Hey everybody! Thank you for joining me in daily Bible reading as we seek to glorify Jesus, know Him more, and interpret the truth of His Word.
If this is your first time going through the Bible, I am incredibly excited to have you here. If this is your 5000th time, I am humbled that you are here and hope you grow in your relationship with Jesus along with me. May we all seek to know Him more and apply what we learn to further our mission of spreading the gospel. If you missed a day and want to catch up, visit the archives page HERE! But there is no shame if you start today! Day 127, Matthew 11:25-26 — God’s Revelation Matthew 11:25-26 (NASB1995) “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.’” Discussion Yesterday, we read Jesus’ condemnation of Capernaum for their unrepentance and unbelief. Capernaum had the privilege of hosting Jesus and witnessing the majority of His miracles, but they failed to turn from their sin and put their faith in Him. The LORD rebukes them by comparing them to Babylon and Sodom, two of the most wicked cities to ever exist. Even though Capernaum was ‘exalted’ in that they hosted Jesus, the LORD says they will descend to hell. Capernaum receiving the same sentence as Babylon and a worse one than Sodom describes the level of unrepentance and disbelief found there. Today, we read a declaration of praise by Jesus to the Father. Following His rebuke of the three unrepentant and unbelieving cities, Jesus says, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.” What a statement. But what does it mean? Why is Jesus praising the Father that numerous cities and their inhabitants are blinded to the truth of the gospel? It is important to read this passage very carefully, as ‘these things’ are hidden specifically from the proud and haughty. The gospel is not hidden from those who seek knowledge and understanding as some teach, but those who boast in their intelligence and self-righteousness for salvation. Jesus has consistently rebuked religious leaders for their pride and self-glorification. Although following the law and good works cannot save them, these religious leaders believe they can earn their way to heaven. Even worse, they are prideful about it and do everything for show and not from the ‘goodness’ of their hearts. It is in a humble and repentant posture before God that one comes to saving faith. These people are blinded because they rely on their ‘wisdom’ and ‘intelligence’ to save them instead of God. So, Jesus praises the Father for blinding them and keeping them in ignorance. He then praises the Father for revealing the truth of the gospel to ‘infants.’ Other translations say ‘little children’ which provides further context as we will see Jesus teach about wanting His followers to be like children. This revelation shows that the LORD acknowledges people who are completely reliant on Him. This is found true in Jesus’ following statement. He says, “26 Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.’” “In Jewish wisdom tradition, it was not those who were wise in their own eyes and leaned to their own understanding who were genuinely wise (Job. 12:24-25; Prov. 3:5-7; 12:15; 16:2; 21:2; 26:12), but the simple who began with the fear of God (Job. 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7; 9:10).”[1] God is pleased with those who do not boast in their ‘good’ works or intelligence but boast in His faithfulness and mercy. Those who are ‘infants’ or ‘children’ to the LORD seek Him above all things and recognize their depravity without Him. They acknowledge their sins and turn to God for forgiveness. Later in Matthew, Jesus will reveal that the LORD reveals the kingdom to those who come to Him with childlike faith. It is not the proud and arrogant who see the LORD, but the humble and repentant. God has always favored the lowly in heart over the haughty. We will continue learning about God’s revelation tomorrow. Application This passage provides a concerning concept if read without context. The LORD blinds people from knowing the truth? What? What about free will? It is clear that God is sovereign and also clear that He does not control how people believe or behave. This passage is directed toward those who were already far from the LORD in their pride and self-righteousness. They did not believe Jesus was the Messiah even after seeing all of His wondrous works, so why would they believe in Him otherwise? God sees the lowly who acknowledge their sin, turn from it, and put their faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Throughout history, pride has been many people’s greatest sin and blindspot that keeps them from the truth. Jesus just condemned those who remain unrepentant and unbelieving, so it makes sense that God would harden their hearts. It is only when we recognize our need for Christ that we will be free from the bondage of sin. May we repent of self-righteousness and boasting in our good deeds and humbly turn to Jesus. May we praise, worship, honor, and glorify Jesus every day in all that we do while continually pursuing righteousness, holiness, and forgiveness as He forgave us. Looking Ahead Thank you for joining today’s daily Bible reading! Next, we read Matthew 11:27. I hope you join me! I have made commenting available, so please feel free to discuss the reading and ask questions. If you do not want to discuss publicly, you can reach out to me privately. We are on this journey together. References [1] Craig Keener, “IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition.”
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