Monday, November 22, 2021
“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Luke 10:21 KJV).
Yea, the “wise and prudent” still lack insight into the things of Father God—and the “babes” are still able to perceive them.
Matthew 11:25,26 (Luke’s companion passage): “[25] At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. [26] Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.” Here (see context, verses 12-24), and in today’s Scripture (see context, verses 10-20), Jesus responds to unbelief and opposition to the truth. His three-year-long earthly ministry halfway over, He denounces three particular faithless cities wherein He did most of His mighty works (Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum). They cannot see the truth because they do not want to see it!
Now, Matthew 15:12-14: “[12] Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? [13] But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. [14] Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” These “blind leaders of the blind” are Israel’s tradition-worshipping religious leaders, whose unbelieving “scholarship” has influenced the whole nation to be apostate (fallen from the truth). Such people saw no need for Jesus, for they were “skilled” in all religious matters. How dare He come and teach them what their Hebrew Bible said (what they had been expected to believe but had not)!
The Holy Spirit remarks concerning such souls: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,…” (Romans 1:21,22). Unfortunately, many such “fools” have been leading our churches and seminaries for two millennia, transmitting their natural-man thinking to us as ancient Israel’s leaders did to her….
333 Words of Grace 