Pharisees and Sadducees demand Signs

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Psalm 85:4–7 “Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.”

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Matthew 16:1–4 ESV

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

Matthew 16:5–12 ESV

When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Sermon

Sign of Jonah: Preached 14/09/2025

They had Blasphemed against the Holy Spirit

Assigning the work of God as the work of the devil

Parallel Passage: Mark 8:11-21

Sign of Jonah

Matthew 16:1–4 ESV

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

Once again demainding signs:

Manner from heaven (David)

Cause the sun and moon to stand still (Joshua)

Stars to fight for Israel (in days of Deborah and Barak)

Thunderstorms to attack Philistines (Samual)

Fire from heaven (Elijah)

They sought only to trip Jesus up

Jesus responds

Attacks their over attention on signs from nature

Then their lack of awareness of the coming of the Messiah

Did the scriptures not fortell

Messiah (Son of Man) - emphasis on the power, grace and love of God

Exhibition of power over everything (elements, disease, death, demons, storms, etc) fortold of the downfall of the Jews

Was this not a clear prediction of the doom of Satan?

And the strengthening of the Kingdom that can never be destroyed

Could they not read the writting on the wall?

No signs seemed to interets them, they preferred to concentrate on the weather

“An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign”

“No sign will be given … except the Sign of Jonah”

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Matthew 16:5–7 ESV

When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”

“When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.”

Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Pharisees and Sadducees: They were one in “dislike of single-hearted devotion to truth and righteousness

Even the smallest yeast produces uncontrollable fermentation

Jesus likened the teaching and thinking of these men to yeast

And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”

The disciples took the warning as literal bread - not to buy from them (potential poison)

Matthew 16:8–12 ESV

But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

“O you of little faith”

“Why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? “

“Do you not yet perceive?”

“Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread?”

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Summary:

The seeking after signs and wonders corrupted their entire theology

The Charasmatic Movement seek after signs and wonders

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