NOTES for Mat 11:25-26

Translating this text into Russian is not easy. The Synodal translation offers the wording, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth." The Slavonic text is closer to the original, saying, "I confess Thee, Father." In Greek, the verb here is exomologeo, which literally means "to agree, promise, acknowledge, confess." The Latin translation gives us the verb confiteor, meaning chiefly "to acknowledge, to confess." It is important to listen to this word, because its shades of meaning help us understand what the "confession" of the One God, to which we are called, really is.

So the Lord turns to the Father with thanksgiving because the mystery of salvation, the mystery of faith, rejected by Capernaum and the other cities, rejected by the wise and understanding, has been revealed to infants in faith, to simple-hearted and straightforward people. This is truly the gift of the Father's good pleasure, mercy toward us. At the same time it is a manifestation of the great wisdom of God, because one cannot come to the Almighty with pride or self-satisfaction. What translation options do we see, then, taking the possible shades of meaning into account?

"I praise You, Father" is the most comprehensive option in Russian, chosen by the authors of the Synodal text. It is a proclamation of God's greatness and an announcement of His glory, His presence, and His rule in the world. This aspect was central in the Old Testament tradition and remains central in the New Testament tradition. "I agree with You, Father" is another option, and a very important one as we stand before God. A person can become a participant in God's life only by agreeing that God's work is beautiful. The aspect of acknowledgment is also important in this word. We confess what we have done - but that is plainly not the point here. One translation option is, "I confess my love for You, Father"; this is offered by the excellent interlinear text of the Russian Bible Society, published in 2001. And the Greek of the New Testament also uses this verb in the sense of promising, of making vows. "I promise to be faithful to You, Father..." - this is how one can express that shade of meaning.

The Gospel text gives us several inseparably connected aspects of what a confession of faith is. It is praise of God, acknowledgment of His Truth and Wisdom, love for Him, and a promise of faithfulness to Him. This is evidently the worship in Spirit and truth to which we are all called. It is also important that all of this, especially the promise of faithfulness, requires active service to the One whom we praise, by whose wisdom we are guided, whom we love, and to whom we are faithful.