New Testament · Gospel

Matthew 13:17

Secrets of the Kingdom

For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Matthew 13:17 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Matthew 13:17, in plain English

Jesus says: many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you are seeing and hear what you are hearing, but they never got the chance. You are living in a privileged moment.

Why it's here

The heroes of the Old Testament spent their lives pointing to this moment. The disciples are living in the time everyone else dreamed about.

Who's speaking

Jesus speaks to the disciples.

Where it sits in the story

Jesus helps His followers appreciate what they have. The greatest people in history wanted to be where you are right now. Do not take it for granted.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

Jesus reveals the privilege of the disciples' historical moment: many prophets (prophetai) and righteous men (dikaioi) longed (epethumasan) to see and hear what the disciples experience but could not -- they lived in the era of promise, not fulfillment.

Language and setting

This statement frames the disciples' experience as the fulfillment of centuries of anticipation. The prophets and righteous of the Old Testament looked forward to the messianic era the disciples now inhabit.

Voice

Jesus emphasizes the privilege of the disciples' moment in history.

Significance

Jesus puts the disciples' experience in historical perspective: they are witnessing what the greatest figures of Israel's history yearned for but never saw -- the arrival of the kingdom.

In context

Matthew 13:15–19

15For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

17For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18Consider, then, the parable of the sower:

19When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

Read all of Matthew 13 — A farmer scatters seed, a woman hides yeast, a merchant finds a pearl. Jesus teaches in parables — and not everyone is meant to understand.

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