Sermon Tone Analysis

*MATTHEW 11:25-30*

 

The thematic connection between 11.25-30 and 11.2-24 is clear enough.

11.2-19 culminated in a parable about the rejection of John and Jesus, and 11.20-24 declared judgement against Galilean cities for their failure to repent.

11.25-30 continues the theme of response.

Its three stanzas, however, go beyond the refrain of failure.

Rejection is not the whole story!

If “/this generation/” [11:16] did not follow after John and Jesus, and if Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum did not acknowledge Jesus’ miracles, there are still the “/babes/” [11:25] who perceive what is happening.

* What we have in Matthew 11:25-30 is a presentation of Jesus in Mosaic colours; and it is the similarities as well as the differences between the Messiah and the law-giver which clarify our evangelist’s authorial intent.

The early career of Jesus reveals an inner coherence between three things that can be set out from Jesus’ Jewish context:

#.

Jesus undertook a symbolic action through which he intended to evoke, and to enact, the long-promised return of Yahweh to Zion.

[see, for example, Isa.4:2-6; Isa.24:23; Isa.25:9-10; Isa.35:3-6; Isa.40:3-5, 9-11; Eze.43:1-7].

#.

In doing so, he saw himself in the role of the strange quasi-messianic figure who would share the very throne of Israel’s one true God, and who would attain to that exaltation through suffering and vindication on behalf of Israel, fulfilling her destiny to be the light of the world.

#.

Consonant with that vocation, he evoked, in his ministry of kingdom announcement, of welcome, warning and challenge, three of the central symbols by which Israel had learned to think and speak of her God, particularly by his presence and his actions in her midst: temple, torah, and wisdom.

[Wright, J&VoG, 648].

Structure:

#.

Thanksgiving [25-26]

#.

Christological declaration [27]

#.

Invitation [28-30]

 

Matthew identifies Jesus with wisdom: “/the Son of man came…but wisdom is justified of her children/” [11:19].

The same equation is implicitly present in this passage

 

#.

*THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD *

The passage begins with prayer and thanksgiving: “/I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth/…” [11:25].

§  It is a prayer of thanksgiving for all that the section contains [11:25-30].

*1.       **The Sovereign God   *

*a.       **The Governing Thought  *

The prayer of Jesus: “/I thank thee, O Father/…” [11:25].

* ἐξομολογοῦμαί - “/thank/” [11:25], from /ek/, ‘out’, and /homologéō/, ‘to assent’; ‘to confess, admit, profess or express agreement with’; in this context, ‘to praise’;

* The “thanksgiving” governs the whole passage from v.25 to v.30: thanks for the ‘giving and hiding of revelation’, for the gnosis given to the Son, and for the possibility of rest.

*i.        **Fatherhood *

Jesus gives thanks for the Fatherhood of God: “/O Father, Lord of heaven and earth/…” [11:25].

* πάτερ - “/Father/” [11:25], ‘male parent’; ‘ancestor’;

* God is the Father of Israel: “/Israel is my son, even my first-born/” [Exo.4:22];

“/when Israel was a child I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt/” [Hos.11:1].

*ii.

**Sovereignty *

Jesus gives thanks for the sovereignty of God: “/Lord of heaven and earth/…” [11:25].

* κύριε - “/Lord/” [11:25], ‘master, owner’;

* τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς - “/heaven and earth/” [11:25], ‘the visible and invisible creation’;

* This phrase recalls God’s acts of creation: “/in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth/…” [Gen.1:1].

*Application *

 

*2.

**The Sovereign Action of God *

*a.       **The Subject *

The subject referred to: “/these things/…” [11:25].

§  tau~/ta - “/these things/” [11:25], ‘near demonstrative pronoun’;

§  what are these things?

In Matthew one thinks of the erga of Jesus [11:2, 19], especially his miracles [11:20-21; cf.11:5-6].

§  The deeds and words of Jesus in his Galilean ministry that disclose the presence of the kingdom: “/Go and tell John again those things which ye do see and hear/…” [11:4ff]; “/we have piped to you and you have not danced/…” [11:17].

*b.       **The Encrypting  *

*i.        **The Religious Leaders *

The reference to the scribes and Pharisees: “/wise and the prudent/…” [11:25].

§  sofw~/n - “/wise/” [11:25], generally of ‘acquired intelligence characterised by the ability to use knowledge for correct behaviour’.

§  sunetw~/n - “/prudent/” [11:25], ‘having understanding and intelligence’;

§  A reference to those who are ‘self-sufficient’, ‘self-confident’, and in no need of help’.

§  A reference to the worldly wise, men of secular sophistication: “/I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent/” [1Cor.1:19].

§  The Old Testament verse quoted by Paul above: “/Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid/” [Isa.29:14].

*ii.

**The Sovereign Action *

The action: “/hidden these things from the wise/…” [11:25].

§  e;kruyaj - “/hidden/” [11:25], indicative aorist active, from κρύπτω ‘to hide and conceal’; literally ‘preventing something from being seen’;

*c.       **The Revelation *

*i.        **The Unlearned *

The reference to those unlearned in oral law: “/unto babes/” [11:25].

§  nhpi,oij - “/babes/” [11:25], ‘young child’; ‘infant’; metaphorically, ‘one unlearned, unenlightened and innocent’.

Matthew and Jesus would have been thinking of those unlearned in the oral Law.

§  The chief priests and scribes are displeased with the sick coming to the temple to be healed.

Jesus responds to them: “/Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise/?” [21:16].

*ii.

**The Sovereign Action *

the action: “/revealed them unto babes/” [11:25].

§  avpeka,luyaj  - “/revealed/” [11:25], indicative aorist active, with the basic meaning of ‘to uncover’: “/there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed/” [10:26].

§  The realisation of an eschatological hope (now taking place in Jesus): “/for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea/” [Hos.6:2-3].

*d.       **The Purpose of God *

*i.        **The Purpose of God *

God’s sovereign action is according to his purpose and will: “/for so it seemed good in thy sight/” [11:26].

§  euvdoki,a - “/good/” [11:26], ‘that which pleases’; ‘good pleasure’;

§  An expression that speaks of what God delights in doing: “/B//ehold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased/” [12:18].

§  Preaching and purpose: “/it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe/” [1Cor.1:21].

*ii.

**The Eschatological Expectation *

It was widely anticipated that the end would bring unprecedented knowledge and wisdom for the elect: “/no longer shall each man teach his neighbour…for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest/…” [Jer.31:34].

* The expectation: “/the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord/…” [Hab.2:14].

* Here the revelation is about what is happening in the present: eschatological gnosis can now be found in Jesus, who in his person ad ministry has unveiled the end-time secrets: “/many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which you see/…” [13:16-17].

*Application *

God’s sovereignty worked out in decisions for and against Jesus and his message.

§  The “babes” are the ones who, in the eyes of the world, are weak and simple, but before God they are elect.

#.

*THE PORTRAIT OF JESUS *

*1.       **The Agency of the Son *

*a.       **The Messianic Servant of God *

*i.        **The Servant *

The revelatory role of Jesus: “/all things are delivered unto me/…” [11:27].

§  Pa,nta - “/things/” [11:27], refers firstly to “/these things/” [11:25];

§  But it goes beyond that to include the whole revelation of God in Jesus, which is eschatological revelation:

§  paredo,qh - “/delivered/” [11:27], indicative aorist passive, ‘to hand over to authority’; ‘the handing on of a tradition’; ‘the delivering up of someone to judgment’;

*ii.

**Passing Down Tradition *

Here the idea of passing down of tradition is employed, but in the metaphorical sense:

§  Paul passed down what Jesus had given to him: “/For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you/” [1Cor.11:23].

§  Here, God the Father entrusts his knowledge to the Son.

*b.       **The Intimate Knowledge *

*i.        **The Intimate Knowledge *