For I say unto you, ye shall not see me
henceforth
Meaning in a very little time after the passover, from the time
of his crucifixion and death; otherwise they saw him many times
after this, as in the palace of the high priest, in Pilate's
judgment hall, and on the cross; but not after his resurrection.
This shows the reason of their house being desolate, and in what
sense it should be so, and immediately became so; namely, by
being then directly, and ever after, destitute of his presence:
and though they might afterwards seek for, and expect the Messiah
in it, yet they would never be able to see him, nor throughout
their long captivity: till ye shall say, blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord; that is, until the time comes,
that the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in, and all
Israel shall be saved, the Jews shall be converted, and seek the
Lord their God, and David their king; when they shall readily and
cheerfully say these words to Christ, who will then appear in his
glory; which they were now displeased at in the multitude that
followed him, and the children in the temple. Though some think
this is said by way of threatening, since the rest that is spoken
to them by Christ is of that sort, and regards the men of that
generation; and is given as a reason of their house being left
desolate: and the sense is, that they should never see him with
joy and pleasure; since, though they would be obliged to confess
that he was Lord and Christ, they would never say the above words
to him in faith, and holy reverence of him. The Cambridge
exemplar of Beza's, and the Persic versions, read, "in the name
of God."