The Sign of Jonah - Matthew 12:38-45
The Sign of Jonah
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Reflection: As Jesus continues his tumultuous relationship with the Pharisees, today they ask him for a sign. It is not as though they are sincerely seeking the sign or would repent if they saw one. They are merely trying to control Jesus and/or put him to the test. Unfortunately for them, Jesus sees the condition of their hearts and knows that not even a sign/miracle will change their hardened hearts. It is not as though Jesus is against using signs to point to His true nature and to lead people to faith, as we see in the Gospel of John the many signs he did which led people to believe He was the Messiah.
And Jesus also points to the greatest sign in his life and ministry on this earth, the resurrection. Since we have already read the story we know that even Jesus being raised from the dead was enough evidence to convince some of these religious leaders. Though we do know some of the Pharisees, like Nicodemus, who we read of in John 3, did sincerely come seeking Jesus. And what was the key to Nicodemus coming to faith? He was born again, or born from above through the power of the Spirit. So we see the key to repentance, or turning from belief to unbelief is the power of the Spirit taking the Word (Jesus the incarnate Word) and regenerating a person by faith.
Today people might say, "If I see this sign then I will believe!" But yet we have all already been given the ultimate sign which we celebrate on Sunday, April 20th at Easter, when we will cry out, "Christ is arisen! He is risen indeed!" And that sign is enough for those who believe and one day will enter His glory because of their belief in Him!
Jesus thank you for the ultimate sign, your life, death and resurrection. As we start out today may we be renewed by what you did for us on the cross, your resurrection, and the sending of the Holy Spirit so that we might too be a sign of new life in Christ! Amen.
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Reflection: As Jesus continues his tumultuous relationship with the Pharisees, today they ask him for a sign. It is not as though they are sincerely seeking the sign or would repent if they saw one. They are merely trying to control Jesus and/or put him to the test. Unfortunately for them, Jesus sees the condition of their hearts and knows that not even a sign/miracle will change their hardened hearts. It is not as though Jesus is against using signs to point to His true nature and to lead people to faith, as we see in the Gospel of John the many signs he did which led people to believe He was the Messiah.
And Jesus also points to the greatest sign in his life and ministry on this earth, the resurrection. Since we have already read the story we know that even Jesus being raised from the dead was enough evidence to convince some of these religious leaders. Though we do know some of the Pharisees, like Nicodemus, who we read of in John 3, did sincerely come seeking Jesus. And what was the key to Nicodemus coming to faith? He was born again, or born from above through the power of the Spirit. So we see the key to repentance, or turning from belief to unbelief is the power of the Spirit taking the Word (Jesus the incarnate Word) and regenerating a person by faith.
Today people might say, "If I see this sign then I will believe!" But yet we have all already been given the ultimate sign which we celebrate on Sunday, April 20th at Easter, when we will cry out, "Christ is arisen! He is risen indeed!" And that sign is enough for those who believe and one day will enter His glory because of their belief in Him!
Jesus thank you for the ultimate sign, your life, death and resurrection. As we start out today may we be renewed by what you did for us on the cross, your resurrection, and the sending of the Holy Spirit so that we might too be a sign of new life in Christ! Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment