“Answering at that time Jesus said, ‘I confess You Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You hid these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to babes. Yes, Father, that this way became well-pleasing before You. All things were delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and whomever the Son desires to reveal. Come to Me all weary and loaded down, and I, yes I will give you rest. Take up My yoke upon you and learn from Me, that I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is kind and My burden is slight.’”
The conclusion to chapter 11 is perfectly formatted to fit into the larger picture of Matthew’s gospel. Matthew connects his readers with the previous context of Jesus’ condemnation of the unrepenting cities of Galilee with the words “at that time” (ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ), indicating that Jesus spoke the words contained in these verses in response to the unbelief that prevailed around Him.[1] In this way, this section serves as a tight conclusion. Yet, this is also a perfect transition piece to set the reader up for the scenes in chapter 12. The promise of rest (v. 28) will reverberate through the many Sabbath disputes that Jesus will have with the Pharisees in the verses to come.
As a conclusion, there is much work to be done. Jesus has explained His unexpected ministry to John (vv. 2-6), revealed the significance of John to the crowds (vv. 7-15) as well as the solidarity between Himself and John (vv. 16-19), only to condemn the watching crowds of hard-hearted unbelief (vv. 20-24). Thus, this conclusion ties up the discussion with three strands: (1) Jesus reveals why He (and John) were so soundly rejected. (2) Jesus reveals His unique and necessary role as the Father’s exegete. (3) Jesus calls the crowds to succeed where Israel failed and be reconciled to the Father through Him. The theme of revelation flows through these verses as Jesus exposes revelation’s source, substance, and the summons which revelation demands.
Source of Revelation: The Father’s Will (vv. 25-26)
As already stated, this scene takes place in the context of Jesus’ rebuke of the unrepentant cities. What makes these verses stand out is the obvious fact that Jesus is speaking to God rather than to the crowds. Though they can hear Him (and thus were meant to hear), Jesus is addressing His Father.
Revelation of the Father’s Will (v. 25)
“Answering at that time Jesus said, ‘I confess You Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You hid these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to babes.”
While most English versions begin Jesus’ prayer with “I thank You” (NKJV, ESV) or “I praise You” (LSB, NASB), ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι means quite literally “I confess You”. Το confess is to agree with or to admit to. To confess God is to agree with Him and to admit that He is who He says He is, has done what He claims to have done, and will do what He promises to do.[2] Therefore, while “praise” is certainly closer to the mark than “thank”, the sense is that Jesus is freely confessing His recognition and acknowledgement of the Father’s work. As the master of all creation (the Lord of heaven and earth) His plan and His deeds are impeccable. This is an important point to lead off with because Jesus has a very specific part of the Father’s plan and work in mind. Specifically, that[3] the Father hid these things from the wise and revealed them to babes.
By “these things” (ταῦτα) Jesus refers to the core of discussion throughout this chapter. That is to say, “these things” refers to the same idea as “power” did in vv. 21 & 23 (the preaching of the kingdom – from John and Jesus – teaching of the things of God, and miraculous healings). Both by and large, the people had utterly missed the significance of Jesus’ ministry. Yet, Jesus here confesses that it was the Father who hid these things from those who are wise while revealing them to babes. To whom does Jesus refer?
It is easy to suppose that by the “wise and intelligent” Jesus refers to the scribes and Pharisees who would certainly be considered biblical scholars and serious students of scripture. Yet, in the context of widespread unrepentance and unbelief (vv. 20-24), we cannot limit this reference to Israel’s leaders. Though they are certainly included, this reference seems to incorporate all who have rejected Jesus’ teaching and thus most of Israel is in view.[4] In addition to this, we must be careful by way of application to make this a swipe at all those who have benefitted from much book learning as opposed to those who remain ignorant and unschooled. The point is to distinguish between those are filled with their own sense of wisdom as opposed to those who freely admit they have none. All men have their pet wisdom which they deem as sufficient to guide them.[5] Those who rely upon their own senses of judgment and their own intellect missed the revelation of Jesus as God’s Christ, because the Father hid this from them.
Likewise, the Father revealed this same fact to babes.[6] The term νήπιος refers to the youngest of children, an infant. The significance of “these things” were understood by those who made no pretense at mighty understanding. Men like the leper, the centurion, and the friends of the paralytic to name a few. These men grasped the significance of Jesus because the Father revealed it to them. Jesus freely confesses that this is all a part of God’s plan because He, the Lord of heaven and earth, is the source of revelation. It is no coincidence that much later, when Peter makes his full confession (16:16) Jesus remarks that the Father, not flesh and blood, revealed this to him (16:17).
Affirmation of the Father’s Will (v. 26)
“Yes, Father, that this way became well-pleasing before You.”
Jesus affirms the rightness, appropriateness, and correctness of the Father’s actions. His initial “yes” (ναὶ) functions like an “amen”. If v. 25 reveals the source of revelation (i.e., the Father as He conceals things from the wise and reveals them to babes), then v. 26 reveals the purpose of revelation: to please the Father. This affirmation forms a second confession of sorts[7] as Jesus moves from the Father as revelation’s source to the Father as revelation’s purpose. This was always God’s plan, and it pleases Him.
This confession is an extremely important point to make in light of the widespread rejection of Jesus. Rather than becoming frustrated with the people, Jesus turns and confesses the wisdom of the Father’s plan of revelation and gives it His full approval. God actively concealed “these things” from those who consider themselves “wise” and mercifully revealed “these things” to those who confessed their weakness. Jesus’ ministry is going precisely according to the Father’s good plan and thus the Father is pleased.
Substance of Revelation: The Son (v. 27)
Jesus transitions from prayer to exhortation in v. 27. No longer is He praying to the Father but is now speaking to the crowds. There is a chain of logic that Jesus builds here, a three-pillared foundation that will support the summons which comes in v. 28. These three pillars consist of Jesus’ privilege, position, and purpose.
Jesus’ Privilege: The Son as the Father’s Heir
“All things were delivered to Me by My Father.”
This first pillar establishes Jesus’ unique privilege as the Father’s heir. By “all things” (πάντα) Jesus means exactly that. He addressed the Father as the “Lord of heaven and earth”, a kind of shorthand to include all the created order. The entirety of creation is given over to Jesus by the Lord of creation. Several things must be noted here. The first is Jesus’ clarity regarding His relationship with the Father. Later in the verse He will speak of Himself in the third person (the Son). That may leave open some room to doubt whether Jesus is speaking of Himself, or someone else (v. 3). Yet Jesus purposefully uses the first-person pronoun not once, but twice. There is no mistaking of whom He speaks.
Second, the language of delivering or handing over (παραδίδωμι) is often negative (Matt. 4:12; 5:25; 10:4, 17, 19, 21). Yet, the context of a father-son relationship invokes the concept of an inheritance (Lk. 10:22) as this term is also used to describe the passing down of heirlooms or precious possessions to the next generation (Lk. 1:2; Acts 6:14; 16:4; 1 Cor. 11:2, 23; 15:3; 2 Pet. 2:21; Jude 3) and of committing something/one to another’s care (Acts 14:26; 15:40; Rom. 6:17; 1 Cor. 15:24; 1 Pet. 2:23). Thus, all things, which includes “heaven and earth” at the very least, are inherited by Jesus from the Father. The aorist παρεδόθη views this event wholistically to emphasize the affair as such rather than the timing. The point is: it is so!
Finally, the inheritance language combined with the fact that Jesus claims Sonship to the Lord of heaven and earth is not only indicative of the kingdom but pulls the precise image of Daniel 7 where the Son of Man is given dominion, glory, and a kingdom by the Ancient of Days. Jesus here claims the privilege of the rightful heir of heaven and earth as the only begotten Son of God.
Jesus’ Position: The Son as the Father’s Intimate
“And no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son.”
The second pillar establishes Jesus unique and intimate relationship with the Father. The twice repeated verb “know” (ἐπιγινώσκω) speaks of a definite level of certainty (7:16, 20). Jesus begins by stating that no one truly knows Him (the Son) except the Father. By itself, this statement sends shockwaves through the reader of Matthew’s gospel. Many people have made a variety of claims about Jesus ranging from Lord (8:2) to the son of David (9:27) to teacher (8:19) to the devil’s puppet (9:34). Who’s to say what is true? The answer, only God the Father knows the Son. Thus, Jesus is most certainly God’s beloved Son who pleases Him (3:17). The Father’s estimation of Jesus is the only one that matters.
Jesus goes on to say that the opposite is also true, no one knows the Father except the Son. If the first statement was shocking, this one is even more so. Not only does Jesus state (not just simply imply) that the Father can be known but He goes further to state that only He can do so. Who can intimately and thoroughly know God but God alone? That is precisely the point. No man in history, not Adam who walked with God (Gen. 3:8) nor Moses who spoke with God face to face (Num. 12:6-8), could claim what Jesus here claims of Himself. His position is unique as the Father’s intimate.
Jesus’ Purpose: The Son as the Revealer of the Father
“And whomever the Son desires to reveal”
The third and final pillar establishes the purpose of Jesus’ unique position and privilege: Jesus is the one who reveals the Father in concert with the Father’s will. This final statement thoroughly ties up all of the loose strings of thought. (1) Just as Jesus’ claim that only the Father knows Him lays to rest all accusations against Him that fail to agree with the Father, this statement positions Jesus as the leading authority of the Father. Thus, what Jesus says about the Father is the only authority and all statements, teachings, and doctrines that contradict are, by definition, lies. Jesus can be trusted to expound upon the Father’s word because He is the one who reveals the Father. When Jesus’s exposition differs from that of the scribes and Pharisees (5:21-48), it is Jesus who must be believed.
(2) Because Jesus alone shares this intimate relationship with the Father, He is the only one who can reveal Him. No one else can do what Jesus does as evidenced by His miracles (8-9) and articulated in His teaching (7:28-29). Any attempt to contradict Jesus is an attempt to lie about God. There is an undeniable exclusivity that comes with this statement. Thus, no man comes to know the Father but through the Son. What one does with Jesus determines his relationship with the Father (10:40). All who deny Jesus confess their alienation from the Father.
(3) That Jesus is the one who reveals the Father demands that we understand Israel’s mass unbelief as purposeful rather than accidental. There are a few who have seen Jesus for who He truly is but most have certainly rejected Him. This means that either (a) Jesus is not very good at His job or (b) He is doing precisely what He was sent to do.
(4) Because (a) it pleases the Father to conceal these things from some while revealing them to others and (b) the Son reveals the Father to whom He wills (βούληται), then we must infer that (c) the will of the Son and the will of the Father are one. Their intimacy implies unity. The Father and the Son work in unison for a singular purpose.
(5) Because (a) Jesus’ will and the Father’s will are one and because (b) it pleases the Father to conceal from some while revealing to others, (c) Jesus primary purpose can be parsed down to pleasing the Father. Jesus is not preaching, teaching, and working miracles to achieve glory for Himself but is working to reveal the Father. Jesus’ nature, work, and will reflect the Father’s and thus His mission to save His people from their sins (1:21) is the Father’s mission. All of Jesus’ work reflects glory back upon the Father who sent Him, anointed Him, and will vindicate Him.
[1] The participle ἀποκριθεὶς (answering) is not translated by most English versions and may cause some confusion since no second party seems to be speaking with Jesus. Yet, this term can also be used to answer a situation or context. It is best to understand Jesus as addressing these words as a response to the unrepentant and unbelieving Galileans.
[2] Compare other uses of ἐξομολογέω – Matt. 3:6; Mk. 1:5; Lk. 22:6; Acts; 19:18; Rom. 14:11; 15:9; Phil. 2:11; James 5:16.
[3] Ὅτι marks the content of Jesus’ confession.
[4] Grant Osborne, Matthew, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2010), p. 439.
[5] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Matthew’s Gospel (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961), p. 450-1.
[6] Αὐτὰ (them) has the same antecedent as ταῦτα (these things).
[7] Ὅτι (that) introduces a second part of Jesus’ confession from v. 25.
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