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Mat 11:25. Ἀποκριθεὶς, answering) Sc. to those things which He was considering concerning His Father’s design, His own thoughts, and the character of His disciples.[539]-ἐξομολογοῦμαι, I praise) Nothing can be predicated with praise of God,[540] which is not so in fact: תּודה, praise,[541] is predication.[542] Jesus returned thanks to His Father afterwards in the same words, when the seventy disciples had well performed the work which He had appointed them.-Πάτερ, Κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, Father, Lord of heaven and earth) He is frequently called the Father of Jesus Christ, sometimes also His God; never His Lord, but the Lord of heaven and earth. Let us learn, from the example of Jesus Christ, to apply to God those titles which are suitable to the subject of our prayers. The Jews also forbid to cumulate divine titles in prayers. The address in this passage is indeed most magnificent.-ὅτι ἀπέκρυψας-καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας, κ.τ.λ., because Thou hast hid-and revealed, etc.) A double ground of praise. For ἀπέκρυψας, Thou hast kept concealed, cf. Mat 11:27; for ἀπεκάλυψας, Thou hast revealed, cf. again Mat 11:27, at the end.-ταῦτα, these things) Concerning the Father and the Son, concerning the kingdom of heaven.-σοφῶν, the wise) i.e. those who arrogate to themselves the character of wisdom.[543]-συνετῶν, prudent) i.e. those who arrogate to themselves the character of prudence.[544] Cf. 1Co 1:19.-ἀπεκάλυψας, Thou hast revealed) See ch. Mat 16:17.-νηπίοις, to infants) Such as the twelve apostles and seventy disciples were: See Luk 10:21; they were very young, for they bore witness for a long time afterwards. They were infants, as being ready to believe and simple-minded; see Mat 18:3.
[539] He uttered the words which follow with an exulting spirit.-V. g.
[540] The word used by Bengel is “Confiteor,” which occurs in the Vulgate, both here and in 1Ch 16:35 with the same sense. That such is his meaning, is clear from his employing in his German Version the phrase, Ich preise Dick, which, when applied to God, signifies “I PRAISE or MAGNIFY Thee.” Bengel employs the word “Confiteor” in preference to any other, because, like the Greek ἐξομολογοῦμαι, it signifies both generically, with an accusative, to confess, acknowledge, proclaim, etc., and specifically, with a dative, to laud, praise, or magnify [GOD].-See Riddle and Schleusner in voce.-E. V. renders ἐξομολογοῦμαι, I thank.-(I. B.)
[541] The word used by Bengel is “Confessio,” which he employs with direct reference to his previous “Confiteor,” on which see preceding footnote.
[542] And conversely, therefore, Predication is Praise. They are the two sides of an eternal and immutable equation. Much to the same effect, Bengel says elsewhere (ch. Mat 6:9), “Deus est sanctus, i.e., Deus sanctificatur ergo, quando ita, ut est, agnoscitur et colitur et celebratur.” Consequently, in confessing, acknowledging, and proclaiming, or in any other mode PREDICATING the truth cuncerning GOD (and not otherwise), we PRAISE Him.-(I. B.)
[543] Beng. attributes to the σοφοὶ the “habitus noëticus;” to the συνετοὶ, the “habitus dianoëticus;” the same difference as between νοῦς and διάνοια, mind and discriminative intelligence or discernment.-Ed.
[544] Beng. attributes to the σοφοὶ the “habitus noëticus;” to the συνετοὶ, the “habitus dianoëticus;” the same difference as between νοῦς and διάνοια, mind and discriminative intelligence or discernment.-Ed.
On the meaning of תּי̇דָה, Gesenius says:-(1.) Confession, Jos 7:19; Ezr 10:11. (2.) Thanksgiving, Psa 26:7; Psa 42:5. זָבַח תּו̇דָה to offer praise to God (for a sacrifice), Psa 50:14; Psa 50:23; Psa 107:22; Psa 116:17 (where the phrase is not to be taken as though proper sacrifices were spoken of). זֶבַח תּו̇דָה, Lev 22:29; זֶבַח תּיֹדַת הַשְׁלָמִים Lev 7:13; Lev 7:15, comp. 12, and ellipt. תּו̇דָה, a sacrifice of thanksgiving, Psa 56:13. (3.) A choir of givers of thanks, praising God. Neh 12:31; Neh 12:38; Neh 12:40.-(I. B.)