Mat 11:25 I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible and a caution to all of us who ever think we are becoming wise. Humility and even silliness are the keys to unlocking Christ's meaning.

"Thank you" is really exomologeo, which means "to confess," "to admit," and "to acknowledge." Christ is not thanking God here but admitting a truth.

"Lord of heaven and earth" is kurios (lord) ouranos (heaven) kai (and) ge (earth). Kurios specifically means "having power and authority." It is not a noun but and adjective.

"Hid from" is apokruptô, which "to hide from," "to conceal from," and "to keep hidden from." It also means, interestingly, "to lose from sight." Adding the interesting idea that the wise lose the ability to see certain things.

"Wise" is sophos, which means "skilled at practical matters," "clever," and "wise. The idea is those with experience and common sense.

"Prudent" is sunetos, which means "intelligent," "sagacious," and "wise." Here, the idea is more learning and natural intelligence.

"Revealed" is apokaluptô, which means to "uncover," "reveal" and "unmask." It is the opposite of kaluptô, "to cover" and "to hide."

"Babes" is nêpios, which means "child" and "infant." It is used here for the first time instead of others words used earlier for children. I think because it is a metaphor for "childish" and "silly" people.

A better translation of this verse might be: "I confess to you Father, the earthly and universal authority, that you have kept this hidden from the skilled and learned and uncovered it for the silly."

This continues Christ's explanation that those who consider themselves "chosen" have a problem seeing the truth, while those who admit their shortcomings are open to understanding. I love the fact that Christ (or Matthew) uses a play on words here, contrasting apokruptô and apokaluptô, playing a little word game with this idea. In the original Greek, Christ's words are much more playful than they come across in English translation. I think Matthew is trying to capture the feeling of what it was like to listen to Christ's teaching. I am sure that many who listened to Christ thought he was often silly and childish rather than solemn and serious. This is why they attacked him for being too worldly.