Matthew 13 17

Matthew 13:17 kjv

For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Matthew 13:17 nkjv

for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Matthew 13:17 niv

For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people 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 esv

For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Matthew 13:17 nlt

I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it.

Matthew 13 verses

Matthew 13 17 Meaning

This verse underscores the profound privilege and unique blessing bestowed upon the disciples of Jesus, distinguishing their experience from the earnest yearning of prophets and righteous individuals who lived before Christ's first coming. It declares that many revered figures from Israel's past longed intensely to witness the fulfillment of God's promises, specifically the dawning of the Kingdom of God and the person of the Messiah, yet were unable to; a truth now manifest directly before the eyes and ears of Jesus's disciples. It is a declaration of the culminating point of redemptive history.

Matthew 13 17 Context

Matthew 13 records Jesus’s discourse on the Kingdom of Heaven through parables, specifically beginning with the Parable of the Sower. Following this parable, the disciples ask Jesus why He speaks to the crowds in parables (Mt 13:10). Jesus's reply, found in Matthew 13:11-15, reveals that understanding the mysteries of the Kingdom is given to His disciples but not to others, leading to a state of judicial hardening for those who refuse to truly see and hear. Matthew 13:16 then directly states, "But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." Verse 17 builds on this beatitude, elaborating why the disciples are blessed: because they are living in the time of fulfillment that previous generations longed for. It highlights the uniqueness of their position in redemptive history, having the physical presence of the Messiah and the direct revelation of His teachings concerning the Kingdom of God. This passage therefore delineates the different responses to Jesus's message and emphasizes the incomparable privilege of genuine discipleship.

Matthew 13 17 Word analysis

• For assuredly (Greek: ἀμὴν γὰρ, amēn gar): This phrase, amēn legō hymin (Amen, I say to you), signifies a strong declaration, an absolute truth, emphasizing the certainty and solemnity of what follows. Jesus frequently uses "Amen, I say to you" to preface significant statements, indicating His divine authority. "Gar" means "for" or "because," linking this statement directly to the previous verse about the disciples' blessedness.
• I say to you (Greek: λέγω ὑμῖν, legō hymin): Indicates a direct address to the disciples, setting apart the intimate revelation given to them.
• many (Greek: πολλοὶ, polloi): Denotes a significant number, emphasizing that it was not just a few but a vast array of prominent figures throughout Israel's history.
• prophets (Greek: προφῆται, prophētai): Refers to the spokespersons for God in the Old Testament, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Elijah, and Elisha, who received divine revelation and declared God's will and future plans, especially concerning the Messiah and His Kingdom.
• and righteous people (Greek: καὶ δίκαιοι, kai dikaioi): This refers to Old Testament individuals who lived in covenant faithfulness with God, distinguished by their piety, integrity, and obedience, like Abraham, David, and numerous unnamed faithful believers. Their righteousness stemmed from faith in God's promises.
• longed (Greek: ἐπεθύμησαν, epithymēsantes): From epithymeō, meaning "to set one's heart on," "to earnestly desire," "to long for." Here, it expresses an intense, positive yearning or eager expectation. It conveys a deep internal desire for the coming fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.
• to see what you see (Greek: ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε, idein ha blepete): Refers to witnessing the physical manifestation of Jesus Christ, His miracles, His ministry, and the initial dawning of the Kingdom of God. "Idein" implies a comprehensive spiritual perception beyond mere physical sight. The presence of the King was what they longed to behold.
• and did not see it (Greek: καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν, kai ouk eidan): Despite their intense desire, their longing remained unfulfilled during their lifetime. They received revelation, but not its physical, personal fulfillment.
• and to hear what you hear (Greek: καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε, kai akousai ha akouete): Refers to hearing the direct teaching and authoritative words of Jesus, the very wisdom of God incarnate, which unveils the mysteries of the Kingdom. The words of the King were what they longed to receive directly.
• and did not hear it (Greek: καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν, kai ouk ēkousan): Emphasizes that the direct, personal encounter with Christ's teaching was a privilege uniquely given to the disciples.

• "Many prophets and righteous people longed": This phrase highlights the anticipation woven throughout the Old Testament. These individuals were conduits and custodians of God's promises concerning the Messiah and His Kingdom. Their "longing" was not merely passive waiting, but an active, hopeful expectation, shaped by divine prophecy, underscoring the continuity of God's plan from old to new covenants.
• "To see what you see and to hear what you hear": This parallelism contrasts the disciples' tangible, sensory experience of Jesus's person and teaching with the prophetic foresight or indirect understanding available to those in previous ages. It points to the uniqueness of the incarnation—God drawing near to humanity in Christ. What was once only prophesied or dimly seen is now being lived out and made plainly evident. This is the fulfillment of ages.

Matthew 13 17 Bonus section

• The Culmination of Revelation: This verse strongly emphasizes that Jesus's advent is the decisive turning point in salvation history, the culmination of all prior divine revelation. God, who spoke fragmentarily and in varied ways through prophets, has now spoken decisively through His Son (Heb 1:1-2).
• A "Kairos" Moment: The disciples lived in a specific kairos—a divine moment in time where God's purposes, previously foretold, were brought to full expression. Their blessedness wasn't due to personal merit, but divine appointment to be eyewitnesses to this unparalleled era.
• Active "Longing": The verb epithymēsantes (longed) carries significant weight. It denotes an intense, active desire. This wasn't passive waiting; Old Testament figures wrestled, prayed, and lived in anticipation of what was to come, creating a spiritual vacuum for Messiah that Jesus now fills.
• Contrast with Blindness/Deafness: This statement serves as a stark contrast to the spiritual blindness and deafness of the crowds mentioned earlier in Matthew 13:13-15, who "see" but do not perceive, and "hear" but do not understand. The disciples are the privileged few who truly see and hear.
• The Greater "Moses" and "Prophet": The "prophets" of the Old Testament foretold the coming of a greater prophet (Deut 18:15). In Jesus, not only did that prophet arrive, but the divine reality itself was present for the disciples to experience, validating all previous prophecy and covenant promises.

Matthew 13 17 Commentary

Matthew 13:17 acts as a powerful capstone to Jesus's explanation of why He teaches in parables and why His disciples are uniquely blessed. It reveals the climactic nature of Jesus's ministry. For centuries, God's people, led by inspired prophets and devoted righteous individuals, looked forward with fervent hope to the coming of the Messiah and the full establishment of God's reign. They faithfully conveyed God's word, received visions, and walked by faith, believing in promises they would not see fulfilled in their lifetime (Heb 11:13). Their longings, embedded in the very fabric of Old Testament Scripture and piety, reached their crescendo with the appearance of Jesus. The disciples, by contrast, lived at the pivotal moment of history when these prophecies were being gloriously fulfilled right before their eyes and ears. They were physically present with the Word of God incarnate, witnessing His miracles, hearing His authoritative teaching, and seeing the firstfruits of the Kingdom of God break into the world. This grants them an unprecedented insight into divine truth and an unmatched privilege, highlighting that simply living in Jesus's physical presence brought an immeasurable blessing and access to truth beyond anything previously experienced, understood as a direct gift from God (Mt 16:17). This calls believers today to appreciate the profound truth revealed in Christ, understanding that even the most devout figures of old would have given anything to experience what we know through Christ and the completed New Testament revelation.