Luke 10:21-24

Jesus Rejoices Over The Fact That His Father Has Revealed The Spiritual Truth Of Who He Is To His Disciples (10:21-24).

As a result of His disciples' victory over the forces of Satan through the authority of His name, Jesus rejoices in what it is clear that His Father has revealed to them, otherwise they could not have done it. And what has been revealed is Who and What He is as ‘the Son'. They are entering into the truth of Who He is. This recognition of Jesus as the only and true Son of God is the sign by which all His own can be recognised (1 John 5:13). For this distinctive description of Jesus as ‘the Son' compare Mark 13:32 and regularly in John. In the same way He reveals to them Who and What the Father is. The Father and the Son are by this separated off from the remainder of reality. They are unique and in a unique relationship.

Note the prayer to ‘Father'. This is partial preparation for the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1) which will shortly follow. Yet it is expressed in a slightly different way (with the article) reminding us that Jesus' relationship with the Father is distinctive. He speaks as ‘the Son' to ‘the Father'.

Analysis.

a In that same hour He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding” (Luke 10:21 a).

b “And revealed them to babes” (Luke 10:21 b).

c “Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in Your sight” (Luke 10:21 c).

d “All things have been delivered to Me of my Father, and no one knows Who the Son is, save the Father, and who the Father is, save the Son” (Luke 10:22 a).

c “And he to whoever the Son wills to reveal Him” (Luke 10:22 b).

b ‘And turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see” (Luke 10:23).

a “For I say to you, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them” (Luke 10:24).

Note that in ‘a' the things are hidden from the wise and understanding, and in the parallel they are hidden from prophets and kings. In ‘b' they are revealed to babes, and in the parallel the disciples are blessed because they see them. In ‘c' this is the Father's good pleasure and in the parallel it is the Son's will. And central to all is the great truth so revealed, the mutual self-knowledge of Father and Son.

It should be noted that this chiastic format indicates that this saying is a unity, spoken by Jesus at one time, even though Matthew has split it to suit his literary purposes. Luke has simply introduced into it ‘and turning to the disciples, He said privately' in order to emphasise that the last words were only intended to apply to them.