"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."
Introduction
This short saying from Matthew 13:17 follows Jesus' teaching in parables and his private explanation to the disciples. With a solemn opening—truly I tell you—Jesus contrasts the longing of earlier prophets and righteous people with the present privilege of his hearers: many had yearned to see and hear what the disciples now experience, yet they did not.
Historical-Cultural Context and Authorship
The Gospel of Matthew is traditionally attributed to Matthew the tax collector, one of Jesus' twelve disciples, and was written for a largely Jewish-Christian audience. Most scholars date it to the late first century and recognize that its author used Gospel traditions and Old Testament scriptures to show Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel's hopes. Chapter 13 is set in a Galilean teaching context: Jesus speaks from a boat to crowds on the shore with private explanations given to the disciples.
In the Greek text this verse begins with ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν (amen legō hymin), a phrase Jesus often uses to underline certainty. The words for prophet and righteous are προφῆται and δίκαιοι, and the verb translated longed is ἐπεθύμησαν, a strong term conveying deep yearning. The contrast between ἰδεῖν (to see) and ἀκούσαι (to hear) underscores both visual and auditory participation in God's revelation through Jesus, a theme rooted in Jewish Scripture and Second Temple expectation of the coming kingdom.
Characters and Places
The verse mentions two groups: 'many prophets'—the canonical and pre-canonical messengers like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other prophetic voices of Israel who spoke of the coming salvation—and 'righteous people'—the faithful of Israel who lived in expectation of God's deliverance. The addressees, 'you,' are the disciples who have been given privileged access to Jesus' teaching and to the unfolding of the kingdom. The larger scene of Matthew 13 frames this at the Sea of Galilee where Jesus taught the crowds and then explained parables privately to his followers.
Explanation and Meaning of the Text
Jesus affirms that those who came before him—prophets and the devout—longed for the revelation that the disciples now witness. The prophets spoke by God's inspiration about a future kingdom, restoration, and the Messiah, but they did not see the full realization of those hopes in their lifetimes. The righteous likewise hoped for God's decisive intervention. By saying they 'longed to see' and 'longed to hear,' Matthew captures both the intensity of their desire and the sorrow of their unfulfilled expectation.
At the same time the verse highlights the distinctive nature of Jesus' revelation: God is now making known what was previously veiled. Earlier voices anticipated; now the Word is present in person. This is not merely historical nostalgia but theological continuity: Jesus' ministry fulfills prophetic expectation while also establishing a new economy of revelation in which the mysteries of the kingdom are disclosed to those who listen with faith.
The verse also carries pastoral and ethical force. Privilege brings responsibility. The disciples' access to sight and sound of Jesus' teaching calls for attentive faith and faithful witness. Matthew's narrative repeatedly links revelation to receptivity—those who have ears to hear must listen—and to stewardship—what one hears and sees must be lived and shared. Linguistically, ἐπεθύμησαν conveys a longing that points not to a deficit on God's part but to the generous timing of God's plan; God reveals in Christ at the appointed hour.
Devotional
Remember with gratitude that the blessings you enjoy—hearing the gospel, seeing the life of Christ in Scripture and sacrament, experiencing the Spirit's guidance—are gifts that even honored figures of faith longed for. Let that recognition lead you to worship: the privilege of knowing Christ is a grace that evokes awe rather than entitlement.
Let the contrast between longing and present revelation shape your response. Receive what you have been shown with humility, cultivate attentive faith, and share the good news with others. In doing so you join the line of prophets and the righteous—not as those who lacked sight, but as those who now steward and bear witness to the fulfillment of God's promise.