For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.
All Commentaries on Matthew 13:17 Go To Matthew 13
Jerome
AD 420
We must enquire how they could come to Him at that time when Jesus was sitting in the ship; we may understand that they had at the first entered into the ship, and standing there, made this enquiry of Him.
Or, To the Apostles who believe in Christ there is given, but from the Jews who believed not on the Son of God there is taken away, even whatever good they might seem to have by nature. For they cannot understand any thing with wisdom, seeing they have not the head of wisdom.
This He says of those who were standing on the shore, and separated from Jesus, and who because of the dashing of the waves, heard not distinctly what wassaid.
If we had not read above that invitation to his hearers to understand, when the Saviour said, “He that hath ears to hear let him hear,” we might here suppose that the eyes and ears which are now blessed are those of the body. But I think that those eyes are blessed which can discern Christ’s sacraments, and those ears of which Isaiah speaks, “The Lord hath given me an ear.” .
This place seems to be contradicted by what is said elsewhere. “Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad.”
