THESE two verses record a word from Jesus specially reserved for his disciples. We are specifically told that Jesus turned to his disciples privately. The general crowd around were not included. The message Jesus gave them was that they were extraordinarily privileged. They were blessed with knowledge and truth which was denied to the Old Testament saints.

What are we being told here. We are being told that there is light of truth when Jesus came, and onwards in the Bible, which was not available to the believers in the Old Testament. What this is saying is that, though the Old Testament believers believed in the same truth of salvation as we do in the New Testament, their understanding of it was limited, because Christ, the Messiah, had not yet come. They believed that in the Messiah they received eternal salvation, but they did not possess the light of truth which we in the New Testament are privileged to know. The Old Testament saints looked in faith for the salvation promised, but they were not privileged to see the Messiah, or hear about the greatness of his saving work. So when Simeon was privileged to see the baby Jesus, he could say "For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel."

There are two things revealed here which brings blessing to our soul. The first is that Jesus particularly and in a special way, reveals himself and speaks to the true believer. He says things to those he reveals the Father to in a special and deeper way than to any other. Just as Jesus preached to all the people many truths, but here speaks privately to his disciples, so every true believer in Jesus knows an intimacy with Jesus which is reserved for them, and not for those still unconverted. We see this demonstrated when Mary sat at Jesus feet, and Jesus taught here privately. Martha could have heard as well if she had also sat at Jesus feet and was not cumbered by earthly duties. It is a fact that so often this privilege of hearing Jesus privately is missed by believers because they are too busy with the ordinary things of life. Martha was told that Mary had chosen the better part. Martha was being told that she needed to be less busy with ordinary tasks, and give time to be with Jesus. We have a similar example of Jesus speaking privately to his disciples when we meet him drawing near to the two disciples on their journey to Emmaus. Jesus opened up the Scriptures, that was the Old Testament, and showed them all the wonderful things revealed about himself, and that he had to suffer and to rise again, and why.

This leads us to the second thing these two verses reveal to us. These two verses encourage us to give time to come apart to be with Jesus in private in order to hear his words to us. Jesus shows us here that he is always ready to bless us with more and deeper understanding of his truth. It is a ploy of the devil to keep us from spending time with Jesus, to sit at his feet, and to listen to him. The devil is so clever at raising up this duty or that occupation which he tells us must be done, and he does this to keep us from Jesus. The devil also is clever at placing in our minds all sorts of things which clutter our lives, and so keeps us from opening our mind to Jesus.

No believer will be blessed unless they attend to the means of grace, such as Sunday worship, and weekly Bible study and prayer; but what is being revealed here in Jesus speaking privately to his disciples is the blessing of coming apart alone to be with Jesus in reading his word and prayer. We may say that we are so busy that we can find little time for such activity. If we think like this we must resist it. It will be found that if we put time with Jesus first in our lives, not only will Jesus speak with us and open up his word, but the business of life by which we thought we had no time left over for Jesus, we will find that these duties will be accomplished so much quicker and better than they would have done if we had not had time with Jesus.

Then there are times we can spend with Jesus which perhaps we are not aware of. I find the time walking the dog a time of privilege to be with Jesus, in praise, worship and prayer. The word I have read in his word as I have got ready for the day, are brought to mind and Jesus enlarges them with blessing. I find that I need to work at seeking Jesus at this time, but when I do, even when my mind seems to be full of other things, Jesus draws near and walks with me. For us all there are times in the day when it is possible to use for prayer and worship which otherwise would be wasted.