What does Matthew 11:27 reveal about the relationship between Jesus and God the Father? Text “All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27) Literary Setting Matthew records these words immediately after Jesus contrasts the unrepentant cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum with childlike believers (vv. 20-26). Verse 27 functions as the theological apex of the chapter, linking Jesus’ sovereign authority with His compassionate invitation, “Come to Me” (v. 28). Divine Entrustment: Comprehensive Authority “All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father.” The Greek πάντα (“all things”) is unrestricted, echoing Daniel 7:14 and prefiguring Matthew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” The Father’s act of handing over everything—creation, judgment, redemption—demonstrates functional distinction yet ontological unity (cf. John 3:35; Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus is not a subordinate creature but the divine heir who wields the Father’s prerogatives. Exclusive Mutual Knowledge “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son.” The verb ἐπιγινώσκει (“knows fully”) conveys exhaustive, intimate comprehension. Such reciprocal, exhaustive knowledge can exist only between co-eternal persons (cf. John 10:15). Finite beings may apprehend truths about God, yet the infinite depths of Father and Son are mutually and singularly penetrated—evidence for shared essence (homoousios), centuries before Nicaea articulated the term. The Son As Sovereign Revealer “…and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” Revelation of the Father is a divine prerogative Jesus exercises personally and volitionally. This dismantles any notion that Jesus is merely a prophet; prophets speak what is revealed to them, whereas Jesus Himself is the Revealer (John 1:18). Salvation, therefore, is contingent on Christ’s self-disclosure, grounding the exclusivity of the Gospel (Acts 4:12). Trinitarian Implications Matthew 11:27 compresses Trinitarian theology into one sentence: 1. Distinct persons—Father and Son. 2. Equality of essence—shared, exhaustive knowledge and authority. 3. Economy of revelation—the Father entrusts, the Son reveals, and, per v. 25, the Spirit (implicitly) grants childlike receptivity (compare 1 Corinthians 2:10-12). Cross-References • John 1:18; 5:22-23; 10:30; 17:2-3 • Hebrews 1:1-3—Son as exact imprint of God’s nature. • 1 John 5:20—“The Son of God has come and has given us understanding.” • Proverbs 30:4—prophetic riddle answered in Christ. Patristic Witness Ignatius (c. AD 110, Epistle to the Trallians 9) cites the verse to affirm Christ’s deity. Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3.9.2) argues from Matthew 11:27 that saving knowledge of God is impossible apart from the incarnate Son, refuting Gnostic intermediaries. Practical And Devotional Application Because Jesus holds “all things,” believers can rest in His sovereignty (vv. 28-30). Evangelism is emboldened: revelation is Christ-centered, yet He delights to “choose” and thus invites prayer for souls. Discipleship focuses on knowing God through Christ, the only true access point. Summary Matthew 11:27 presents Jesus as the Father’s fully accredited heir, sharing exclusive mutual knowledge with Him and exercising sovereign authority to reveal the Father to whomever He wills. The verse therefore affirms Christ’s deity, His unique mediatorial role, and the Trinitarian fabric of divine self-disclosure. |
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