early date thus indicated for Johannine BeaaUBe;,t7~ (~evi~ Version), perhaps phro.eeology eoggcets th11t the lo.nguage and as more 1d1ome.tic with u tliank." But 3n form of the Fourth Gospel nnclerwent a long here gives, not the contents of the "thanks- ~ving," bu~ the reason for it. Thou hast process of development before St John hid these things from the wise and prudent, completed hie work. and he.at revealed them unto babes. The Ver. 25.-At that time; ,ea,on (Revised laws by which religious impressions are Version); lv b«Cvq, ...;; 1ta.1prp. St. Luke's received, whether nltimately for good or for phrnso (" in tho.t very hour," iv ab-rff -rff evil (2 'Cor. ii, 15, 16; John ix. 39) are 11,p~) is more precise, definitely oonnecting here e.ttributecl to God. Ohserve that the the utterance with the return of the seventy. sentence is not e. kind of hendisdye, but St. Matthew's refers rather to that stage or that Christ accepts hie Father's action in period in his ministry (c( eh. xii. l; xiv. 1). both directions. The one is the snbject of lesUB answered, Only in Matthew. If we his entire acquiescence as much e.e the other. could suppose this to be the original context Hast hid . . . 1,ast rnealed. The aoriste of the passage, the'' answer" would probably (cf. vcr. 19, note) may be understood here refer to some expression of astoniehment or as either (1) describing what took place in complaint at hie solemu statement in vers. each case, or (2) regarding GoJ'e action as 20-24. Professor Marshall's derivatfon of a whole from the standpoint of the hereafter both "answered" and "rejoiced" (Lnke) (cf. Rom. viii. 29, 30). Thue things. The from a common Aramaic original (EzpositOT, truths respecting Christ's tee.chin<> and April, 1891) appears very strained. And work. In this conted the reference° would said, I thank thee ; better, as the Revised be to the general contents of vers. 2-2!. Version mnrgiD, praise U{oµo>..o')'oiiµ.aC tro,). From the wise and prudent; i.e. as such There is no thought of gratitude, but of (there is no article). 'For mental excellence publicity in assent (Luke xxii. 6), in con- and intelligence (tlid6 infra) in themselves fession (eh. iii. 6) and in acknowledgment cannot grasp spiritual truths, bot are, on t.he (Rom. xiv. 11; Phil ii.11), and thus of praise contrary, often means by which the veil (Josh. vii. 19; Ezra x.11 (Lucian); 2 Chrou. between man and God is me.de thicker. xxx. 22; Rom. xv. 9). It implies a pro• On the clifforence between "wise" (trocpo[) fession of personal acceptance by Christ of and "prudent" (trvvETol, understanding, God's methods. "I profess to thee my Revised Version), see Bishop Lightfoot on entire ancl joyful acquiescence in what thou Col. i. 9. (For the general truth, cf. 'Job doest." Hence St. Luke introduces the xuvii. 2!; l Cor. i. 19-27 .) .And hast utterance by ii"Ya11AcltraTo 1 adding T,i TrvE6- revealed them (eh. xiii. 11, note); for even µaT, Trj &,,c.,, thus giving us e. glimpse of the most guileless heart has no power to see the unity of purpose and feeling inherent in spiritual truths unleBB God draws be.ck the the Trinity, even during the time that the veil. Unto babes (1171..-Cou). The thought is Word "tabemacled among UB." 0 Father, of their helplessness and dependence. In Father occurs ill oh. vi. 9; xxvi. 39; Luke comparison with the Pharisees and scribes, xxiii. 34, 46 : John xi. 41 ; xii. 27 ; xvii. 1 ; all our Lord's disciples were Ii ttle more in fact, ill all the recorded prayers of our ( of. eh. xxi. 16). Lord except eh. xxvii. 46, which is e. Ver. 26.-Even so; yea (Revised Version); quotation, and where the phrase, "My God, vaC. A renewed acceptance of the imme- my God," emphasizes his sense of desolation. diately preceding facts. :rather. In ver. 25 The word expresses perfect relationship and n&-r~: here, d IlaT{ip. There the term re-'. intimo.te communion. It points to the trust, ferrffl:l more directly to GoJ as his own the love, and the obedience of Chriet, and Father; here to him as Father of all, not- to the depth of no.tural ufl'ection and con- withsto.nding the methotls he nsod. For. fidence (if we may say so) between him and Giving the reason of Christ's ac~eptance. the First Person of the Trinity. It suggests That (Revised Version margin) would ruake mercies in the past, care in the present, Rnd this clause closely dependent ou the pre- provision for the future. Lord of heaven ceding. But this seems unnntnre.l. So; and earth. Acts xvii. 24, by St. Paul, who i.e. in this double method. It seemed good may have derived it from these words of our (it was well-pleasing, Revised Version) ill Lord (Resoh, 'Agraphe.,' p. 150), or perhaps thy sight (,/,/ioHla ,.,,,vETo); literally, it wa, from Ps. oxlvi. 6 or Isa. :rli.i. 5. As good pleaaure before tliee-un Aroma.ism " Father" was the note of personal relation- equivalent to "it was thy will" (com- ship, so is this of sovereign majesty. Christ pare the Targum of Judg. xiii. 23; 1 Sam. unites the thought of God's love to himself xii. 22 [1• c,p 11,v,]; see also eh. xviii. with that of his ownership of all oreation, H). The phrase Implies, not merely thnt it thus paving the way for the main subject of seemed good to God, but that, in e. sonse it the prayer-bis Father's method of d~ling wo.s his pleasure. For the workings out' of with men ·of various kinda and teDJpers. the law■ of truth must givo pleasure to the llATTllEW. 2 ll 450 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [on. :u. 1-30.
God of truth. (On the aorist l"'(lve-ro, eee The connexion is-You me.y think this (l.e. 0