May 19. What makes Jesus rejoice?

In that same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,

I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding

and revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father, for such was your

gracious will, Luke 1021. This verse is one of the only two places in the Gospels where Jesus

is said to rejoice. The 70 disciples have just returned from their preaching tours and reported their

success to Jesus. Notice that all three members of the Trinity are rejoicing here. Jesus is

rejoicing, but it says he is rejoicing in the Holy Spirit.

I take that to mean that the Holy Spirit is filling him and moving him to rejoice.

Then at the end of the verse, it describes the pleasure of God the Father.

The NIV translates it, yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do,

what you rejoiced to do. Now, what is it that has the whole Trinity rejoicing together in this

place? It is the free, electing love of God to hide things from the intellectual elite and to reveal

them to babes.

I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the

wise and understanding and reveal them to little children.

And what is it that the father hides from some and reveals to others?

Luke 1022 gives the answer.

No one knows who the Son is except the Father.

So what God the Father must reveal is the true spiritual identity of the Son.

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