Mark 9:37

37 "Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me. Whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

Mark 9:37 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 9:37

Whosoever shall receive one of such children
That is, any believer, who is like to such a child for humility, meekness, and lowliness of mind; and so the Syriac version renders it, (aylj) (anh Kya) , "one like to this child": and so the Arabic and Persic versions; for it cannot be thought that Christ's meaning is, that whoever takes up any little child, embraces, and takes notice of it, as he did, does what is after related; but that whoever shows respect, and performs the least office of love and kindness to the meanest believer, comparable to a little child, for the above excellent qualities, and he does this, says Christ,

in my name;
on account that he belongs to Christ, is one of his, bears his image, partakes of his grace, is loved by him, and shall be glorified with, him: such is Christ's great regard to his humble followers, that he takes it all one as if done to himself:

he receiveth me;
this humble believer, being a member of his, and like unto him, and respected by him;

and whosoever shall receive me;
Christ, in any of his members:

receiveth not me;
that is, not him only; for he does receive him, otherwise there would be a contradiction in the words; but his meaning is, that he does not hereby receive him, by receiving one of his, nor him so much, as his Father:

but him that sent me;
for as showing respect to one of Christ's members, is showing respect to him; so showing respect to Christ, is showing respect to his Father, from whence he came, by whom he was sent, in whose name he acted, and whose work and service he was concerned in.

Mark 9:37 In-Context

35 He sat down and called the twelve apostles. He told them, "Whoever wants to be the most important person must take the last place and be a servant to everyone else."

36 Then he took a little child and had him stand among them. He put his arms around the child and said to them,

37 "Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me. Whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

38 John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone forcing demons out of a person by using the power and authority of your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us."

39 Jesus said, "Don't stop him! No one who works a miracle in my name can turn around and speak evil of me.