21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
God had removed a veil exposing to open view what had once been hidden, making manifest to these followers supernatural revelations previously unknown, and Jesus was leaping with joy! The word rendered “joy” here is from the Greek word “Agalliao” meaning “to exult, rejoice with exuberance; often to leap for joy, show one’s joy by leaping, skipping, or dancing, denoting excessive or ecstatic joy and delight.” In the particular instance of our verse for today, the meaning of “joy” here expresses the inner ecstasy of seeing the kingdom of God in power overthrowing Satan (Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids). Jesus had to have been delighted in seeing Satan’s power thwarted over His sheep. This reminds me of Job’s words to God: 1 Then Job replied to the LORD: 2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Job 42:1-3 (NIV)
The 72 Jesus refers to in our verse for today probably experienced some of those exact same feelings Job was speaking about – “things to wonderful for them to know” or to have had hands on experience with! Responsibility and humility (forced or non-forced) accompanies revelation from God to His people. As Paul tells us: 7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:7-10 (NIV)
Divine power is best displayed against the backdrop of human weaknesses. This is the reasoning behind the remainder of this verse. Sometimes we simply get “too big for our britches” and miss true wisdom from above and the heavenly blessings that always accompany it. The wisdom that comes from above is described for us by James:
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18 (NIV)
God’s wisdom never fails to bear fruit. God desires to bestow upon us this wisdom through our study of His precious word and the subsequent enlightenment of the Scriptures bestowed upon us by the precious Holy Spirit. Yet, because we often lean hard on and trust in our own worldly knowledge and understanding, we miss this incredible blessing. May this never be said of us! Worldly knowledge, by the way, will pass away:
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 1 Cor 13:8-10 (NIV)
Worldly knowledge is incomplete – it is foolish to put our total trust in this. Paul tells us that in Christ are “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”:2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. Col 2:2-4 (NIV)
Again, he tells us in the same book to watch out so that we may not be taken captive in our thoughts through hollow philosophies: 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Col 2:8 (NIV)
If one loves wisdom that is not Christ, he is a lover of an empty idol. It will never satisfy no matter how much he obtains. These are those that Paul speaks of to his beloved Timothy stating that they are: 7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 2 Tim 3:7 (NIV)
Our immaturity in God’s Word can make us vulnerable to all sorts of heretical teachings that come our way. In an appeal to “open mindedness” we can easily embrace every fad or whim of false doctrines placed before us. We must beware of blindly accepting ideas as truths without taking the time to diligently study the Scriptures to see whether they stand or fall. Remember, that it is God’s Word that “is eternal; standing firm in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89). God’s Word is our basis for all truth. May we be as the psalmist who declared:30 I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. 31 I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free. Psalms 119:30-32 (NIV)