Luke 10:22 · Bible study
Luke 10:22 Commentary: The Son's Sovereign Revelation
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Jesus claim exclusive mutual knowledge with the Father? This study explores the Son's unique authority to reveal the Father.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus claims total authority and exclusive mutual knowledge with the Father, and He sovereignly reveals the Father to whomever He chooses.
- Key words: παραδίδωμι (delivered, aorist passive), γινώσκω (knows, present), βούλομαι (desires, deliberate will), ἀποκαλύπτω (reveal).
- Main debate: The opening clause 'turning to the disciples' textually may belong to v.23; scholars also debate whether 'all things' includes all creation or all saving authority.
- Theological theme: Christology, Jesus as the unique revealer of the Father, possessing full divine authority and knowledge.
- Best use: Foundational for understanding the Son's role in revelation; preaching on grace, sovereignty, and the necessity of Christ for knowing God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.”
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`All things were delivered up to me by my Father, and no one doth know who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whom the Son may wish to reveal Him .'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son is pleased to reveal [him].
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth who the Son is, but the Father: and who the Father is, but the Son and to whom the Son will reveal him.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Todas las cosas me son entregadas de mi Padre: y nadie sabe quién sea el Hijo sino|strong="G1487, G3361" el Padre; ni quién sea el Padre, sino|strong="G1487, G3361" el Hijo, y á quien el Hijo lo quisiere revelar.
Todas as coisas me foram entregues pelo meu Pai; e ninguém sabe quem é o Filho, a não ser o Pai; nem quem é o Pai, a não ser o Filho, e a quem o Filho o quiser revelar.
Toutes choses m’ ont été données par mon Père, et personne ne connaît qui est le Fils, si ce n’ est le Père, ni qui est le Père, si ce n’ est le Fils et celui à qui le Fils veut le révéler.
Es ist mir alles übergeben von meinem Vater. Und niemand weiß, wer der Sohn sei, denn nur der Vater; noch wer der Vater sei, denn nur der Sohn und welchem es der Sohn will offenbaren.
Alle dingen zijn Mij van Mijn Vader overgegeven; en niemand weet, wie de Zoon is, dan de Vader; en wie de Vader is, dan de Zoon, en dien het de Zoon zal willen openbaren.
Ogni cosa m’è stata data in mano dal Padre mio; e nessuno conosce chi è il Figliuolo, se non il Padre; né chi è il Padre, se non il Figliuolo e colui al quale il Figliuolo voglia rivelarlo.
Wszystkie rzeczy dane mi są od Ojca mego, a nikt nie zna, kto jest Syn, tylko Ojciec, i kto jest Ojciec, tylko Syn, a komu by chciał Syn objawić.
И, обратившись к ученикам, сказал: все предано Мне Отцем Моим; и кто есть Сын, не знает никто, кроме Отца, и кто есть Отец, не знает никто, кроме Сына, и кому Сын хочет открыть.
一切所有的 都是 我 父 交付 我的；除了 父， 沒有人 知道 子 是 誰；除了 子 和 子 所願意 指示的， 沒有人知道父 是 誰。」
All things have been given to me by my Father: and no one has knowledge of the Son, but only the Father: and of the Father, but only the Son, and he to whom the Son will make it clear.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 10:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse marks a high point of Christological revelation within the Synoptics. The aorist passive παρεδόθη ('was delivered') indicates a completed act: all authority has been entrusted to the Son by the Father (Matthew Henry, Cambridge Bible). The present tense γινώσκει ('knows') describes ongoing, intimate knowledge, not mere intellectual awareness but relational knowing. Wesley notes that the verse affirms the Son is 'essentially one with the Father.' The exclusive knowledge between Father and Son is mutual and unique. Clarke observes that the parallel in Matthew 11:27 is nearly identical, confirming the saying's authenticity. The final phrase emphasizes the Son's sovereign will in revealing the Father: βούληται ('desires,' from βούλομαι) conveys deliberate purpose, not passive acquiescence. Together, the verse teaches that all authority and exclusive knowledge belong to the Son, and He freely chooses whom to admit into that knowledge.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Traditional Trinitarian view: The Father and Son share full, mutual knowledge; the Son's authority proves His deity (supported by Matthew 11:27; John 1:18; John 3:35).
- Mediatorial authority view: Jesus speaks as the incarnate Son who has been given authority over salvation and revelation, not necessarily over all creation (emphasizing 'delivered' as a commission, compare Matthew 28:18).
- Textual relocation view: If the opening clause originally belonged to v.23, the saying might be a self-contained logion without the narrative of turning to the disciples, affecting how we understand its original setting.
What is clear: Jesus uniquely knows the Father and has the authority to reveal Him to whomever He chooses — a cornerstone of Christian belief that knowing God is a gift given through the Son.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Textual variant in the opening clause | The saying itself ('All things have been delivered to me...') is undisputed. | Some early manuscripts include 'Turning to the disciples, he said' at the start of v.22; others place it at v.23. Griesbach argued for deletion; modern critical editions place it at v.23. |
| Scope of 'all things' | Jesus has received full authority from the Father, as seen in Matthew 28:18 and John 3:35. | Does 'all things' refer primarily to teaching authority and salvation (Matthew Henry, Wesley) or to cosmic sovereignty including judgment (Cambridge Bible, linking to John 5:22, 27)? Both views are held within orthodox Christianity. |
| Exclusive knowledge between Father and Son | No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son. This indicates a unique, intimate relationship. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions emphasize that this knowledge is part of the eternal inner-Trinitarian life; some Protestant traditions stress that it also highlights the Son's mediatorial role in revelation (Calvin, Gill). Both affirm the Son's full deity. |
| The Son's will in revealing the Father | The Son chooses whom to reveal the Father to; this is an act of grace, not earned by human merit. | Some interpret the phrase 'to whom the Son desires' as supporting predestinarian views (Reformed tradition), while others see it as a general invitation limited only by human rejection (Arminian tradition). The verse itself does not specify the basis of the choice. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting is charged. Jesus has just sent out seventy-two disciples, and they return rejoicing that even demons submit to them. In that same hour, Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit and thanks the Father for hiding these things from the wise and revealing them to little children (v.21). Then, turning to the disciples, He speaks this verse.
The audience matters: He addresses the disciples privately, not the crowds. The mention of 'Father' and 'Son' would have struck Jewish ears as claiming unique filial relationship, echoing language used by Wisdom personified in Jewish literature (Proverbs 8:22, 31). The verb 'delivered' (παραδίδωμι) carries legal and royal overtones, a transfer of authority, like a king handing over his realm to an heir. The Cambridge Bible notes the strong resemblance to Johannine passages (John 1:18; 3:35; 6:44, 46), suggesting this Synoptic verse shares an early Christological tradition.
A textual variant complicates the opening. Clarke reports that Codex Alexandrinus and other ancient manuscripts begin v.22 with 'And turning to his disciples, he said,' though Griesbach judged those words should be deleted. Most scholars today consider the phrase original to v.23 rather than v.22, affecting whether Jesus turns before or after this verse. The core saying remains undisputed.
Culturally, 'knowing' the Father or Son implied covenantal intimacy, not abstract information. Jesus claims a knowledge that no human effort can reach, it must be given by the Son's choice. This sets the stage for the beatitude that follows: 'Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see' (v.23).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one significant variant. The clause 'And turning to his disciples, he said' (Greek στραφεὶς πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς εἶπεν) appears in some manuscripts at the beginning of v.22 but in others (including Codex Alexandrinus and the majority of later manuscripts) at v.23. Adam Clarke reports that Griesbach judged these words 'certissime delenda', 'should most assuredly be erased' from v.22. The Cambridge Bible and Gill agree that the phrase originally belonged to v.23. Modern critical editions of the Greek New Testament (NA28, UBS5) place the clause at v.23, not v.22. No other textual variants of interpretive significance are noted in the supplied sources. The core saying itself stands without dispute across all manuscript traditions.
Reception History
Early church fathers such as Irenaeus and Athanasius cited this verse in Trinitarian controversies to argue for the Son's full deity and His role as the sole revealer of the Father. The phrase 'no one knows the Son except the Father' was used against adoptionist claims that Jesus became God's Son only at His baptism. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin appealed to the verse to emphasize that knowledge of God comes only through Christ, not through human reason or works. Wesley drew on it to affirm the Son's eternal generation and oneness with the Father. In modern theology, the verse remains central to discussions of revelation and Christology, bridging the Synoptic and Johannine portraits of Jesus. The saying is often quoted in hymns about Christ's unique authority, though no specific hymn is attributed in the supplied sources.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- All authority belongs to the Son. Jesus declares all things have been delivered to Him by the Father. This includes authority over creation, demons, judgment, and salvation. The aorist tense signals a definitive act: the Father has given everything into the Son's hands.
- Exclusive mutual knowledge. No one knows the Son but the Father, and no one knows the Father but the Son. This is not a barrier but a relationship of perfect intimacy. Human reason cannot penetrate this mystery; it is a matter of divine communion.
- The Son chooses to reveal. Knowledge of the Father is not earned or achieved. The Son reveals the Father to whomever He desires. The verb βούληται (deliberate will) underscores sovereign grace: God's revelation is a gift, not a discovery.
Five-point outline
- Jesus claims total authority. 'All things have been delivered to me', past, present, and future are in His hand.
- The Father-Son relationship is unique. No third party shares the knowledge that passes between them.
- Human ignorance is absolute apart from revelation. 'No one knows', religious experts, philosophers, and prophets all fall short.
- Revelation is the Son's prerogative. He decides whom to include. The object of revelation ('him') refers to the Father, the Son unveils the Father.
- This truth grounds the disciples' blessedness. In v.23 Jesus pronounces them blessed because they see what prophets and kings longed to see.
Illustration hooks
- A locked diary. A person may show its contents to a few trusted friends. No one can read it by force; access depends on the owner's choice. So the Son alone holds the key to knowing the Father.
- An ambassador granted full authority to speak for a head of state. When the ambassador speaks, the ruler speaks. Jesus' authority is not derived in a limited sense but comprehensive.
- Children learning a family recipe passed down only from parent to child. Strangers cannot replicate it; only those chosen by the child who learned it from the parent receive it.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If only the Son knows the Father, how can I know God at all?
- Does this verse mean that Jesus is God, or that He is a lesser being who received authority?
- Why does Jesus choose to reveal the Father to some and not others? How does that square with God's love?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at a turning point in Luke's gospel. Jesus has just praised the Father for hiding truth from the wise and revealing it to infants. Now He claims exclusive knowledge and authority. The passage challenges our assumptions about how we come to know God, not through intellect but through the Son's choice. Use these questions to explore the implications together.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does Jesus claim about His relationship with the Father in this verse? List each claim.
- Observation: How does the preceding context (vv.17, 21) prepare for this declaration? What contrasts appear between 'the wise' and 'little children'?
- Interpretation: The verb 'knows' (γινώσκει) is present tense. What kind of knowing is this? How does it differ from knowing facts about someone?
- Interpretation: Why does Jesus emphasize that no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son reveals Him? What does that say about human ability to reach God?
- Application: If knowing the Father depends entirely on the Son's choice, how does that affect your prayer life? Your evangelism?
- Application: The verse ends with revelation. How have you experienced the Son 'revealing' the Father in your own life? Share a concrete example if comfortable.
- Connection: Read Matthew 11:27 and John 1:18. How do these parallel passages deepen your understanding of Jesus' unique role?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 11:27 | All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him. |
| Matthew 28:18 | Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. |
| John 1:18 | No one has seen God at any time. The only born Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him. |
| John 3:35 | The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. |
| John 5:22 | For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son, |
| John 5:27 | He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. |
| John 6:44 | No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up in the last day. |
| John 6:46 | Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws attention to a textual question: some ancient manuscripts add "And turning to his disciples, he said" at this point, but he agrees with Griesbach and White that those words should be removed, since they likely came from a later verse.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator notes that this verse is a rare place where the Synoptic Gospels closely resemble John's deeply relational teaching about the Father and the Son. The same view, that all authority has been given to Christ by the Father, is assumed in Paul's earlier letters and fully developed in his later ones.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note observes that the Father and Son alone fully know each other. No one can know the Son except the Father, and no one can know the Father except the Son and those the Son chooses to reveal Him to. This underscores the exclusive and sovereign nature of divine revelation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the knowledge between the Father and the Son is mutual and exclusive: only the Father truly knows the Son, and only the Son fully knows the Father. This means the Son alone can reveal the Father to anyone, making Him the sole gate to knowing God.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the seventy disciples were not a permanent second order of ministers but a temporary mission, sent ahead to prepare specific towns for Jesus' arrival. Their brief, intense task accomplished, they rejoined the wider circle of followers, with the number seventy possibly symbolizing the gospel's universal scope.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that the disciples rejoiced over their miraculous power, but Jesus redirected their joy toward the greater miracle of their names being written in heaven. The working of wonders, however impressive, is not the deepest cause for gladness.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Are delivered [ παρεδοζη] . See on Mt 11:27 .
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws attention to the essential oneness of the Son with the Father, then immediately turns to exclaim the Father's attributes. For him, acknowledging Christ's divine identity leads naturally to praising the Father's greatness, wisdom, and goodness.