25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25–30 (ESV)
Matthew 11 concludes with a prayer by Jesus. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:5-15. We now can observe how, and for what, did Jesus pray?
First, He addressed the Lord of heaven as Father. God’s transcendence and immanence are both in view. Second, Jesus acknowledged God the Father revealed Himself to those who are His elect.
Thirdly, Jesus affirmed that God the Father is sovereign overall. God’s sovereignty involves the following areas.
To begin with, God the Father has handed over all things over to Jesus Christ, God the Son. God the Father has handed over (παραδίδωμι; paradidomi), imparted and entrusted all things. This entails the sovereign salvation for those who Christ will die and provide a substitutionary atonement. This includes justification, adoption, redemption and reconciliation (Rom. 3:21-26).
“This is a powerful affirmation of the sovereignty of God over all the affairs of men; and in the verse that follows, Christ claimed that the task of executing the divine will had been committed to him—a claim that would be utterly blasphemous if Jesus were anything less than sovereign God himself,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.
Jesus continued this thought when He then prayed that no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. This also is an affirmation of the divine sovereignty of God in the salvation of sinners.
“God reveals and conceals according to His good pleasure. God is Creator and Lord of heaven and earth. We do not have the standing to criticize the almighty God,” explains commentator Daniel Doriani.
“We must not imagine that God looks at billions of innocent and hopeful humans and chooses to reveal His truth and redeem some and to conceal His truth from perfectly fine people, so that they ultimately taste His curse. God surveys a race of sinners. God relates to a world of sinners to whom He owes nothing except His judgment. It is no marvel that Jesus hides His truth from some. The marvel is that He reveals it so clearly to win so many.”
As a believer in Christ, rejoice in God’s sovereign salvation of your soul. As an unbeliever, pray that God would enable you to repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ as the Savior and Lord of your soul. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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