Matthew 12:38-50 The Sign of Jonah - by Jeff Byerley

Study on Matthew 12:38-50 The Sign of Jonah

Our Reflections.

1 Why did Jesus describe the Jews as “An evil and adulterous generation” (v.38-45)?
The scribes and Pharisees and others of this generation had already seen Jesus perform many miracles. Yet these signs had not convinced them of who Jesus really was. They had heard his wisdom which exceeded that of King Solomon, to whom the Queen of Sheba (Yemen), had travelled many miles to hear (1 Kings 10:1). Yet they had not accepted it. They had heard of his offer of salvation, greater than that of Jonah's warning to the people of Nineveh who had repented (Jonah 3:5). Yet the Jews, as a nation, failed to repent before Jesus who was so much greater than Jonah. They then had the wicked audacity to ask Jesus for an even more spectacular sign! They were an adulterous generation, because they had received the dispensation of God's revealed Word, yet they were disbelieving and turning against the promised Savior. They had not worshipped graven images, but instead of worshipping God, they had worshipped their own prestige, power, authority and national pride. They would be given only the sign of Jonah. That is, they would be confronted with the need to repent upon Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and his return from the dead after 3 days of being in the belly of the earth. This is the ultimate test of faith, then and now.

2 Why did Jesus describe them as being like an unclean spirit returning (v.43-45)?
This generation had experienced in their midst, the cleansing power of Jesus, the Son of God. Yet they chose not to be filled with Christ, but rather to remain empty of his all powerful work of redemption. They chose to not only disbelieve the presence of the Holy Spirit within Him, but to accuse Him of using Satan's power (v.24). They refused to be convicted by the Holy Sptrit but rather to be filled with demonic accusations. Their position at the last was far worse than at first. So too today are all those who hear of Jesus' offer of salvation, but decline it. That is their decision and we are not to blame, if we have done all we can to reach out with Jesus' offer.

3 Who are those closest to Jesus (v.46-49)?
Mark's Gospel covers this encounter in chapter 3. Moreover, it explains at 3:21 that Jesus' relatives wanted to fetch him because they believed at this point that he was “out of his mind”. Of course, Jesus was not “out of His mind”, but rather about His Father's business (Cf. Luke 2:49). Their attempt to fetch him, whilst having “good” intentions was opposed to God's will. Jesus used this to make clear that those who are his followers, have a greater close relationship to Him and each other, that exceeds all other loyalties, even to kin (cf. Luke 14:26). However, Jesus held high one's duty to kindred. He rebuked the Pharisees in their attempt to use their man-made oral law to render naught the duty to honour parents (Matt 15:1-9). Paul pointed out in 1 Tim. 5:8, that a failure by church members to provide for their family was to deny the faith and made them worse than unbelievers. However, if it unfortunately comes to choosing between kindred and Christ, loyalty to Christ must prevail (Matt. 10:35).

Summary:
We felt this was a passage of highlights to what was really important in the Kingdom of God:
1 Being open to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit;
2 Being filled with Christ; and
3 Having an all-prevailing loyalty to Christ over all others, even kindred.