At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell you, that many Prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them.
St Bede the Venerable
Blessed were those eyes! But that is not to say the eyes of the scribes and Pharisees, which saw only the physical body of the Lord, but rather, those eyes (eyes blessed indeed!) which were able to see the things whereof it is written: Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Blessed, then, are the eyes of those little ones unto whom it seemeth good in the eyes of the Son to reveal both himself and the Father also. Abraham rejoiced to see the day of Christ; and he saw it, and was glad. Isaiah and Micah, and many among the Prophets, saw the glory of the Lord, (wherefore also they be called Seers,) but all such as they beheld it and hailed it afar off, seeing but as through a glass, darkly.
Otherwise were the Apostles, who saw the Lord face to face, eating with him, and learning from him by asking whatsoever they listed. For them there was no need to be taught by Angels, or the shifting fabric of visions. They whom Luke doth call Prophets and kings, Matthew nameth as Prophets and righteous men. Righteous men are indeed mighty kings, who know how to lord it over their own rebellious temptations, instead of falling under them to become their slaves.
And, behold a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying: Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? This lawyer, who stood up to ask the Lord a tempting question touching eternal life, took the subject of his asking, (so I think,) from the words which the Lord had just uttered, when he said: Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. But his attempt was a proof of the truth of that which the Lord immediately added: I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes!
St Bede the Venerable
Blessed were those eyes! But that is not to say the eyes of the scribes and Pharisees, which saw only the physical body of the Lord, but rather, those eyes (eyes blessed indeed!) which were able to see the things whereof it is written: Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Blessed, then, are the eyes of those little ones unto whom it seemeth good in the eyes of the Son to reveal both himself and the Father also. Abraham rejoiced to see the day of Christ; and he saw it, and was glad. Isaiah and Micah, and many among the Prophets, saw the glory of the Lord, (wherefore also they be called Seers,) but all such as they beheld it and hailed it afar off, seeing but as through a glass, darkly.
Otherwise were the Apostles, who saw the Lord face to face, eating with him, and learning from him by asking whatsoever they listed. For them there was no need to be taught by Angels, or the shifting fabric of visions. They whom Luke doth call Prophets and kings, Matthew nameth as Prophets and righteous men. Righteous men are indeed mighty kings, who know how to lord it over their own rebellious temptations, instead of falling under them to become their slaves.
And, behold a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying: Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? This lawyer, who stood up to ask the Lord a tempting question touching eternal life, took the subject of his asking, (so I think,) from the words which the Lord had just uttered, when he said: Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. But his attempt was a proof of the truth of that which the Lord immediately added: I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes!
