29 And
while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign
will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to
the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise
up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she
came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a
greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up
in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the
preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
Commentary
Vs. 29-30 29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.
The Lord Jesus now rebukes those who sought signs from Him, saying, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. People then who seek to see signs and wonders from the Lord as a condition of their believing in Him will not see any signs from Him, For the Lord Jesus Christ does not put Himself and the magnificence and miracles of God on display for those who do not believe. He is not tested by sinful man as if He must prove Himself to him! No, it is sinful humanity who must prove themselves to Him, that they are worthy of Him by repenting and believing in Him and thus receiving Him and His Word completely and unconditionally for themselves. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ calls them a wicked generation who seek signs from Him in whatever generation they do so, for no sign shall be given them, (or anyone else who does so), except the sign of Jonah the prophet, who became a sign to the ancient Ninevites when he spent three days and nights in the belly of the great fish before God released him to go and preach to them. Therefore, just as Jonah came back from the depths of sea (and thus symbolically the grave) to preach repentance to the Ninevites, so when the Lord Jesus Christ three days later rises from the dead it will be the greatest sign given to all of humanity to believe in Him. There is then no excuse for anyone’s not now believing in Him.
Vs. 31-32 31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed, a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
The Lord Jesus Christ now tells them that the queen of the South (a reference to Queen Sheba) who when she heard about the wisdom of King Solomon came from the ends of the earth to hear him, and when she heard him she was breathless, for she believed that the Wisdom and Word of God was with him. Therefore, Jesus says that she will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon and indeed a Greater Person is here preaching and teaching amongst them! Similarly, Jesus says the men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment and condemn this generation, for when Jonah preached to them, they feared the Word of the Lord and repented at His word and indeed One far greater that Jonah is here!
Commentary
Vs. 29-30 29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.
The Lord Jesus now rebukes those who sought signs from Him, saying, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. People then who seek to see signs and wonders from the Lord as a condition of their believing in Him will not see any signs from Him, For the Lord Jesus Christ does not put Himself and the magnificence and miracles of God on display for those who do not believe. He is not tested by sinful man as if He must prove Himself to him! No, it is sinful humanity who must prove themselves to Him, that they are worthy of Him by repenting and believing in Him and thus receiving Him and His Word completely and unconditionally for themselves. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ calls them a wicked generation who seek signs from Him in whatever generation they do so, for no sign shall be given them, (or anyone else who does so), except the sign of Jonah the prophet, who became a sign to the ancient Ninevites when he spent three days and nights in the belly of the great fish before God released him to go and preach to them. Therefore, just as Jonah came back from the depths of sea (and thus symbolically the grave) to preach repentance to the Ninevites, so when the Lord Jesus Christ three days later rises from the dead it will be the greatest sign given to all of humanity to believe in Him. There is then no excuse for anyone’s not now believing in Him.
Vs. 31-32 31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed, a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
The Lord Jesus Christ now tells them that the queen of the South (a reference to Queen Sheba) who when she heard about the wisdom of King Solomon came from the ends of the earth to hear him, and when she heard him she was breathless, for she believed that the Wisdom and Word of God was with him. Therefore, Jesus says that she will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear Solomon and indeed a Greater Person is here preaching and teaching amongst them! Similarly, Jesus says the men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment and condemn this generation, for when Jonah preached to them, they feared the Word of the Lord and repented at His word and indeed One far greater that Jonah is here!
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson
No comments:
Post a Comment