Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Matthew 11:25

ἀποκριθείς. This use of ἀποκριθείς, ‘answering,’ where no question precedes, is a Hebraism.

ἐξομολογοῦμαι. Strictly, ‘to speak forth, ‘confess,’ τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ch. Matthew 3:6; cp. Philippians 2:11, then to ‘utter aloud’ praise or thanks, as here and Romans 14:11 (quoted from Isaiah 14:23), ὅτι ἐμοὶ κάμψει πᾶν γόνυ καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσεται τῷ θεῷ.

τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς. The expression points to God as the author of law in nature and in religion.

ὅτι ἔκρυψας. ‘That thou hidest,’ not by an arbitrary and harsh will, but in accordance with a law of divine wisdom. Truth is not revealed to the philosophical theorist, but the humility that submits to observe and follow the method of nature and working of God’s laws is rewarded by the discovery of truth. For this use of the aorist see note Matthew 11:27, last clause.

ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν, for the classical construction, κρύπτειν τί τινα, or τι πρός τινα. There is a sense of separation in ‘concealment’ denoted by ἀπό. The secrets of the kingdom are not revealed to those who are wise in their own conceit, but to those who have the meekness of infants and the child-like eagerness for knowledge. In a special Jewish sense ‘the wise and prudent’ are the Scribes and Pharisees. In a purely Greek sense, σοφοὶ καὶ συνετοὶ are they to whom especially the apprehension of the highest truths belonged. σοφία is wisdom in its highest philosophic sense; it is the most exact of sciences—ἀκριβεστάτη τῶν ἐπιστημῶν, and is said μὴ μόνον τὰ ἐκ τῶν� (Arist. Eth. Nic. VI. 7). σύνεσις is ‘critical intelligence.’

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Matthew 11:25

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