Tuesday Contradictions: Matthew 18:3 – Childish or Childlike?

Host Lance Smith examines Matthew 18:3 and the apparent tension with Paul's admonition to "put away childish things." The episode explains the crucial distinction between childish immaturity and childlike trust, drawing on Gospel contexts and Luke's emphasis on Jesus welcoming children. Listeners receive practical applications: grow in spiritual maturity while embracing humble dependence on God.

References to items discussed and/or used on this podcast may be found at the following:

buymeacoffee.com/lancesmith 

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Website

The Bible Difficulties and Answers Facebook Page

Email Address: [email protected] 

1. Skeptics Annotated Bible: https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/childish.html 
2. Abera Abay, “Children in the Gospel of Luke” (African Theological Journal for Church and Society, vol. 2, no. 2, 2021)
3. BibleRef, “Matthew 18:3 – Meaning and Commentary”: https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/18/Matthew-18-3.html
4. Answers in Genesis, “Act Like a Child?”: https://answersingenesis.org/contradictions-in-the-bible/act-like-a-child/
5. GotQuestions.org, “Does the Bible instruct us to have childlike faith?”: https://www.gotquestions.org/childlike-faith.html
6. The Gospel Coalition, “Childlike Faith Is Not Childish”: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/childlike-faith-is-not-childish/
7. Harvest.org (Greg Laurie), “Childlike, Not Childish”: https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/childlike-not-childish/
8. Redeeming God, “What is childlike faith? (Matthew 18:3)”: https://redeeminggod.com/childlike-faith-matthew-18-3/
9. Enduring Word Commentary (David Guzik), “Matthew 18”: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/matthew-18/
10. A.L. Allen, “For Theirs is the Kingdom: (Re)membering Young Children in the Gospel of Luke” (Doctoral Thesis, Vanderbilt University): https://digitalcommons.du.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1886&context=etd