Matthew 11:27 (KJV)

What does Matthew 11:27 mean?

Matthew 11:27 says that Jesus has received everything from God the Father, and that only the Father truly knows the Son, just as only the Son truly knows the Father. No one else can know the Father unless the Son chooses to reveal Him. This verse highlights the unique and close relationship between Jesus and God, and the idea that truly knowing God depends on Jesus making Him known.

In this verse, Jesus is speaking to a crowd, including His disciples, after addressing the cities that did not respond to His message. Jesus is explaining that understanding who God really is cannot be achieved by human effort or wisdom alone. Instead, it is something that comes through Jesus Himself, who has a special connection with the Father and the authority to reveal God to others.

The Greek behind Matthew 11:27

• "delivered" (παραδίδωμι, paradidōmi): This word means to hand over or entrust. Here, it shows that everything Jesus has comes directly from the Father, emphasizing trust and authority.
• "knoweth" (ἐπιγινώσκω, epiginōskō): This verb means to know fully or recognize completely. The verse uses it to stress the deep, exclusive knowledge between the Father and the Son, not just casual familiarity.
• "reveal" (ἀποκαλύπτω, apokalyptō): This word means to uncover or make known. It highlights that knowing God is not automatic or earned; it happens only when Jesus chooses to make God known to someone.

Why Matthew 11:27 matters

• Matthew 11:27 clears up the idea that people can know God on their own; it stresses that true understanding of God comes only through Jesus.
• The verse emphasizes the unique relationship between Jesus and the Father, showing that Jesus is not just a messenger but has a special, shared knowledge and authority.
• This statement connects to the wider passage, where Jesus invites people to come to Him for rest, showing that access to God and spiritual rest is found in relationship with Jesus.