Please explain Matthew 11:25.
Let’s read that verse. Matthew 11:25 says, “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.” We see from verses 20-25, that the Lord was going to different cities and rebuking them. He had done miracles among them, yet they still did not believe in Him. The Lord pronounces upon the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida. If the people who had live in Tyre and Sidon had been able to witness what they had seen, they would have repented. He pronounces judgment upon Capernaum. If the mighty works He had done among them had been done in Sodom, that city would still be in existence today. The Lord is very vocal about the responsibility the cities had because of the witness of Christ to them. Because of their rejection, there would be judgment…harsh and without mercy. We read of the judgment that shall come upon those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, “…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be PUNISHED WITH EVERYLASTING DESTRUCTION from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
Yet, in verse 25, the Lord thanks His Father for hiding the truth of who He was from those with wisdom and understanding. How are we to understand this? Why would the Lord hide His truths from anyone? Are not we all equally guilty before Him, all deserving Hell as punishment for our sins? Yes, we are all guilty before God. Romans 3:19 tells us, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and ALL THE WORLD MAY BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD.”
In light of this, let’s read 1 Corinthians 1:26-27, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men AFTER THE FLESH, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” The ‘wise and prudent’ ones mentioned in Matthew 11:25, are those who are wise and understanding (prudent) after the flesh, or IN THEIR OWN EYES THEY ARE WISE AND HAVE UNDERSTANDING. It is to ‘babes’ that the Lord is pleased to reveal His precious truths. It is to the ignorant, the teachable, the simple, and the humble that the Lord reveals His mind. Those who consider themselves wise are not willing to hear from the Lord. They consider themselves to already be in possession of truth! In 1 Timothy 2:6, we are warned to avoid “oppositions of science falsely so called.” We should not get entangled with those who claim to be educated beyond having simple faith in the Lord. Many scientists today loudly exclaim that there is NO GOD. This is ‘science falsely so called.’ True science NEVER contradicts the Word of God. NEVER!
Yet, even after these stern words from the Lord, He lovingly proclaims in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, ALL ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ALL who are tired of hopelessly working to gain salvation. All those who are tired of the weight on sin on their shoulders. It is to those that realize that they are sinners and stand guilty before God that the Lord Jesus calls to Himself. Have you come to Jesus for salvation? Do you believe in Him as your savior and Lord? If you are, I truly thank the Lord. If not, I urge you to go to Him in repentance of your sins, and trust in Him, the Holy Son of God who died and rose again. The Lord stated in John 6:37, “…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (225.8)