At that season Jesus answered and said (εν εκεινω τω
καιρω αποκριθεις ειπεν). Spoke to his Father in audible voice. The time
and place we do not know. But here we catch a glimpse of Jesus in one of
his moods of worship. "It is usual to call this golden utterance a
prayer, but it is at once prayer, praise, and self-communing in a devout
spirit" (Bruce). Critics are disturbed because this passage from the
Logia of Jesus or Q of Synoptic criticism (Matthew 11:25-30; Luke 10:21-24) is so manifestly Johannine in spirit and very language,
"the Father" (ο πατηρ), "the son" (ο υιος), whereas the Fourth Gospel
was not written till the close of the first century and the Logia was
written before the Synoptic Gospels. The only satisfying explanation
lies in the fact that Jesus did have this strain of teaching that is
preserved in John's Gospel. Here he is in precisely the same mood of
elevated communion with the Father that we have reflected in