3/8

Luke 10:22

²²"All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

The seventy-two evangelists had returned victorious from their mission. Jesus told them not to rejoice because they had power to do miracles, but to rejoice that their names were written in heaven. That was when Jesus uttered the words we are looking at today. This is one of the many statements of Jesus that could never be put in the mouth of any other being. He declared that God gave Him authority over everything! Nothing happens unless Jesus allows it. What comfort that should be to those of us who serve Him! Every difficulty we face, He has allowed. Every victory we experience is because of His authority working in our lives.

That one statement is enough to declare Jesus the divine King of kings. But He continued, "and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son." Jesus said He is the only one who knows who God is! Imagine your pastor saying that. You'd know he had lost his mind or was starting a cult. But Jesus' life validates His claim. God is the only One who really knows Jesus, and Jesus is the only One who really knows God.

We would despair if Jesus did not go on to say, "and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him." We can know who God is, but only through a personal revelation of Jesus to each of us. But now let's put it into context. The evangelists just came back rejoicing at the way people had received their message. Jesus was explaining that the reason the evangelists were successful was the authority Jesus exercised in their hearts and the hearts of those who heard them. Jesus was the One who revealed God to the listeners. So it was with us when we first heard; and so it is with those who hear the message we deliver. Jesus reveals God through His messengers to those whose hearts He has prepared. All the glory is His.

Consider: The One who alone has all authority goes before us and prepares hearts to receive a revelation of who God is. As we share the message, Jesus reveals God to them and they come to know who God is in all His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.