Jesus became angry because the disciples were turning parents and their children away from him. The disciples have decided for themselves who is allowed into Jesus’ presence. They have not learned from Jesus’ teaching in Mark 9:36–37 where he showed them that he loves and cares for children. They were excluding people from the kingdom of God based on their own cultural preferences and decisions regarding who is worthy and who is not.
In doing this, the disciples were misrepresenting the grace of God and the character of God’s kingdom. They were limiting the grace of God to those who they deemed to be worthy. They were suggesting that children are not welcome in Jesus’ kingdom.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.