Mark 10
Jesus Blessing the Children in Biblical Art
Jesus blessing the children gives artists a scene of welcome, touch, discipleship, and the kingdom received like a child.
Bible and Art Context
In Mark 10 the disciples rebuke those bringing children, but Jesus receives them and blesses them. Cranach crowds the scene with parents, children, and disciples so the welcome becomes unmistakable.
Public domain
Christ Blessing the Children
Lucas Cranach the Elder, circa 1538, Oil on panel
Cranach makes the blessing crowded and domestic, showing the kingdom welcomed among ordinary families.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
CC0
Christ Blessing the Children
Lucas Cranach the Younger and Workshop, ca. 1545-1550, Oil on beech
The workshop version repeats the emphasis on Christ personally receiving children rather than keeping them at the edge of the scene.
Source: The Met Open AccessQuestions about Jesus Blessing the Children in Art
Where does Jesus bless the children in the Bible?
Jesus blesses the children in Mark 10, Matthew 19, and Luke 18.
Why are children central in this artwork?
The children make visible Jesus' teaching that the kingdom of God must be received with childlike dependence.