CLAIM: Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants” (Mt. 11:25). Why would God hide his truth from people?

RESPONSE: God’s truth is only hidden from those who don’t want to see it. Those with hardened hearts are unable to see the truth, but those with open hearts can see it. The context reveals this clearly. In the context (Mt. 11:17-19), Jesus points out that kids play happy music (with no response) and sad music (with no response). This parallels verse 18 where John the Baptist wasn’t a drinker (and they hated him) and Jesus was a drinker (and they hated him too!). Thus Jesus is saying that no matter what they do, the people will not be happy. The wise are demanding a certain approach, but the infants are submitting to what God says. Therefore, God’s truth is hidden in plain sight! Those without an open heart cannot see it.

Luke’s parallel account of the same event shows that Jesus wasn’t hiding his truth from all of humanity—only those who were hardened: “When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John” (Lk. 7:29-30). Notice that the sinners came to Christ through his words, while the Pharisees did not. The same sun melts butter, but hardens clay.