Monday, July 18, 2016

Matthew 12: 38-42

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
He said to them in reply,
“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,
so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.”

Exalt the messenger; ignore the message. The messianic promise had been given to Israel for centuries. Now the promise stood fulfilled before them and they refused to acknowledge him. He was not what was expected. They expected a mighty king to arrive who would vanquish the Romans and restore the throne of David to world domination.

Instead they got the living God who came as a thief in the night to offer himself for their salvation. The Sadducees did not believe in eternal life or resurrection. For them Christ offered nothing. The Pharisees believed in righteousness by living to the letter of the Law. Christ threatened their entire belief structure. Following the Law was not enough. He required faith instead.

The living God, the Messiah, walked among them yet they chose to revere the prophets who came before to announce his arrival. There is something greater than those here.