Jesus is the Man of Sorrows because of how much suffering he had to endure, especially suffering the wrath of God as the sin-bearer. At the same time, Jesus is filled with joy even though he knows what he has to suffer in the near future. What was the source of Jesus’ joy while carrying the title of Man of Sorrows?
Jesus rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit by praising the Father, Lord of heaven and earth (v 21). As the Christian’s joy is knowing their names are recorded in heaven (v 20), Jesus also rejoices in this truth that the Christian is secured by God in their salvation. At the same time, Jesus’ joy is found in the Holy Spirit praising God the Father. The Father is the one who
Jesus’ joy is found in the truth that God the Father has hidden the mystery of Jesus Christ from the wise and intelligent and has revealed them to infants (v 21). In this context, the disciples were sent out by Jesus to perform miracles in healing the sick and casting out demons. Being sent out by Jesus implies that they belong to Jesus and that the disciples are followers of Jesus Christ. And apart from Jesus, the disciples can do nothing. To the wise and intelligent, Jesus is hidden, unknown, and tasteless because God the Father is the only one who opens eyes to see and know that Jesus is the Savior (i.e., the gospel of Jesus Christ).
Even when the gospel of Jesus Christ is heard by many, they cannot understand without the Holy Spirit. Specifically in today’s text, Jesus rejoices that the Father has hidden the gospel of Christ from the wise and intelligent. The wise and intelligent are worldly people who are learned, proud, and spiritually blind. But those whom God has chosen before the foundation of the world are given eyes to see what is hidden. In other words, God makes his truth digestible, attractable, and believable to spiritual infants. The spiritual infants have total dependence on God. They are humble, hunger for the truth, and have repentant hearts. By faith, they become spiritual infants.
Moreover, the spiritual infant is poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3). The profound truths of God and salvation are the contrast between being able and unable to hear, understand, and believe (John MacArthur). The spiritually poor who have been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20) are the ones who personally know the love of Jesus Christ by God’s revelation to them in the Holy Spirit.
Lastly, Jesus gives glory to God the Father for his doing in hiding the truth of the gospel to the wise and intelligent and only revealing it to the spiritual infant (v 21). Everything God wills is perfect and brings pleasure to him, and in that, Jesus rejoiced greatly.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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