Changes

:[http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/job/31-18.htm Job 31:18]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/8-2.htm Psalm 8:2]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/139-16.htm Psalm 139:16]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/isaiah/49-1.htm Isaiah 49:1]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/jeremiah/1-5.htm Jeremiah 1:5]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/21-16.htm Matthew 21:16]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/1-41.htm Luke 1:41]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/18-15.htm Luke 18:15]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/2-39.htm Acts 2:39]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/17-27.htm Acts 17:27]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/2_peter/3-9.htm 2 Peter 3:9]; ''compare'' [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/58-3.htm Psalm 58:3]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/ezekiel/18-4.htm Ezekiel 18:4]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/romans/9-13.htm Romans 9:13].

:[http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/job/31-18.htm Job 31:18]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/8-2.htm Psalm 8:2]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/139-16.htm Psalm 139:16]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/isaiah/49-1.htm Isaiah 49:1]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/jeremiah/1-5.htm Jeremiah 1:5]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/21-16.htm Matthew 21:16]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/1-41.htm Luke 1:41]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/18-15.htm Luke 18:15]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/2-39.htm Acts 2:39]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/17-27.htm Acts 17:27]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/2_peter/3-9.htm 2 Peter 3:9]; ''compare'' [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/58-3.htm Psalm 58:3]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/ezekiel/18-4.htm Ezekiel 18:4]; [http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/romans/9-13.htm Romans 9:13].

Apologists for the doctrine of infant baptism point to the next verse 39: "For the promise is to you '''''and to your children'''''..."; and they point to the fact that here in Luke 18:15 "They were also '''''bringing their babies''''' to him", and that Jesus himself, seeing his own disciples rebuking them for doing so, commanded them, "'''''Allow''''' the little children to come to me, and do not hinder them" Luke 18:16—"And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them" Mark 10:16—"And he laid his hands on them" Matthew 19:15.

Apologists for the doctrine of infant baptism point to the next verse, Acts 2:39: "For the promise is to you '''''and to your children'''''..."; and they point to the fact that here in Luke 18:15 "They were also '''''bringing their babies''''' to him", and that Jesus himself, seeing his own disciples rebuking them for doing so, commanded them, "'''''Allow''''' the little children to come to me, and do not hinder them" Luke 18:16—"And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them" Mark 10:16—"And he laid his hands on them" Matthew 19:15.

In response, Christian Evangelicals and Fundamentalists argue that Jesus did not command the "bringing" of infants by others, but that he said, "'''Allow the little children to come to me, and do not hinder them'''"—the words "allow to come" and "do not hinder them" indicating to them that these little children are capable of walking, and therefore of an age to reason, understand, repent, and "be baptized", by their own choice, not the choice of their parents on their behalf bringing them to him before they reach an age to have any rational understanding of the meaning of being sorry for their own sins. This [[Eisegesis|eisegetical interpretation]] utterly contradicts, or at the very least totally ignores, the Bible's word '''βρέφη''' ''brephe'', which clearly means, "an unborn or a newborn child, infant, babe, child in arms", children not yet able to walk. Such an interpretation is a clear example of [[confirmation bias]]. From the context, Jesus' word, "allow the little children to come to me", means, "allow the little babies to be brought to me—don't exclude them!"

In response, Christian Evangelicals and Fundamentalists argue that Jesus did not command the "bringing" of infants by others, but that he said, "'''Allow the little children to come to me, and do not hinder them'''"—the words "allow to come" and "do not hinder them" indicating to them that these little children are capable of walking, and therefore of an age to reason, understand, repent, and "be baptized", by their own choice, not the choice of their parents on their behalf bringing them to him before they reach an age to have any rational understanding of the meaning of being sorry for their own sins. This [[Eisegesis|eisegetical interpretation]] utterly contradicts, or at the very least totally ignores, the Bible's word '''βρέφη''' ''brephe'', which clearly means, "an unborn or a newborn child, infant, babe, child in arms", children not yet able to walk. Such an interpretation is a clear example of [[confirmation bias]]. From the context, Jesus' word, "allow the little children to come to me", means, "allow the little babies to be brought to me—don't exclude them!"