Hidden Life vs. Deep Life

 

Hidden Life vs. Deep Life

Matthew 13:5–8, 23

(Parable of the sower—full passage included)

5 And others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.

6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered.

7 And others fell on the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.

8 And others fell on the good earth and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

23 But the one sown on the good earth, this is he who hears the word and understands, who indeed bears fruit and produces, one a hundredfold, and one sixty, and one thirty.

Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your private room, and shut your door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

 

Aspect	Hidden Life	Deep Life
Meaning	Fellowship with the Father in secret, alone, unseen by others; forming a hidden foundation, not displayed outwardly.	The depth of life comes from “rooting downward,” allowing the Lord to work in our inner being so that our deep can respond to the deep of others.
Reason	The Lord Jesus’ pattern: He left the crowds and even His disciples, went up the mountain alone to be with the Father, and acted wholly in oneness with Him.	Without a deep inner life, one can only meet superficial needs and cannot truly supply others’ deep spiritual needs.
Distinction	Focuses on “being with the Father,” “being on the mountain,” “being in prayer,” and the unseen parts of the life.	Focuses on the root system of life: being rooted and grounded in Christ to supply others’ deeper needs.
Explanation	Corporate prayer is good, but it cannot replace personal secret communion; the Lord instructed us to “enter the inner room and shut the door.”	Deep spiritual supply must come from a deep-rooted life—without roots there is no fruit, nor endurance under trials.
Method	Leave the crowd, leave busyness, leave earthly things; ascend to a higher mountain; fellowship alone with the Father.	Daily allow the Lord to deal with stones, thorns, anxieties, and deceit; absorb Christ and take root in Him.
Purpose	That our actions may be in oneness with the Father, not driven by outward stimulation or success.	That life may “root downward and bear fruit upward,” supplying others and standing firm in the kingdom life.
Examples	After feeding five thousand, the Lord withdrew and went up the mountain alone to pray (Matthew 14).	The parable of the sower—only deep soil allows roots; Song of Songs 4: the bride becomes “a locked garden.”
Application	Maintain daily secret prayer time; shut the door, face God alone, and not rely on outward environment or meeting emotions.	Do not be a “rocky-ground believer”; daily absorb Christ and deal with the heart so spiritual life may gain depth.
Interrelationship	Hidden life → produces deep life. Without deep roots, hidden life is not genuine.	Deep life → strengthens hidden life. The deeper the roots, the richer the secret fellowship.
Burden	That God’s people would not remain in outward activity and excitement without true inward source.	That the Lord would work deeply within His people, rooting His life firmly within them, unshaken by outward things.
Prophetic Instruction	Lead the saints into an “inner-room” prayer life; exercise to be alone with the Father and avoid superficial spirituality.	Lead the saints to “root downward”; deal with stones and thorns so that hearing of the word is not merely outward.
Conclusion	Without hiddenness, there is no real life; without secret prayer, there is no spiritual reality.	Without deep rooting, there is no stable spiritual supply; only deep calls unto deep.
Related Scriptures	Matthew 14:14–23 14 And He came forth and saw a great crowd, and He was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick. 19 And after commanding the crowds to recline on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish and, looking up to heaven, He blessed them; and He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. 22 And immediately He compelled the disciples to step into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 And after sending the crowds away, He went up to the mountain privately to pray. And when evening fell, He was there alone. Luke 6:12 12 And in those days He went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.	Psalm 42:7 7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and Your billows have gone over me. Isaiah 37:31 31 And the remnant that has escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. Matthew 13:5–8, 18–23 (Parable of the sower—full passage included) 5 And others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered. 7 And others fell on the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. 8 And others fell on the good earth and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 23 But the one sown on the good earth, this is he who hears the word and understands, who indeed bears fruit and produces, one a hundredfold, and one sixty, and one thirty.

 

Core Summary Points:

• The hidden life concerns inward fellowship, secret dealings, and the unseen foundation before God.
• The deep life concerns rooting, depth, spiritual solidity, and inner capacity to supply.
• One produces the other: hidden life → depth; deep life → stronger hiddenness.
• Without both, spiritual living becomes superficial and outward.
• Christ Himself is the model of hiddenness and depth.

Conclusion:

The Christian life requires both hiddenness and depth.
Without a hidden life of prayer, there is no spiritual reality; without deep rooting in Christ, there is no endurance, fruitfulness, or inner capacity to supply others. Only the deep can respond to the deep.

 

*Please refer to the May 2025 International Elders and Responsible Brothers Training: General Topic: Matthew Chapters 5-7 - Extremely Important Aspects - Week 5: The Kingdom's People Have Personal Prayer Experiences, Contacting Their Heavenly Father in Secret, and Experiencing the Secret Enjoyment of the Father.