Monday, 23rd of July 2018

Matthew 12:38-42

Some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees spoke up, «Teacher, we want to see a sign from you». Jesus answered them, «An evil and unfaithful people want a sign, but no sign will be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah. In the same way that Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the monster fish, so will the Son of Man spend three days and three nights in the depths of the earth. At the judgment, the people of Niniveh will rise with this generation and condemn it, because they reformed their lives at the preaching of Jonah, and here there is greater than Jonah. At the judgment, the Queen of the South will stand up and condemn you. She came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and here there is greater than Solomon».

Source: http://evangeli.net/gospel/day/2018-07-23

Analysis

This passage is one passage that is quite hard to decipher, until you think about it hard enough. The passage starts with the pharisees asking Jesus to give a sign to them. Jesus then replied by saying that they are evil and unfaithful, and no sign shall be given except for the sign of Jonah which is trapped in the belly of a fish for three days, and so too Jesus will die and be resurrected in three days. Jesus then compared the contemporary Jewish generation with the cities of Niniveh and also the Queen of the South, both were sinful but repented when they were enlightened with the truth.

What does a sign mean? I believe it is more of a miracle than a sign, as the pharisees wishes Jesus to prove that He is divine and mighty. Jesus knew that this is only a facade, as there had been numerous signs that hint on Jesus' divinity, but the pharisees simply won't believe it. As such Jesus refuses to give a sign at all. The part of the peoples of Niniveh and also the Queen of the South shows how the contemporary Jewish generation is so much more sinful than Niniveh and the Queen, as they both repented, but the Jews refused. Jesus also said that there is something greater than both Jonah and Solomon, He is of course referring to the truth that He brings. This situation is technically applicable to the modern day, as people are already comfortable with their own truths, and neglecting the absolute truth. I believe that is all I have to say, have a nice day and see you later.