Luke 10:22
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Luke 10:22
22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
Chapter Context
Luke 10 is a historical gospel chapter in the New Testament that explores themes of wisdom, redemption, fellowship. Written during the late first century CE (c. 80-85 CE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Written when Christians needed to understand their place in the Roman world.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-42: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it reveals key aspects of God's character through divine actions and declarations. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Luke and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Luke 10:22
22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
Analysis
All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. The phrase panta moi paredothē (πάντα μοι παρεδόθη, "all things are delivered to me") uses the aorist passive of paradidōmi—the Father has transferred complete authority to the Son. This "all things" (panta, πάντα) is universal: creation, redemption, revelation, judgment—total cosmic authority resides in Christ (Matthew 28:18, John 3:35, 13:3).
The mutual knowledge statement reveals the Trinity's mysterious intimacy: epiginōskei (ἐπιγινώσκει, "knoweth") means full, perfect, experiential knowledge—not mere intellectual awareness but complete understanding and communion. Only the Father fully comprehends the Son's divine nature; only the Son perfectly knows the Father's essence. This reciprocal knowledge is eternal, infinite, and exclusive to the Godhead.
Yet Jesus adds the stunning final clause: and he to whom the Son will reveal him (kai hō ean boulētai ho huios apokalypsai, καὶ ᾧ ἐὰν βούληται ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψαι). The verb apokalypsai (ἀποκαλύψαι, "to reveal") means to unveil, disclose, make visible. Knowing God depends entirely on the Son's sovereign choice to reveal Him. No human effort, wisdom, or merit can penetrate this mystery—only the Son grants access (John 14:6). This is the heart of Reformed soteriology: saving knowledge comes through Christ's gracious revelation, not human discovery.
Historical Context
This statement appears in Luke's travel narrative but parallels Matthew 11:25-27, occurring after Jesus thanks the Father for hiding truth from the wise and revealing it to babes. The context is the seventy's return from mission and Jesus' rejoicing in the Spirit. This is one of the most explicitly Trinitarian statements in the Synoptic Gospels, revealing the Father-Son relationship's depth and exclusivity. First-century Jewish monotheism struggled with such claims—Jesus asserts unique filial knowledge of God that transcends even Moses or the prophets.
Reflection
- How does the mutual exclusivity of Father-Son knowledge challenge human attempts to know God apart from Christ's revelation?
- What does it mean that the Son chooses to whom He will reveal the Father, and how does this relate to election and evangelism?
- Why is Jesus' claim to have 'all things delivered' from the Father so central to trusting Him as sufficient Savior and Lord?