Answering critics, and we must remember that when Jesus addresses the Father aloud, he is speaking for those listening.
Matthew 11:26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Matthew 11:26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
Yes, this Father exists. Because, in this way, satisfaction comes into being by itself in front of you.
Hardly a single word in the short verse is what it appears to be in the KJV. There is no Greek word for "seemed," "good," or "sight." However, a direct translated of this verse is more difficult to understand than the KJV.
The "the Father" here does not address God. "Father" is not in the form of address. It is in the form of a subject without a related verb, so the verb "to be" or "to exist" is assumed.
However, the next part of the verse addressed to the Father. The word translated as "seemed" and "pleased" means "become." The word translave as "good" and
Even so(CW), (MW) Father(WF): for so it seemed(WW) good(CW) in(CW) thy sight(IW).
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "even so" is the common word usually translated as "yes."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "father" is not in the form of address but acts as a subject without a verb.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "seemed" should be something more like "become" or "happen."
- CW --Confusing Word -- This is not one of the common words usually translated as "good.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "in" is the common word usually translated as "before" or "in front of."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "sight" doesn't exist in the source.
Yes, (MW) Father(WF), for this is what you(WW) were pleased to do(IW) (MW) (MW).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "father" is not in the form of address but acts as a subject without a verb.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "you" should be something more like "he".
- WW - Wrong Word -- The verb translated as "were to do" should be something more like "become".
- WW - Wrong Word -- -- The word "to do" is not an infinitive by a doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "before" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "you" is not shown in the English translation.
Even so, -- (CW) "Even so" is a word that means "yes," "truly," "assuredly," and "even so." It is always an affirmative response. This word is usually translated as some form of "yes."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Father: - (WF) The "Father" here is not Jesus addressing his Father. The form isn't right. We saw the vocative form in the previous verse. Its form is that of the subject of the sentence. This is especially clear because the word is preceded by an article ("the") in English, which is left out of the English version. There is no verb that we would normally associate with the subject so the sense is "the Father is" but since the Father is being addressed later in the verse and in the verse before, the sense is "[you are] the Father."
for - In the Greek source, "for" is a word here that means "that" or "because."
so - "So" is a Greek adverb that means "in this way" or "this is why."
it - -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
seemed - (WW) "Seemed" is a Greek verb that means "to come into being," "to be produced," and "to come to pass." It is in a form where the subject of the sentence does this to itself of for itself. It means to enter into a new state. The subject here seems to be the word translated as "good," which precedes the verb and is in the form of a subject. While at first, it looks like "the Father" could the subject here, that doesn't work because the adjective subject, "good," doesn't match the masculine form of "father." Conceptually, God doesn't become. He is.
good - (CW) "Good" is a word that means "goodwill," "contentment," "an object of desire," "satisfaction," and "approval." We might simply say "happiness." This is the only time Jesus uses this word is here and in the parallel in Luke 10:21. This word is in the form of the subject of the sentence. This is not one of the common words usually translated as "good."
in -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "in" means "in front of" referring to place and when used to apply to time means "beforehand."
thy -- The word translated as "thy" is the genitive form of the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form. However, it is the object of the previous preposition, "before you."
sight. - (IW) This completes the idea of the preposition as "in front of," but it is confusing because there is not Greek word referring to "sight" here.
Yes, -- "Yes" is a word that means "yes," "truly," "assuredly," and "even so." It is always an affirmative response. This word is usually translated as some form of "yes."
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Father: - (WF) The "Father" here is not Jesus addressing his Father. The form isn't right. We saw the vocative form in the previous verse. Its form is that of the subject of the sentence. This is especially clear because the word is preceded by an article ("the") in English, which is left out of the English version. There is no verb that we would normally associate with the subject so the sense is "the Father is" but since the Father is being addressed later in the verse and in the verse before, the sense is "[you are] the Father."
for - In the Greek source, "for" is a word here that means "that" or "because."
this is what- "The is what" is a Greek adverb that means "in this way" or "this is why."
you - -- (WW) This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
were - (WW) "Were" is a Greek verb that means "to come into being," "to be produced," and "to come to pass." It is in a form where the subject of the sentence does this to itself of for itself. It means to enter into a new state. The subject here seems to be the word translated as "good," which precedes the verb and is in the form of a subject. While at first, it looks like "the Father" could the subject here, that doesn't work because the adjective subject, "good," doesn't match the masculine form of "father." Conceptually, God doesn't become. He is.
pleased - "Pleased " is a word that means "goodwill," "contentment," "an object of desire," "satisfaction," and "approval." We might simply say "happiness." This is the only time Jesus uses this word is here and in the parallel in Luke 10:21. This word is in the form of the subject of the sentence.
to do. -- (WF) This completes the sense of the verb. The verb is active, without an infinitive.
missing "in front of" -- (MW) The untranslated word means "in front of" referring to place and when used to apply to time means "beforehand."
missing "you" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the singular, second-person pronoun, which is most commonly the possessive form. However, it is the object of the previous preposition, "before you."
ναί, [8 verses](exclamation) "Even so" is nai , which means "yes," "truly," "assuredly," and "even so." It is always an affirmative response.
ὁ (article sg masc nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
πατήρ, (noun sg masc nom) "Father" is from pater, which means "father," "grandfather," "author," "parent," and "forefathers." -
ὅτι (adv/conj) "For" is from hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
οὕτως (adv) "So" is from houtos, which means "this," "that," "the nearer." As an adverb, it means "in this way," "therefore," "so much," "to such an extent," and "that is why."
εὐδοκία [2 verses](noun sg fem nom ) "Good" is eudokia, which means "goodwill," "contentment," "an object of desire," "satisfaction," and "approval."
ἐγένετο (3rd sg aor ind mid) "It seemed" is from ginomai, which means "to become," "to come into being," "to happen," and "to be produced." It means changing into a new state of being. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi)which indicates existence in the same state.
ἔμπροσθέν (adv, prep) "In" is from emprosthen, which as an adverb means [of place]"in front of," "before," "forwards," [of time] "before," "of old," and as a preposition, "facing," "opposite," "in front," [of time] beforehand," and [of degree] "preferred before." It also denotes a ranking.
σου. (pron 2nd sg gen) "Thy" is from sou which means "you" and "your."
“You address the Divine as a father?” challenged one of the Distinguished.
“Yes, the Father,” the Nazarene answered.
“Why?” challenged another.
“Because, in this way, contentment produces itself,” responded the Master, making a little now, “in front of you.”