The Praise of the Father

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1 Corinthians, Christianity, Gospel of John, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Jesus, John, Luke, Mark, Matthew, religion, spirituality, synoptic gospels, tvaraj

Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time. The reading is from Gospel of Matthew 11:25-27.

The Praise of the Father – Matthew 11:25-27

At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father.

No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

The above passage is a Q saying, identical with Luke 10:21–22 except for minor variations.

The Praise of the Father – Luke 10:21–22

At that very moment he rejoiced [in] the holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father.

No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

The passage “Praise of the Father” in both Matthew and Luke introduce a joyous note into the respective sections of the gospels, so dominated by the theme of unbelief.

While the wise and the learned, the scribes and Pharisees, have rejected Jesus’ preaching and the significance of his mighty deeds, the childlike mass have accepted them. Acceptance depends upon the Father’s revelation, but this is granted to those who are open to receive it and refused to the arrogant.

Jesus can speak of all mysteries because he is the Son and there is perfect reciprocity of knowledge between him and the Father; what has been handed over to him is revealed only to those whom he wishes.

Jesus says “revealed them to the childlike” in

At that very moment he rejoiced [in] the holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. (Luke 10:21)

This is a restatement of the theme announced in

He answered, “Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that ‘they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.’ (Luke 8:10)

the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed to the disciples.

Here is Paul’s words to the Corinthians:

“Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–29)

Jesus says,

“All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27)

Here are verses in John similar to the above verse

“The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.” (John 3:35)

“Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.” (John 6:46)

So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.” (John 7:28)

I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15)