Daily Devotions
Matthew
A Cryptic Answer
Text: Matthew 21 : 1 - 16
The reply of Jesus was at best cryptic! What did Jesus really mean by His reply? Let us ponder over the text again.
“Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have perfected praise…”
MATTHEW 21:16
1. The Septuagint version
The text that Jesus quoted was the Greek version of the Scriptures. This text differed from that of the Scriptures written in Hebrew.
2. The Hebrew text
The text in Hebrew reads as follows,
“Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.”
PSALM 8:2
In either case, the answer that Jesus gave would be difficult to fathom! Apparently, Jesus was not going to give an explanation of what He said on this occasion too!
HOW SHOULD WE UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS SAID?
Would the chief priests and scribes have understood Jesus any better if He had cited from the Hebrew text? Let us take time to ponder the following thoughts:-
1. Lines of Agreement between the Hebrew and Septuagint Texts
a) Agreement in the first portion of the texts
Both texts mentioned “the mouth of babes and infants”. This text, right from the beginning, was a difficult text to cite.
b) “The mouth of babes and nursing infants”
Can babes and nursing infants actually shout “Hosanna?” Of course not! They can barely talk in the first place, for they are after all still “babes and nursing infants”.
2. Lines of Difference between the Hebrew and Septuagint Texts
a) The original text
The original text was written in Hebrew. Difficulties that are in the original text remain without any explanation.
b) The Septuagint text
The Septuagint text was written much later in Greek. Difficulties in the original text were dealt with in the translation process (some texts anyway).
3. The suggestion of “strength” in the Hebrew text
This idea involves a rather complex scheme of thoughts and ideas.
a) Babes and nursing infants represent “hope”.
b) As long as there were children, there was hope that the enemies would be defeated one day. These babes and nursing infants would one day grow up to be strong enough to exact justice and deliver themselves from their enemies.
c) This was how God saw the idea of strength.
4. The Application of this idea in the Septuagint Text
a) The Septuagint attempted to offer an application of the Hebrew text.
b) The noise made by babes and nursing infants is music to the ears of the parents.
c) In turn, the very idea of babes and infants speak of the wonder of creation. And creation truly reflects the glory of God (Psalm 8:1).
5. Specific application of this idea by Jesus
a) Do babes and nursing infants reflect the glory of God (as do the starry hosts of heaven)?
b) If so, then the children in the Temple, in singing the praise of Jesus as the Son of David also perfect praise indeed!
i) The children may not fully understand everything they sing, but they can surely appreciate Jesus for the wonderful things He was doing when He healed the blind and the lame.
ii) The children may not fully understand everything, but the words they employed were nevertheless true. They were singing out a great truth! Jesus was indeed the Son of David, the Messiah.
iii) Whereas adults (like the chief priests and scribes) may not receive Jesus as the Messiah, the children could. Their praise of Jesus as the Son of David was “perfect praise” as far as God was concerned!
A STUDY IN CONTRASTS
Jesus refuses to rebuke or curb the singing of the little children in the temple, no matter how indignant the chief priests and scribes felt. Their ability to offer praise and shout “Hosanna” was a direct contrast to the stubborn and benighted stance of the religious leaders! “Out of the mouth of babes…” was a special way of vindicating Jesus.