Is Infant Baptism Biblical? What Does Jesus Have to Say About Infants And Their Faith? Matthew 19:13-15
The Little Children and Jesus
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.
With all of the miracles Jesus was doing, it was natural for people to bring little children to him. It shows their love for their kids and faith in Jesus. For whatever reason, the disciples rebuked the people. Maybe they thought Jesus did not have time for little children, or that he was more interested in adults.
In Luke's version of the this story he uses the term "infants" for children. The assumption is that either parents or guardians brought these infants to Jesus. This is confirmed when the text says he "took them into his arms".
“It was a Jewish custom to bring a child to the elders on the evening of the Day of Atonement ‘to bless him and pray for him’ (Mishnah Sopherim 18:5).” (France)
We also see the practice of laying hands on someone. When the people brought the children to Jesus, they expected him to lay hands on them.
"It appears to have been customary among the Jews, when one person prayed for another who was present, to lay his hand upon the person’s head; and this imposition of hands was a ceremony used in ancient times, especially in paternal blessing: thus Jacob, when he blessed and adopted the sons of Joseph, laid his hands upon their heads." Benson
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Rather than agreeing with the disciples, Jesus invites the little children to come to him. Then he says something quite remarkable, "The kingdom of heaven belongs to them!" This would have been quite a shock to the disciples, especially if the child was an infant.
In Matthew 18, Jesus refers to the faith of children. Importantly, he says their faith qualifies them to be, "the greatest in the kingdom". Though it may be an indirect reference, I think there is an application here to the practice of infant baptism.
The point Jesus is making here is that they key to inheriting the kingdom is to come to him. It was just as available to these infants as to the disciples In John 14 he says He is the way, the truth and the life and no one can come to the Father except by him. So when we offer up an infant or child in holy baptism, we are offering them up to God in a similar way as these people did asking Jesus to bless them by laying his hands on them. The beauty of infant baptism is that the child has nothing to give to Jesus, but Jesus has everything to give to them including the kingdom.
Here are couple of commentators writing on the relationship of this passage and infant baptism.
"They are to live forever beyond the grave; and as they have just entered on a career of existence which can never terminate, it is an appropriate act to seek the blessing of that Saviour who only can make them happy forever, as they enter on their career of existence. No act, therefore, can be more proper than that by which parents, in a solemn ordinance of religion, give them up to God in baptism, consecrating them to his service, and seeking for them the blessing of the Saviour." (Barnes)
"Those who have a right to a membership in the church are to be baptized; or, Those who have a right to the kingdom of glory may be baptized. But one or both of these are affirmed in this text. We must take heed we do not found infant baptism upon the example of Christ in this text, for it is certain that he did not baptize these children; Mark only saith, he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. The argument for infant baptism from this text is founded upon his words, uttered on this occasion, not upon his practice." (Poole)
Though Jesus did not baptize them per se, when he laid hands on them and blessed them, he showed us that salvation is God's work not ours. An infant is just as ready to enter God's kingdom as an adult in Jesus' eyes, as he teaches on it today.
In infant baptism, though water is involved, the main point is the same. As the parents offer up their child to God to God at the baptismal font promising the church to raise their children to know the scriptures and provide for their instruction in the Christian faith that they may lead a godly life in Christ Jesus. Then, the pastor/priest covers pours water over them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, then lays hands on the infant's head says these words as they anoint the child, "Child of God, you are marked with the cross of Christ sealed with the Holy Spirit forever!"
Is sealed with the Holy Spirit when hands are laid on them in Jesus' name. If they have the Holy Spirit are they not saved? If not these are just vain words we say over a child. Remember the majority of the church for 2,000 years has practiced it. If the church was grossly in error don't you think God would have corrected this practice. If we refuse to acknowledge salvation for a child, or young person until they, "make a public profession of faith", are we hindering the children from coming to Jesus? Also, where in the bible does it say one has to "make a profession of faith" before they are baptized. Gentile converts were baptized when they repented of their sins and turned to Christ.
If one argues, "How can an infant be saved? They don't understand what it means to have faith in Christ?" If this is true, how does one explain Jesus statement that to these infants belong the kingdom of God? How do they inherit it without being saved? Also, if a child is not saved through being offered up to Jesus in the name of the Holy Trinity, what happens if they were to die as a young child? Would they be saved? Would they go to heaven or hell? No, faith is a gift given to us by God through Christ, none of us earned it or deserved it. One could say in an infant baptism is the gospel of being saved by grace through faith is beautifully proclaimed. The faith begins when a baby is baptized and then developed and nurtured by the church community as they learn God's Word and how Jesus saved them by grace alone.
There are other passages in Acts that also make an argument for infant baptism I.e. Lydia and Cornelius' whole households were all baptized when the head of the household came to faith in Jesus through the apostles' preaching. But this passage is so important to the discussion of infant baptism because it is Jesus' words themselves that form the basis for the argument. So you could could conclude like these people today, parents who have their child baptized are bringing them to Jesus to bless and save them. And to thse children Jesus says, "the kingdom belongs to such as these!!"
15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
"With this, Jesus blessed the children. The laying on of hands is used Biblically as a way to bestow blessing on another (Acts 6:6, Acts 8:17, Acts 9:17, 1 Timothy 5:22, 2 Timothy 1:6)." (Guzik)
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