10:21Luke 10:21

In that hour after the seventy returned rejoicing over power against evil, Jesus Himself rejoiced in spirit over the advance of the gospel and the turning of even one soul from sin to holiness, thanking the Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for the revelation given to His disciples.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37+3 What was hidden from the self-sufficient wise and prudent and revealed to babes is the bread of life itself, the great truths of the plan of salvation, who Jesus is as the divine Messiah clothed in humanity and equal with the Father, and the plain terms of eternal life in loving God and neighbor with a pure heart.Ms 143, 1898, par. 11+4 Those from whom it is hidden are the learned and high-placed who trust their own wisdom, righteousness and philosophy, notably the priests, scribes and rulers who were convicted by Christ's light yet would not receive Him, while the babes who receive it are lowly, teachable souls who sincerely desire to know and do God's will with childlike humility.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37+4 This hiding and revealing rests on the Father's gracious good pleasure, not on human intellect, for the Spirit's illumination lets humble believers discern Christ's divine character and the Scriptures' witness to His atoning work more clearly than worldly wisdom can, and His words even so, Father, also bow in sorrow to that rejection by those who refused the light.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37+3 Therefore all must become as little children in simplicity, laying aside pride and coming to Jesus as humbly as any poor sinner, trusting and partaking of the divine nature to discern and do the truth, or else lose eternal life.Ms 74, 1895, par. 3+3

The thanksgiving was offered after the disciples, the seventy, returned from their mission with their report of authority over evil spirits and of what they had seen and heard.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37+2 At that moment Jesus directed them to value heavenly things above their success and to prize the revelation that had been given them.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37 He rejoiced in spirit and thanked the Father because truths hidden from the wise and prudent had been revealed to those who received them with childlike humility.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37+2 That understanding came by the Father's gracious choice and good pleasure, not as a result of worldly wisdom.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37+2

Nothing rejoices the heart of Jesus so much as the progress of the gospel and the adding of souls to the church of those who shall be saved.Ms 197, 1899, par. 4 His rejoicing in spirit is joy over the conversion of souls from sin to holiness.Ms 197, 1899, par. 4 It is a full joy, complete even in the converting of one soul, and it overflowed in thanksgiving to the Father as Lord of heaven and earth that what is hid from the wise and prudent is revealed unto babes according to the Father's good pleasure.Ms 197, 1899, par. 4 By joining the names Father and Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus gave a new revelation of God, a new gift seen in a new light, showing Him full of truth, mercy and lovingkindness in His deep and broad benevolence toward men as a tender, loving, pitying Father.Lt 41, 1896, par. 4

What is hidden from the wise and prudent and revealed to babes is the Word itself, which is the bread of life to all who eat of it and who are highly favored to have its light presented to them.Ms 143, 1898, par. 11 It is the great substantial truths that will live through time and last through eternity, hidden from those stretching for the highest sophistry and the highest education.Ms 160, 1904, par. 27–32 It is the beauty, power, and mystery of the plan of salvation.4T 585.2–586.1

The revelation centers on who Jesus is and what He requires.Ms 117, 1894, par. 9–10+3 He is the promised Messiah among men, the divine Creator clothed in humanity, equal with the Father in dignity, glory, and blessing, recognized by faith to prepare witnesses to tell the world what they have seen and heard.Ms 117, 1894, par. 9–10+1 It is also the plain terms of eternal life in loving God and neighbor, which pleased the Father to hide from the wise and prudent and reveal to babes.Ms 102, 1902, par. 15 Its central lesson for the kingdom is that pure and holy hearts are needed for the heavenly kingdom, received by humble followers willing to learn though imperfect and limited in understanding.ST Dec 11, 1893

That understanding came by illumination of the Holy Spirit, not by human wisdom.DA 494.1–4 By yielding to the Spirit, the seventy and other humble disciples recognized Christ's divine character beneath His human appearance.DA 494.1–4 They came to understand the Old Testament's witness to Christ and His work of atonement more clearly than worldly wise men, and even more clearly than the Scriptures' original writers.DA 494.1–4

The wise and prudent from whom these things are hid are the self-sufficient, who trust in their own wisdom and learning and righteousness and status, in vain philosophy and the highest sophistry and education.Ms 160, 1904, par. 27–32+3 Notably they were the priests and scribes and rulers and Jewish leaders, who rejected instruction and would not heed the words of Christ.Ms 143, 1898, par. 12+1 Though privileged with every temporal and spiritual advantage and most favored upon the face of the earth, their understanding convinced and convicted by the light and evidence He gave, they would not receive the Sent of God but turned away from the light.Ms 143, 1898, par. 12 They scorned His mercy and stood as rejecters of all the mercy and compassion and tenderness and love He came to bring, denying Him and refusing His offer of everlasting life.Ms 143, 1898, par. 12

The babes to whom these things are revealed are those who receive them with childlike humility in lowly stations and of far less experience, humble and teachable people who sincerely want to know and do God's will.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37+2 They yield to the Spirit rather than relying on great intellect or status or worldly wisdom, asking and willing to learn with a trusting desire to be taught.DA 494.1–4+2 Their fitness to receive the kingdom's truth lay in that willingness to be taught.ST Dec 11, 1893

This hiding and revealing is the Father's gracious choice and good pleasure, not a result of worldly wisdom.Lt 262, 1903, par. 34–37+1 The Spirit's work remains incomprehensible to the unrenewed mind, and the plan of redemption cannot be fathomed by philosophy.4T 585.2–586.1+1 Salvation is known by experience, and awareness of one's own sinfulness reveals the Saviour's worth.DA 494.1–4 Receiving divine truth depends on a teachable spirit, in accord with the Father's good pleasure.TSSW 31.1

The words even so, Father, are also sorrowful submission to the Father's will in the rejection of the light by those who would not receive it.Ms 143, 1898, par. 12 They were spoken with yearning desire and grief over those rejecters.Ms 143, 1898, par. 12

To receive what is revealed, a person must humble himself and become like a little child in humility and simplicity of spirit, for the world cannot understand these things, and this humbling is good in the Father's sight.Ms 74, 1895, par. 3+2 The one who feels secure in his knowledge, the worldly-wise, prudent and self-sufficient, must become a fool in his own estimation to become truly wise, else he will lose eternal life.Ms 23, 1899, par. 40–42+1 God brings human pride low, but He regards the meek and lowly and exalts them, and Christ's humble, contrite, self-denying followers learn daily from Him.Lt 43, 1890, par. 10 Pride of position and intellect hardens the heart and rejects the precious message that would make men wise unto salvation, while things refused by men because they thought themselves wise are clearly comprehended by those in humble stations and of far less experience.Ms 23, 1899, par. 40–42

Truths hidden from the worldly wise unfold in beauty and value to those who come with a trusting, childlike desire to know and do God's will, and truth is discerned by becoming partakers of the divine nature.Ms 23, 1899, par. 40–42 Intellect is God's gift, but however distinguished a man may be, to have the spirit and power and grace of Christ he must come to Jesus as humbly as any poor sinner, recognizing his weakness and depending on God, asking and willing to learn the lessons God has for him to learn.Ms 23, 1899, par. 40–42+1 To be a babe means to approach truth humbly and willing to learn, recognizing weakness and dependence on God, and Jesus rejoiced and thanked the Father for this revealing.21MR 151.2–4+2 Those who are simple in knowledge but receive as babes in Christ can exert a stronger influence for good than the self-confident, self-satisfied and ambitious who trust worldly wisdom, refuse to yield to evidence, and refuse the light and knowledge God offers.21MR 151.2–4+2

The verse lays a serious work on God's people requiring the whole being, heart, mind, soul and strength in His service, not confined to believers but becoming acquainted with unbelievers and placing truth before those living up to all the light they have, because the Lord has precious souls to be reached.Lt 148, 1902, par. 5–6 Loving God with all the heart means loving those for whom He gave His only begotten Son, whom Christ died to redeem from sin, and entering the open door He has set before His people to bring others into fellowship with the saints.Lt 148, 1902, par. 5–6 Human judgment of intellectual standing does not determine reception of truth, as when Sabbath observance and expectation of Christ's return are dismissed as childish while God reveals truth to humble people though it remains hidden from those regarded as wise and intellectually superior.Lt 7, 1900, par. 8–11 In perilous time when wisdom departs from the prudent and truth is hidden from wise men and revealed to babes, God's cause will not be left in unconsecrated, unskillful hands.Ms 31, 1895, par. 11