Luke 9:47

47 Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a little child and had the child stand beside him.

Luke 9:47 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 9:47

And Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart
Not by any words he had heard; for the dispute was on the road, as they came along behind him; but as the omniscient God, who is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, he was privy to all their ambition, and the vanity of their minds, and to all their reasonings and debates: though he was before them, and out of the reach of hearing of them: and when he came to Capernaum, after having asked them what they disputed about by the way;

he took a child and set him by him.
The Ethiopic version reads, "before them", the disciples; and Matthew and Mark say, "he set him in the midst of them"; all which were true, Jesus sitting in the midst of them; so, that the child he set by him, was in the middle of them and before them; (See Gill on Matthew 18:2).

Luke 9:47 In-Context

45 But they didn't understand what this meant. That was because it was hidden from them. And they were afraid to ask Jesus about it.

46 The disciples began to argue about which one of them would be the most important person.

47 Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a little child and had the child stand beside him.

48 Then he spoke to them. "Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me," he said. "And anyone who welcomes me welcomes the One who sent me. The least important person among all of you is the most important."

49 "Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."