times, such that, through the application of his hands and the prayer for children and babes <and> through [his] touch he might on the one hand expel bad things, but on the other, with an enduring power being introduced, [his touch] might also suffice for things to follow, as something which is preventive of the touch of hostile [powers]. The Savior, therefore, knowing that this is not, as it were, a trifling or troublesome matter, but is salvation for those on whom he laid hands when he touched them, says to the disciples who were censuring and, through this censuring, were preventing the children <or the babes> from being brought to him, Leave the children be, and do not hinder them from coming to me ^[120].^^[24] If, then, there is a reason that the accounts indicate that “they were brought by certain ones” ^[121], or “certain ones were bringing” ^[122], it would follow from this that the disciples may be understood [as] certain special holy powers of Jesus who have been instructed by the Son of God. For [it is] reasonable that the name of the disciples of Jesus first comes upon such ones, in order that not only humans might become disciples to him, but also angels to whom he appeared, especially if someone desires to believe in him from “every name which is named not only in this present age, but also in the [age] to come” ^[123]. If, however, someone might consider [this interpretation] something forced, desiring that the name of the disciples not be assigned to any others but the humans who rebuked those who were bringing babes and children to Jesus, [then perhaps] they may be those who are more simple among those who undertake to teach the word, having a reason [logos] that is approximate to children, which is fitting as milk given as drink to those who need milk, who are bringing babes and children to Jesus. For they are not able to *** persuade *** those in this state with a more spiritual word, as the one who is able to say, “I am a debtor to Greeks and barbarians, to wise and to fools” ^[124]. Of these who are bringing such babes and children to Jesus, <that is, infants in faith and those who have been instructed who are still inferior, those> who are deemed to be more rational than <those> teachers <who are more simple> and because of this are named disciples of Jesus, before they might learn the things pertaining to <these> babes and children, they might censure those who teach something simpler and who bring children <and babes to Jesus>.

You will clearly understand this matter, when attending to this: “For consider your calling, brothers, that not many were wise according to the flesh, nor many powerful, nor many of noble birth, but God chose the foolish things of the world” and <“the weak” and “the insignificant” and> “the things that are not, so that he might abolish the things that are” ^[125]. Let someone consider, therefore, those who are among the ones who propound the ecclesiastical catechesis and teaching who bring forth “the foolish ones of the world,” and “those who are despised,” “and the insignificant,” *** and on this account are called children and “babes” [in the Gospel readings], and seeing [this] let him [not] censure (as though to one doing this in an undiscerning way) this one who brings such babes and children as these to the Savior. Indeed attend if it is not agreeable to refer the passages being examined presently to such matters, [namely], on the one hand of those who bring forward the children in order that Jesus might lay hands on them and offer prayer, and those on the other hand who censure them. Let <the> Teacher and Savior and Lord say to those who censure the children who are being brought to Jesus, Leave the children be, and do not hinder them from coming to me ^[126]. And so exhorting <his> disciples who are <already> men to condescend for the benefit of children (in such a way that they might become <as> children to children, in order that the children may profit thereby), let the Savior say, For the kingdom of the heavens is of such ones as these ^[127]. For indeed he himself “who while existing in the form of God did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped” ^[128], became a child, such that Herod tells the Magi concerning him: “Go and make a careful inquiry concerning the child” ^[129], and Matthew [relates] that “the star which they saw in the east led them, until it came and stood where the child was” ^[130], and a little later, “Coming into the house,” it says, “they saw the child with Mary his mother” ^[131]. Likewise the angel who appeared to Joseph also called <this one who is indeed> our great Savior a child, saying, “Get up and take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt” ^[132]. Again, once more after Herod died an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother” ^[133]. Indeed, therefore, Jesus humbled “himself as a child” not only in terms of the historical account but also in terms of the elevated sense, in such a manner as to say, “Learn from me, that I am meek and humble of heart” ^[134], and in the same way, “Learn from me” who became as a child, how I say *** For the kingdom of the heavens is of such ones as these ^[135], of such ones as these who are of the manner of children, concerning whom he does not permit the disciples to censure those who are bringing them [to him]. Paul, too, as one who understands for the kingdom of the heavens is of such ones as these ^[136], while able “to be a burden as” an Apostle “of Christ,” instead became an infant, and [became] similar to a nursing mother caring for her own child ^[137], even speaking words as a child for the sake of the child.

8. One must listen to these things carefully, in order that we, as though full-grown, might not, by a presumption of wisdom and of having progressed, think contemptuously of the little ones and children in the Church, but rather when we see how it is said that, for the kingdom of the heavens is of such ones as these ^[138], we might become such as these [children] in order that children may be saved through us. It is not only when we permit the children to be brought to Jesus, nor only when we do not prevent them to be brought to him, but when we ourselves <in lowliness> become children with children that we perform the intention of the Savior, so that after we have humbled ourselves, becoming such as these children who are being saved through us, we might be exalted by God. For this matter is what can be understood in the [passage], “Each one who humbles himself will be exalted” ^[139], and most certainly since it is written previously, “Whoever therefore humbles himself as this child, this one is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens” ^[140]. Let these things be of benefit to those disciples who censured those bringing children who are being brought to Jesus. ^But let the children know, even though perhaps it is possible to understand these things as not being communicated to everyone (as children), that Jesus laid hands on children, but after laying [hands] he went away from that place. And after discharging a power to the children through a touch, he went away from the children, *** who were not able *** to follow Jesus in a manner similar to the disciples.^^[25]

Since the Gospels are also “oracles of the Lord,” and “holy oracles” even “silver tried in the fire,” “proved,” dispatched “to the earth,” and “purified” with precision, even “seven times over” ^[141], there is bound to be a rational cause for why Matthew, after setting out the contents of the passage, twice mentions the intentions for which children have been brought to Jesus, but makes no more reference to the two [intentions] thereafter. For children were brought to him, not only so that Jesus might lay hands on them, but also so that he might pray.

9. It is written <after this> that, and after laying hands on them, he went from there ^[142], for it did not add, “and after praying,” (for it could have read, And after laying hands on them and praying, he went from there.) See, therefore, if it is possible to <say> that the prayer of Jesus is to be re<served> for those who are greater than children, who are able to accept both the imposition of his hands upon them and the prayer for them to the Father, but to say that the imposition of his hands suffices for smaller children. In regard to the passage that says, for the kingdom of God is of such as these ^[143], which indeed exhorts someone who is wiser not to be haughty over those little ones in the Church, nor to think contemptuously of children and infants in Christ, there is something useful to receive as well from what is said according to Luke, “Truly I say to you, he who does not receive the kingdom of God as a child” ^[144]: He who is not a child but a man who despises “the things of an infant,” but becomes “<as> a child” for children, and says to them, “I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly, as infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food” ^[145]. The complete pericope according to Luke, then, is as such: “They were bringing babes to him, in order that he might touch them,” etc., up to, “Except one receive the kingdom of God as a child, he will indeed not enter into it” ^[146]. In like manner, Mark has set forth something approximate to these readings, especially the latter [verses from Luke].