Matthew 11:25-26 - Hidden in Plain Sight

What does Jesus mean when He thanks God for hiding the truth from some?

Matthew 11:25-26 (NIV)

20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

Canons of Dordt

Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election

Articles 1-14

Article 15 - Reprobation

Holy Scripture most especially highlights this eternal and undeserved grace of our election and brings it out more clearly for us,
1. in that it further bears witness that
  1. not all people have been chosen
  2. but that some have not been chosen or have been passed by in God’s eternal election—
2. those, that is, concerning whom God, on the basis of his entirely free, most just, irreproachable, and unchangeable good pleasure, made the following decree:
  1. to leave them in the common misery into which, by their own fault, they have plunged themselves;
  2. not to grant them saving faith and the grace of conversion;
  3. but finally to condemn and eternally punish those who have been left in their own ways and under God’s just judgment, not only for their unbelief but also for all their other sins, in order to display his justice.
And this is the decree of reprobation,
1. which does not at all make God the author of sin (a blasphemous thought!)
2. but rather its fearful, irreproachable, just judge and avenger.

Summary

All three of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke, which give a synopsis of Jesus' life, as compared to John's gospel, which reports fewer of the details, but gives more theological insight as to who Jesus is) have a pivot point right near the middle where Jesus' tactics change significantly. Whereas in the first half of His ministry, Jesus heals lots of sick and performs many miracles, He drastically reduces His supernatural activity in the second half. Our passage today gives some insight as to why it is that Jesus made this change.

We opened today's passage with Jesus doing something unexpected - He began to denounce / openly criticize (NET) the towns in which most of His miracles had been performed. Since so many people understand Jesus to be infinitely accepting and tolerant, the fact that He might have harsh words for anybody - let alone entire towns - likely comes as a surprise.

Notice what it was that raised His ire. It wasn't the fact that they weren't thankful for or impressed with the miracles He had performed that made Him upset, but rather that even after having witnessed them they did not repent (remember, the word repent means to change your thinking).

Jesus goes on to make it clear why His miracles didn't achieve His desired outcome: these people considered themselves to be wise and learned, and therefore they had no desire to change how they thought. But the children among them - not just those who were young, but those who realized their spiritual ignorance and desired to truly know God - they received the good news that God had revealed to them.

Dig Deeper

The words Jesus uses as He prays to His Father sting. Jesus acknowledges that the primary reason the people who witnessed His miracles weren't convinced of their need to repent is that His Father had hidden these things from the wise and learned. Jesus doesn't seem upset by this. He even praises His Father for doing so.

The only explanation Jesus gives for the Father's actions only seems to increase the mystery: God hid these things (the truth as to who Jesus is and how to achieve salvation in His name) because this is what the Father was pleased to do. But why would God be pleased to do such a thing like hide the good news of the gospel?

Jesus doesn't answer that question for us, but He does make it clear that God hid this truth in plain sight. After all, Jesus plainly announced to all that the Kingdom of God had come near and that people needed to repent (Matt. 4:17). But the reason that this precious truth remained hidden is because those who were content with their worldly wisdom and learning had no desire to look for anything different.

This week we'll be wrestling with one of scripture's most difficult doctrines: reprobation, which bears witness that not all people have been chosen but that some have not been chosen or have been passed by in God’s eternal election. But as we begin, remember the context Jesus places this teaching in: the fault lies with those who miss what's been hidden in plain sight, not with our Father.

AAA Prayer (About)

ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father: Lord of heaven and earth;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the spiritual curiosity of a little child, that you would not miss the gospel which our Father has revealed.
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: