Matthew 13:16-17
Jesus has been explaining why He speaks to the multitudes in parables. But in Matthew 13:16-17, He changes gears and gives blessing to His disciples for their eyes that see He is the Son of God; and blessing for their ears that hear the gospel – the teachings that Jesus is giving them in His physical time on earth. Jesus declares in 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.
This is the promise of the coming Messiah being revealed.
Can you imagine… the desires of the prophets of the Old Testament to lay their eyes on the Messiah – Jesus – the Holy One of God! What marvelous revelations He would teach; what wonderful blessings He would give; the miracles, the healings. The wonder of it all must have been overwhelming – as it should be for us today! These people – the multitudes that are described in the gospels were the ones to be witness to Jesus, but they didn’t get it – they didn’t believe. But the disciples of Jesus did believe, and Jesus is commending them for their faith in Him —He is acknowledging the magnificent wonder in which He has chosen them to witness, and He is letting them know that walking and talking – learning from Him – God Himself in human form… is the biggest thing that a human could ever do, and the disciples of Jesus are the ones to receive that gift from God…and they are blessed for it. Simeon declared in Luke 2:30-32 in the fulfillment of God’s promise to him to see the Savior,
“For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the
Face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the
Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Today we have the Bible – the Word of God to teach us the lessons that God inspired the prophets and apostles to write down so that we too may receive the revelation from God of a Savior – Jesus – and of the blessings we are to receive for opening our hearts to Him and believing in Him. God works through His Holy Spirit, and that is the magnificent thing for us today, that we too can experience the same blessings that the disciples of Jesus experienced for putting their faith in Jesus. Put your trust in Jesus today, and you will see, and your will hear, as He fills you with His Holy Spirit.
Dear LORD,
The disciples of Jesus were the ones to witness the physical Jesus walking with them and teaching them of Your will for our lives as Your children. We thank You LORD for sending Your Holy Spirit to live within all who will believe in You – in Your One and only Son Jesus, the Savior of the world, so that we too may experience the blessings of personally knowing Jesus through our faith in Him. Thank You LORD! In Jesus name I pray, amen.