The Sovereignty Of God In Effectual Revelation

Matthew 11:25–27 ESV At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; ₂₆ yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ₂₇ All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

The “revealing” that Jesus mentions here is not a general revelation, but an effectual revelation, since it definitely results in people knowing the Father. This saying of Jesus would not sit well with many Christians because it affirms that God exercises the prerogative to effectually reveal his truths to some, but not to others.

We would have preferred if Jesus had just said: “I praise you, Father, that you have revealed these things to everyone.” Yes! Amen! But that is not what Jesus said, is it? Instead, he said, “I praise you, Father, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding.” Jesus praises God for hiding his truths from some people, with the result that they will never know his truths. Would you praise God for that? Jesus did, and he even went on to affirm that this is “gracious will” of his Father (ESV). This is the Father God of the Lord Jesus. Is he also your Father God?

Jesus goes on to say, “No one knows the Father, except the Son and those whom the Son wants to reveal him to.” According to Jesus, only two categories of people know the Father: (1) the Son himself, and (2) those to whom the Son wants to reveal the Father. In other words, if someone does not fall into either one of these two categories, he will not know the Father.

Other than Jesus himself, no one else falls under the first category of “the Son”. Therefore, the only other category that a human being may fall under is “those to whom the Son wants to reveal [the Father]”. Only those to whom Jesus reveals the Father will know the Father, and unless that happens, a person will never know the Father.

However, notice that in order for someone to fall under this category of people who know the Father, the Son must “choose” to reveal the Father to him. The Greek word for “choose” here is the verb boulomai, which denotes the exercise of one’s will in making a decision. Like his Father, Jesus exercises his prerogative in deciding whom he wants to reveal the Father to.

Again, many Christians would not like what Jesus is saying here because the only way to explain why someone does not know the Father, according to Jesus himself, is ultimately because Jesus did not choose to reveal the Father to him. Their minds cannot conceive of a Jesus who selectively reveals the Father to some, but not to others—even though that is exactly what Jesus has said about himself.

Thus, such thinking not only rejects the truthfulness of Jesus’ own words, but also denies to God the prerogative which rightfully belongs to him. God has the right and freedom to reveal his truths to whomever he wants to, and withhold his truth from whomever he wants to. He is in no way obligated or compelled to reveal his truths to any person; no matter who he is or what he has done. He could very well do so if he wants to, but if he does not want to, what right do we have to impose that obligation upon him?

But I think that there is something wonderful about the sovereignty of God in effectual revelation: God takes the initiative in effectually revealing himself to us—not because we were better or more spiritual than others, but solely by his grace. We need to realize that God is in no way obligated or compelled to effectually reveal himself to us; he could have decided not to reveal himself to us. Therefore, if God did reveal himself to any of us, then it is not because he had to, but because he wanted to.

If we deny that God has the prerogative to selectively reveal himself to whomever he wants, and insist that God has to reveal himself to everyone, then we cannot affirm this wonderful truth. No, a person knowing the Father is the result of the Son choosing to reveal the Father to him. So, if you know the Father today, feel loved, because the Son considered you, and freely chose to reveal the Father to you—not because he had to, but because he wanted to!