Commentaries on Gospel Events

Jesus' Answer to a Demand for a Sign

A. D. 28

Capernaum

The Pharisees seem to ask more than twice for a sign from heaven that he is truly the "Son of David" as the common folks believe.  He implies the merciless of healing are enough. But he then hints that a big one is coming.  Like Jonah in the whale three days, he, Jesus will spend three days buried in the earth. 

Here again, he does not tell them directly to trust in his as the perfect sacrifice. I must keep looking for when that happens.  I suspect he never makes that declaration to the public but delegates that job to his eye witness disciples.

When he brings up Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, I have to assume he (Jesus) has demonstrated feats of wisdom to the Pharisees which should have knocked their socks off.

Mat 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

The parable of the candle which Luke places here seem to have no relevance and placed here in the "Harmony" in error.  It should be two events further on.

The passage about unclean spirits returning to a clean house is hard for me to follow. I take to be explained in 2 Peter 2.  This passage seems close to being a parable but is not listed among his parables in my Bible.  Whatever, I assume Peter was right there when Jesus threw it at the Pharisees and that Peter got the meaning and the Pharisees didn't.  My take is that Jesus knew their hearts; if he gave them an undeniable sign from heaven they would repent but would shortly relapse and be in worse sin than before.

 

Matthew

Luke

Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Mat 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Luk 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. Luk 11:25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Luk 11:26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Luk 11:27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. Luk 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Luk 11:29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. Luk 11:30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. Luk 11:31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. Luk 11:32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Luk 11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. Luk 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Luk 11:35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. Luk 11:36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.