Scripture · Matthew 25:31-46
Matthew 19:14 · Jesus welcomes the children
Let the Little Children Come unto Me
But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
A little girl reaches for Christ’s hand. Around her, other children wait, watch, or hold close to an adult. Uhde places Jesus in a bright room among people dressed for his own century, making the Gospel’s welcome feel close enough to enter.
What does Let the Little Children Come unto Me show?
Christ sits at the right in a long dark robe. Tall windows light the pale walls and tiled floor; children in aprons, boots, and everyday dresses gather before Him. One small child sits near the open doorway, while others are carried or guided into the room.
When Vincent van Gogh discussed this 1884 painting in a letter to Theo, he praised its children but preferred such interiors without the added figure of Christ. He was judging a reproduction and admitted that seeing the original might change his view. His mixed response brings Uhde’s unusual choice into focus: the room could be a scene of ordinary childhood, yet the robed visitor asks it to carry the Gospel’s encounter too.
Featured in: Fritz von Uhde’s Bible Paintings: Jesus at the Peasants’ Table, and Why It Was Called Blasphemous
What does Matthew 19:14 mean?
In Matthew 19:13–15, children are brought to Jesus so that He can lay His hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuke the people bringing them. Jesus answers by telling the disciples to let the children approach, and then gives the blessing for which they came.
Verse 14 makes their welcome more than a passing kindness: Jesus connects people such as these children with the kingdom of heaven. Uhde lingers over that permission to come near, giving each small figure room within the encounter.
Jesus tells the disciples to let the children come; Uhde shows what it might feel like to be among those welcomed into His reach.
Sources
Museum der bildenden Künste reproduction — Sächsische Biografie. Museum-supplied photograph and caption identify the 1884 oil painting; the article discusses Uhde’s contemporary biblical settings.
Matthew 19 — Berean Standard Bible. The children’s approach, the disciples’ rebuke, and Jesus’ blessing.
Vincent van Gogh — Letter 510 to Theo, 28 June 1885. Van Gogh discusses Uhde’s Suffer the little children, praises its characterizations, questions the inclusion of Christ, and explicitly limits his judgment to a reproduction.
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