Matthew 13:16 - Exposition

But blessed ( Matthew 5:3 , note) are your eyes . Christ now returns to emphasize Matthew 13:11 . For they see ( ὅτι βλέπουσιν ) . This may refer to the disciples being able to see spiritual truths before God's special grace given them by way of reward to this effect, but this hardly suits the context from the phrase, "it is given" ( Matthew 13:12 ). It is, therefore, better to understand the verse to refer to their seeing and hearing things by virtue of grace given in reward for earlier faithfulness. Edersheim ('Life,' 1:594) gives a striking illustration of the thought of this verse from the 'Pesiqta'.