Matthew 21.16/Psalm 8.2 — The perfect spritual weapon, the praise of children…
As Jesus is walking through the Temple, healing the blind and lame that come to him, the children cry out, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David.’ Did you ever consider that their praise was somehow tied to His healing? The chief priests and scribes didn’t. They called Him to account for receiving, even encouraging the children’s praises, that the praise and the reception of it are blasphemous while His is the greater sin. In response, Jesus’ acknowledges both the children’s praise and the pharisaic chastisement. He rebukes the spirit of religion resting on both priest and scribe using His Word in Psalm 8.2: “Out of the mouths of babies and sucklings you have brought perfect praise…”
A word study of the NT Greek words translated, “have brought,” and, “perfect praise,” yield powerful insight into God’s relationship with children; and, insight into His confrontation with the church. We still don’t understand what He clearly demonstrated to those men. In the context of Psalm 8, Jesus provides us valuable teaching for overhauling today’s children’s ministry. Let’s look at the noun first, and then the verb.
The NT Greek word, “ainos,” which is translated, “praise,” occurs only twice in the NT. (The other is in Luke 18.43 when the crowd ‘praises’ God following Jesus’ healing of a blind man.) As the chief priests and scribes note, the children’s praise is very special. The Hebrew in Psalm 8.2 is, “halal,.” which is translated as, “ainos,” in the LXX. This is praise fit only for God; it is praise merited only by God. It may be considered as the only sacrifice appropriate to God. And, here it is in the mouths of children — they are given the honor of releasing the sound. How did it get there? God put it there for Himself.
The effect of this combination of “ainos,” with, the verb form “katartiso,” relating God with children is as astounding in Matthew as it is in Psalm 8. As it appears, this verb is usually translated in the perfect sense, “You have brought…” Well, as it happens, “katartiso” is a second person singular, first aorist, middle voice, indicative verb.The middle voice in NT Greek indicates the act is being done by the actor for the actor.So, we might more accurately say that God is establishing (cf. 1 Thes. 3.10), or ordering (cf. Heb. 11.3), or fore-ordaining (cf. Rom. 9.22) God’s own praise.Since God is acting on God’s behalf, the ‘ainos,’ is said to be, “perfect.” While the NT Greek does not literally say, “perfect,” the translation recognizes the effect as He does it for Himself.
So far, we have the only sacrifice appropriate to God (ainos) being established for the children by God for God — with what effect?Psalm 8.2 says with devastating effect for the enemy.Turns out, this specific praise is a bulwark, a defense, as well as a weapon against the enemy and the avenger.Said another way, these praises God organizes for Himself and gives to the children confuse, torment, and route the enemy — they deliver, heal and restore.
As we see in Matthew 21.16, the children call, He answers, the enemy is routed, and, anyone in the area who will receive it is delivered and healed.Let us pray God’s ‘katartiso,’ for our children’s equipping so that they may be released to, ‘ainos.’
Selah… halleluiah.