Undoubtedly, O Father This expression removes every pretense for that licentiousness of inquiry, to which we are continually excited. There is nothing which we yield to God with greater difficulty, than that his will shall be regarded by us as the highest reason and justice. [1] He frequently repeats, that his judgments are a deep abyss, (Psalm 36:6;) but we plunge with headlong violence into that depth, [2] and if there is any thing that does not please us, we gnash our teeth, or murmur against him, and many even break out into open blasphemies. On the contrary, our Lord lays down to us this rule, that whatever God has determined must be regarded by us as right. [3] This is sober wisdom, to acquiesce in the good pleasure of God as alone equal to a thousand arguments. [4] Christ might indeed have brought forward the causes of that distinction, if there were any; but he is satisfied with the good pleasure of God, and inquires no farther why he calls to salvation little children rather than others, and composes his kingdom out of an obscure flock. [5] Hence it is evident, that men direct their fury against Christ, when, on learning that some are freely chosen, and others are reprobated, by the will of God, they storm because they find it unpleasant to yield to God. [6]

Footnotes

1 - "Pour la derniere et souveraine raison, et pour Justice parfaite;" -- "for the last and supreme reason, and for perfect justice."

2 - "Pour sonder ce qui y est;" -- "to sound what is in it."

3 - "Que tout ce que Dieu a determine est bon et droict;" -- "that all that God has determined is good and right."

4 - "Et cela est estre sage a sobriete, d'acquiescer au seul bon plaisir de Dieu, et nous y arrester paisiblement, plus que s'il y avoit dix mille raisons devant nos yeux;" -- "and this is to be wise to sobriety, to acquiesce in the good pleasure of God, and to rest calmly upon it, more than if there were ten thousand arguments before our eyes."

5 - "D'une troupe de gens incognus, et de petite estime;" -- "from a flock of persons unknown and little esteemed."

6 - "Vienent incontinent a tempester, pource quil leur fasche que Dieu ait le dernier mot;" -- "come immediately to storm, because it gives them uneasiness that God should have the last word."

Even so, Father - Ναι ο πατηρ. An emphatical ratification of the preceding address.
It was right that the heavenly wisdom, despised, rejected, and persecuted by the scribes and Pharisees, should be offered to the simple people, and afterwards to the foolish people, the Gentiles, who are the children of wisdom, and justify God in his ways, by bringing forth that fruit of the Gospel of which the Pharisees refused to receive even the seed.

(h) Even so, Father: for so it seemed (i) good in thy sight.
(h) This word shows that he contents himself in his Father's council.
(i) God's will is the only rule of righteousness.

Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Or, "so is the good will", or "pleasure before thee": thus, "let it be the good will before thee", or "in thy sight, O Lord", is a phrase often to be met with in the Jews' forms of prayer (x). Here the word designs the sovereign counsel and purpose of God, to which, and to which only, our Lord refers the different dispensations of God towards the sons of men: this is a reason which ought to satisfy everyone, and is better than ten thousand others that can be thought of, or devised by men. This difference among men, with respect to the Gospel revelation, cannot be owing to natural sagacity, prudence, and penetration; for these things are with those from whom it is hid; nor to any worthiness in those to whom it is revealed; for they are the poor, the base, the foolish things of this world, and even things that are not; nor to any foresight of their making a better use and improvement of such a revelation, but to the good will and pleasure of God only.
(x) Seder Tephillot, fol. 4. 2. & 5. 1. & passim. Ed. Amsterdam.

Even so, Father; for so it seemed good--the emphatic and chosen term for expressing any object of divine complacency; whether Christ Himself (see on Matthew 3:17), or God's gracious eternal arrangements (see on Philippians 2:13).
in thy sight--This is just a sublime echo of the foregoing words; as if Jesus, when He uttered them, had paused to reflect on it, and as if the glory of it--not so much in the light of its own reasonableness as of God's absolute will that so it should be--had filled His soul.

Even so, Father, for so it seemed good, etc. "Even so" is better rendered "Yea."