"REQUEST FOR A SIGN = WARNING"
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 16:1–4 (NASB95)
1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
3 “And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?
4 “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.
10 And immediately He entered the boat with His disciples and came to the district of Dalmanutha. 11 The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. 12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Observations -
1. The religious leaders have asked Jesus multiple times for a sign -
1. The religious leaders have asked Jesus multiple times for a sign -
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
30 So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform?
The religious leaders are able determine the outcome of the weather based on the sky, but they are unable to interpret the signs of the Lord. (the red sky in the evening, forecasted good weather, red threatening sky meant storms)
2. Sign of Jonah - this is not the first time that Jesus has brought this up -
2. Sign of Jonah - this is not the first time that Jesus has brought this up -
What do you think that the religious leaders wanted a sign?
Mk 8:11 a sign: The Pharisees are demanding a visible demonstration from God that will compel them to believe in Jesus’ divine authority. In Mark’s Gospel, the desire for a sign has negative connotations, since it reveals a stubborn refusal to believe (Mk 8:11–12; see also 1 Co 1:21–23) or a dangerous openness to deception (Mk 13:4–5, 22; see also 2 Th 2:9–10). Lemke, S. W. (2007). The Academic Use of Gospel Harmonies. In Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels (pp. 107–108). Holman Bible Publishers.
Matthew 12:38–45 (NASB95)
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;
40 for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
42 “The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 43 “Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.
44 “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45 “Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
All throughout Scripture we are told to watch out for false teaching -
4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
APPLICATION -
APPLICATION -
Who do you say that Jesus is?
The religious leaders viewed Jesus more like a good luck charm
They viewed him as a liar, and a lunatic.
How are you guarding yourself against false teaching?
What are you doing so that you can be on guard?
Read the Scriptures - Psalm 119
Memorize - Joshua 1:8
Meditate - Psalm 119
Ensure that you are being discipled