Perfect Praise

But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant; 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings

thou hast brought perfect praise’?”

Matthew 21:15-16 (RSV

It is Palm Sunday, the week before Easter, when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. All his followers plus bystanders welcomed Him along the road with praises, song, and the waving of branches, just as they would do for a king entering his capital. They were anticipating the overthrow of the oppressive Roman rulers and the establishment of a King worthy of the name - Jesus.

Upon entering the temple, the leaders were indignant, not because of adults praising God but because children were Praising God in the temple! That brings a crooked smile to my face. You see, I picture children running and skipping and waving ribbons as they twirl and dance around the courtyard, the altar, and the priests. Some sit on the edge of the altar step watching, laughing and calling to their friends. Some are waving their palm branches in the face of their parents. Some are singing in a loud voice. Others form a line and dance their way through the throng in spontaneous celebration. They just can’t hold themselves back. What a joyous noise! What a disturbance! How disrespectful! How dishonouring of the solemnity of the temple!

And then Jesus answers the temple leaders by saying that the praise of children is “perfect praise”. Now that is fascinating. The word ‘perfect’ also implies ‘complete’, ‘ put in order’, ‘ordained’. Can we say the praise of children makes praise of God complete? Do we award the rightful place of praise to noisy, active, playful children?

We do not think of children running and shouting in the temple. But Jesus considered this perfect praise.