For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to hear this and think it's about how great the disciples are for hearing Jesus. But the real punch is how much those revered figures of old – prophets and kings like Abraham and David – longed for what these ordinary followers now possess. Their desire highlights not the disciples' superiority, but the incredible, previously hidden reality of God's kingdom that Jesus had just unveiled.
For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just heard His disciples joyfully report their success in casting out demons in His name. In response, He blesses God and rejoices that the disciples are experiencing spiritual insight, contrasting their privilege with the longing of past prophets and kings who yearned to witness the Messianic age firsthand. This affirmation highlights the unique opportunity these followers have to see and hear Jesus, the fulfillment of all Old Testament hopes.
Imagine the greatest heroes of faith – prophets and kings – straining to catch a glimpse of something they could only dream of. Jesus is telling us they deeply yearned for what His followers were experiencing firsthand.
Prophets and Kings' Deep Desire
Jesus highlights a profound contrast: the disciples' present reality was the subject of intense longing for revered figures of the past.
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You're not just a spectator in God's story; you're an active participant. Jesus' words carry a weighty reminder: your ability to 'hear' today is a precious gift with a divine purpose.
Hearing God's Unveiled Truth
Jesus’ statement isn't just about the past; it’s a direct address to the disciples' present, underscoring the immense privilege and responsibility that comes with receiving God's revelation.
Understand the original words
prophētēs · Greek Noun
Individuals chosen by God in the Old Testament to receive and communicate divine revelation. They often anticipated the coming Messiah and the fulfillment of God’s redemptive promises.
The disciples' present experience of witnessing and participating in Jesus' ministry is highlighted as a fulfillment of long-held hopes, surpassing the understanding of even the most esteemed figures of Israel's past.
~2000 BC
Abraham called to a new land
God calls Abraham to leave his homeland and promises him descendants and blessings, initiating a covenant relationship that prophets and kings throughout Israel's history would ponder.
~1000 BC
David's reign and prophetic insights
King David, a prominent figure known for his prophetic writings and deep longing for God, serves as an example of those who sought God's will and future revelations.
c. 8th - 6th century BC
Prophets speak of future hope
Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah foretell a coming King and a new covenant, expressing a deep desire to understand the full implications of God's redemptive plan.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus commissions the Seventy
Jesus sends out seventy disciples, empowering them to preach, heal, and cast out demons, giving them a unique firsthand experience of God's kingdom breaking into the world.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' ministry and teachings
Jesus openly demonstrates the Kingdom of God through His miracles, teachings, and identity, revealing truths about God that generations before had only glimpsed.
Jesus directly parallels this, telling His disciples that their eyes and ears are blessed because they see and hear what many righteous people and prophets longed to see and hear.
1 Peter 1:10-12Peter explains that the prophets themselves searched and inquired about the salvation we now experience, showing their deep desire to understand the message the disciples are now hearing directly.
John 8:56Jesus tells the Jewish leaders that Abraham rejoiced to see His day, but they themselves did not see it, highlighting the fulfillment of prophetic longing in Jesus' presence.
Hebrews 11:13This passage speaks of the faithful ancestors who 'died in faith, not receiving what was promised, but having seen them from a distance,' emphasizing their longing for the realities the disciples now witness.
ellicottLuke 10:24: "For I tell you, that many prophets and kings 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."
(24) Many prophets and kings. . . . —There is a slight verbal difference here as compared with St. Matthew’s report, which gives “prophets and righteous men.”
bengelLuke 10:24: "For I tell you, that many prophets and kings 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."
Luke 10:24 . Προφῆται καὶ βασιλεῖς , prophets and kings ) who were otherwise highly blessed. An example of both is furnished in Abraham, who was at once a prophet and prince: Genesis 23:6 ; Genesis 20:7 : so also David, who was both a prophet and a king, and the father of so many kings.
It's easy to hear this and think it's about how great the disciples are for hearing Jesus. But the real punch is how much those revered figures of old – prophets and kings like Abraham and David – longed for what these ordinary followers now possess. Their desire highlights not the disciples' superiority, but the incredible, previously hidden reality of God's kingdom that Jesus had just unveiled.
Jesus has just heard His disciples joyfully report their success in casting out demons in His name. In response, He blesses God and rejoices that the disciples are experiencing spiritual insight, contrasting their privilege with the longing of past prophets and kings who yearned to witness the Messianic age firsthand. This affirmation highlights the unique opportunity these followers have to see and hear Jesus, the fulfillment of all Old Testament hopes.
Jesus has just heard His disciples joyfully report their success in casting out demons in His name. In response, He blesses God and rejoices that the disciples are experiencing spiritual insight, contrasting their privilege with the longing of past prophets and kings who yearned to witness the Messianic age firsthand. This affirmation highlights the unique opportunity these followers have to see and hear Jesus, the fulfillment of all Old Testament hopes.
"For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”" — It's easy to hear this and think it's about how great the disciples are for hearing Jesus. But the real punch is how much those revered figures of old – prophets and kings like Abraham and David –…
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Last reviewed October 2026