Today's segment is the first mention of thanksgiving, as such, in the gospels. The passage is an account of Jesus praying to the Father. Jesus is thanking God for a very interesting thing: for hiding from the wise, and revealing to "babes." The reason given is that "it seemed good in thy [the Father's] sight."
This view of God provided in the gospels shows a very different picture of God from that which we typically see from certain non-Calvinist preachers. They would like to suggest that God is out there trying to reveal himself to as many as possible, but Jesus thanks God for hiding himself from the wise and revealing himself to babes. Jesus is even more explicit in his teaching of monergism, saying that no one knows the Father except those to whom the Son reveals the Father.
But Jesus' prayer is also useful simply as a model of a prayer of thanks: (1) Jesus prays to the Father, (2) Jesus thanks the father, (3) Jesus praises and adores the Father ascribing (a) Kingdom and (b) Providence to Him, and (4) Jesus submits himself to the will of the Father. This is similar to portions of the so-called "Lord's Prayer" which is a more complete model of prayer for us, the disciples of Christ.
I've included both of the synoptic accounts, and you will see that they differ inconsequentially from one another.
Matthew 11:25-27
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Luke 10:21-22
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
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.
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