For verily I say unto you,.... This is added for the further confirmation of what is before said, concerning the happiness of the disciples, in seeing and hearing what they did:that many prophets, and righteous men; Luke says, Lu 10:24 "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.
To see Christ in the flesh, and have a clearer insight into the knowledge of the mysteries of grace, were things very desirable to men of the highest class in church and state, and of the best characters, such as Abraham, Joh 8:56.
Jacob, Ge 49:18. David, Ps 14:7. Solomon, and the church in his time, So 8:1. Isaiah, and the saints with him, Isa 25:9 with many others. These indeed had a sight of Christ, but a very distant one; they saw him afar off in the promises and prophecies of him; and not very clearly, but through dark types and cloudy sacrifices; whereas the disciples saw him in person, heard him preach, took in the evidence of his miracles, and felt the power of his doctrines, and spiritually and savingly understood them.
A way of speaking, somewhat like this, stands in the Talmud ;"Many have watched to expound in Mercavah (the beginning of Ezekiel's prophecy), Mhymym htwa war alw, "and have not seen it all their days".'
' T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 24.