“For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men 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.”
Matthew 13:17 — Greek Interlinear
Church Fathers on Matthew 13:17
The disciples understanding that the things which were spoken by the Lord to the people were obscure, desired to hint to Him that He should not speak in parables to them. 'And his disciples came to him, and said, Why speakest thou to them in parables?'
Wherein it is worthy admiration, that the disciples who desire to learn of Him, know when they ought to ask Him, for they do not this before the multitude. This Matthew declares, when he says, 'And they came to him;' and Mark more expressly says, that 'they came to him when he was alone.' [Mark 4:10]
We must enquire how they could come to Him at that time when Jesus was sitting in the ship; we may understand that they had at the first entered into the ship, and standing there, made this enquiry of Him.