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.1 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.”
Section Overview
Until this point, Matthew 11 has been largely negative. It has narrated the imprisonment of John and his doubts (vv. 1–6). It has praised John but has admitted that Israel generally rejected him and Jesus (vv. 7–19). Jesus therefore reproached deaf cities and warned of impending judgment (vv. 20–24). But verses 25–30 shift tone, indirectly declaring, by answering John, that Jesus is indeed the “one who is to come” (v. 3).
Jesus explains Israel’s disappointing response through the mystery of election. The Father acts according to his good pleasure, hiding himself from the learned and revealing himself to children. The Son has the same prerogatives (vv. 25–27). That said, Jesus offers himself to Israel and all Matthew’s readers in a signal gospel invitation. He invites, “Come to me,” for rest and gentle instruction (vv. 28–30).
Section Outline
V.B. Jesus Rebukes and Invites His Generation (11:20–30) . . .
2. Jesus Describes the Revelation of the Father (11:25–27)
3. Jesus Invites All to Come to Him for Rest (11:28–30)
Matthew 11:25–30 comprises three segments. First, Jesus thanks the Father for revealing himself to children but hiding himself from the wise (vv. 25–26). Second, he declares that no one knows the Son but the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son (v. 27). Third, he invites everyone to come to him for rest and instruction (vv. 28–30).
Matthew 11:25–27 is a hinge passage. It praises the Father for concealing and revealing himself (vv. 25–26), a concealing that partially elucidates the resistance to Jesus’ mission (10:16–39) and the disinterest of Israel (11:16–20). This concealing also explains why Jesus baffles people—“no one knows the Son except the Father” (v. 27). Yet, the passage states, God also reveals himself, and this leads to his call to discipleship. Jesus has summoned Twelve to himself; now he says, “Come to me, all who labor” (vv. 28–30).
Response
Matthew 11:25–30 is profoundly instructive. First, it instructs believers to thank God for all he does, even his sovereign decision to reveal himself to some and not to others. God said, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Rom. 9:15; cf. Ex. 33:19). Jesus thanks the Father for this truth, and every follower should likewise praise God for his grace and must refuse to chafe at his sovereign decrees. Second, we ought to notice that Israel’s unbelief (Matt. 11:16–24) neither discourages nor silences Jesus. He continues his work, soon making his most sweeping offer, “Come to me.” He trusts the Father to open many “ears to hear.” Third, verses 25–27 teach disciples to be patient with everyone, including ourselves, when doubts or uncertainty arise. Like comprehends like; no one knows the Son but the Father. Fourth, Jesus encourages followers to heed all his teaching, because it fits mankind, whom God created in his image. We work best when we work his way.
Finally, verses 25–27 urge faith in Jesus, the Son of God and instructor of man. Skeptics call these verses a Johannine thunderbolt or meteor, for they are a solitary block of teaching that sounds more like the Gospel of John than the Synoptics. For stylistic and theological reasons, skeptics say they are spurious. They doubt that Jesus could possess self-consciousness of unity with the Father. They deny that he could know himself to be God. This logic would cast doubt on the authenticity of the whole of John. Indeed, many critical scholars deny the historical value of John.
But evidence that Jesus knows himself to be God abounds even in the Synoptics. He accepts worship (Luke 17:16) and permits his disciples to call him the “Son of God” (Matt. 14:33; 16:16). He forgives sins (9:2) and heals diseases (20:30–34) on his own authority. Just before this passage, Jesus had declared that a person’s eternal destiny depends on his or her response to him (10:32–33) and had insisted that his disciples must love him more than family, more than life itself (10:37–39). Moments later, Jesus will declare that he is greater than the temple and is the definitive interpreter of the Law (12:1–8//Mark 2:23–28). These points merely sample the Christology pervading the Synoptics.184 Logically, the critic either rejects all four Gospels or concedes that Matthew 11:25–27 is authentic. More importantly, every listener should hear Jesus’ claims, accept his offers, and follow him.