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.
For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired, [ epethumeesan (G1937 ) - rather, 'coveted,'] 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. Not only were the disciples blessed above the blinded just spoken of, but favoured above the most honoured and the best that lived under the old economy, who had but glimpses of the things of the new kingdom, just sufficient to kindle in them desires not to be fulfilled to any in their day. In Luke 10:23-24, where the same saying is repeated on the return of the Seventy-the words, instead of "many prophets and righteous men," are "many prophets and kings;" for several of the Old Testament saints were kings.
The subject of both these Parables-which teach the same truth, with a slight diversity of aspect-is:
THE MIXED CHARACTER OF THE KINGDOM IN ITS PRESENT STATE, AND THE FINAL ABSOLUTE SEPARATION OF THE TWO CLASSES