Crave Truth

What did Jesus mean by, “Many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it and hear what you hear but did not hear it,”? (Matthew 13:17)

Most people teach that these prophets and righteous people wanted to see Jesus’ day when he would come and save them. I believe that is true, but I think there may be a deeper element here that we are missing.



Just before he says this he explains to the disciples that they are blessed because they are able to see and hear and understand the secrets of heaven, but the people to whom Jesus is speaking are not so lucky. Despite months and months and even years of teaching people and healing them, they missed who he was. They missed his message.

This still happens even today. Many, many people believe that Jesus was a good man or a good teacher. They like some of what he taught because he said things like, “Be kind to your neighbor. Give to the poor. Love one another. Let the children come to me.” These are all very nice things and people like nice. That is why he had thousands upon thousands that followed him and listened to him. He even fed them and had pity on them. He healed their sick. He cast out demons for them, but in the end they learned nothing. Why? How is it possible that they could sit in front of God himself and miss it?

Many of us can’t even imagine missing God. We like to think that we wouldn’t be like that. And perhaps some of us are right. Our hearts have been tuned to God so that even if he passes by like a breeze we feel him and know him and recognize him. And still, others could be sitting face to face with him and never know it.

We can learn about God all our lives and still know nothing about him. We can pour over the scriptures and teachings and still walk away without a relationship and without the most important thing, a changed heart, a reborn spirit.

This is one reason why I am not impressed with what bible college people went to or what teaching degree they have. I am not excited about what church you go to or what group of people you are in community with. I am not impressed by the size of your church or what member on staff you are. What I care about is how do you know God? Who is he to you?

You say he can be a teacher, and you accept him as such but never learn from him. You can watch him do miracles and never believe. In fact, Jesus had an opportunity to go speak to Herod, the same man that he was sent to by Pilate on the day that he was crucified. The king was asking him to come show him miracles. I think most pastors today would jump at the opportunity if the president asked them to go preach for them. But, Jesus didn’t go.

Why wouldn’t Jesus take that opportunity? Well, because he knew. He knew that all that Herod wanted was a show. He wanted Jesus to prove himself. And Jesus knew that to anyone who seeks proof will never be satisfied. The desire for proof will continue. Only after you have faith and believe will you see the proof. God is not out to prove himself, he already did. It is arrogance that says there is no God. Or as the psalmist says it, “The fool says in his heart, there is no God.” (Psalms 14:1)

So again, why did Jesus say that prophets and righteous people longed to hear what they heard and see what they saw?

Because, Jesus was revealing ancient mysteries of God and heaven. He was showing himself in the flesh that he might be known.  He was speaking in parables the truth to a people who would not accept the truth if it were spoken to them plainly. So in this, Christ was speaking to them only truth but because “their hearts were hard” they would not accept the truth in it. The prophets longed to hear the truth in fullness. They prophesied that a child would be born of a virgin. The prophesied that the throne of David would endure forever and that the Messiah would be king of the Jews. When Jesus arrived and their Messiah stood before them they did not receive him because their hearts were hard. If they had seen with their eyes and heard with their ears and understood with their hearts, they might have turned and been saved, but they were not because they only accepted God on their terms, in their way.

That is why Jesus did not go to Herod. That is why people who followed him still did not believe. That is why people still do not believe today. That is why someone can have an encounter with God and still go back to their old ways, THEIR HEARTS ARE HARD! They do not see him or hear him plainly.

The very people Jesus taught and did miracles in front of believed him to be a demon! I don’t care if you say you believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Even Satan knows this. Do you walk as though you believe it? Do you seek his face as though you believe it? Is your desire for the truth of God insatiable or not?

To those looking for proof, you are wasting your time. To those who claim to know God because you read the scripture, you are not as secure as you may believe. Many an atheist know the words of the bible, and yet the message of it is hidden from them.

Crave truth and you will be fed.