Greater Is He

English Standard Version Chapter 12

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

Though Jesus had just performed a significant sign-miracle, the religious leaders asked for a miraculous sign (cf. Matt. 16:1). Their statement implied that they rejected the many signs given so far. In effect they were saying, “We would just like to see one good sign from You.”

The generation He addressed had an unusual privilege, afforded to no previous generation. The men of Nineveh … repented at the preaching of a mere man, Jonah. The Queen of the South (i.e., the Queen of Sheba; 1 Kings 10:1–13) came … to listen to the wisdom of a man, Solomon. The response of the Ninevites and of the Queen was commendable. But One greater than Jonah and Solomon (cf. Matt. 12:6) was with this generation, and instead of accepting Him, they were rejecting Him.

God’s display of greater power and wisdom, in the person of Jesus Christ.

To better understand, let’s a look a the contrast between the power and wisdom of the world against the power and wisdom of God.

Power & Wisdom of the world.

“Signs” in the Bible is referred as miracles and wonders which demonstrates power.

The power of the world is displayed in riches of gold, influence, people, and land. (Eg: empires)

The wisdom of the world is expressed in eloquence, vast knowledge.

The power and wisdom of the world have these in common:

Rooted in jealousy and selfish ambitions that boasts and lies James 3:14. It cultivates chaos and death.

Doomed to pass away. 1 Corinthians 2:6

The source of power and wisdom of the world is Satan and he takes advantage of our “chasing”.

Jesus said of the Pharisees of his time an “evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign” by extension, men are easily seduced by power and wisdom on command. When we “chase” what the world offers we become “friends with the world”, the world is the domain of darkness ruled by Satan James 4:4 .

The Pharisees demanding a sign is based on an expectation that power is done on command for boasting in unbelief. (If memory serves me right) Jesus never gave in to any demand to perform a miracle but only to those who pleaded for his mercy because they believe in who he is.

But God who is gracious and loving, offers us...

Power & Wisdom of God.

The greatest power and wisdom of God is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ dying on the cross and resurrecting on the 3rd day is the climax of all the signs he performed, confirming his identity beyond all doubt; Jesus Christ is God. Romans 1:4

Romans 1:4 ESV

and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Compared to the world’s offer of power and wisdom:

The message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who believe, Jesus is the power and wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18, 24

Jesus shows meekness Matt 11:29, and is eternal. John 8:58, Revelation 1:8. The wisdom of God cultivates peace and life James 3:17.

There’s nothing inherently wrong about signs and wonders, after all, the Spirit of God empowers his servants to do miracles and wonders to accompany the preaching of the gospel as a sign to the people, not on command but in the basis of God’s wisdom and sovereignty. It becomes wrong when we seek signs in the premise of ignoring/rejecting the many factual display of power and wisdom of God in his given Word 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

As an extension, (quote Tim Mackie) the book of Jonah holds a mirror up for the reader; in Jonah we see the worst parts of our own character magnified right in the midst of God displaying his power and wisdom. It is should generate humility in gratitude in us that God would love His enemies and put up with the “jonah” in all of us.

The greatest power and wisdom humanity has ever witnessed is Jesus Christ himself. Despite us being corrupted and have become enemies of God, he displayed the greatest power and wisdom by becoming a man, die on the cross, and resurrect from the grave to offer us redemption that cannot be earned or pridefully boast about and we will see another climax of this display of power and wisdom in the last day where God will resurrect those who believe and trust in the gospel message. The gospel’s purpose is to do what we cannot do on our own power and wisdom: free ourselves from sin and put ourselves in right standing with God.

In this passage, Jesus’ comparison of the Pharisees with the people of Nineveh is significant. The people of Nineveh repented of their evil ways (Jonah 3:4–10) after hearing Jonah’s call for repentance, while the Pharisees continued in their unbelief despite being eyewitnesses to the miracles of Jesus. Jesus was telling the Pharisees that they were guilty for their unbelief, given the repentance of the people of Nineveh, who had received far less evidence than the Pharisees themselves had witnessed.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (12:38–42 (Luke 11:29–32))

Though Jesus had just performed a significant sign-miracle, the religious leaders asked for a miraculous sign (cf. Matt. 16:1). Their statement implied that they rejected the many signs given so far. In effect they were saying, “We would just like to see one good sign from You.” The Lord suggested that signs should not be necessary for faith, even though He had given them many signs. Only a wicked and adulterous generation asked for signs (cf. 16:4). (“Adulterous” [moichalis] suggests that Israel was spiritually unfaithful to God by its religious formality and its rejection of the Messiah.)

Jesus personally uses the very sign of Jonah - the sign how Jonah was miraculously saved from death and ended up preaching at bare minimum to the Ninevites and repents, on how the sign of Jonah will be the same sign given to the people of His time that his death and resurrection brings the message of grace and salvation.

God’s plan to bring a message of grace and salvation cannot be thwarted by man, just like Jonah who intentionally did not want to do what God has commanded to preach to Nineveh, even Jonah going out of his way in order to really avoid reaching Nineveh by “attempting to be killed”, God ironically continues to show His hands is at work saving Jonah from drowning and even getting eaten by a large fish.

God did not forget the worst of the worst, he still made a way for them to hear his message of repentance and grace.

Jesus was sending a message to the people in Matt 12 that he is greater than both Jonah and Solomon.

Many people demands signs, proofs, evidences of why they should believe in Jesus for who He say he is, in God’s great wisdom and grace, He did provide the greatest sign of them all, one that has never been done by any other human being in history or in the future, and that is by resurrecting from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection is still a relevant miracle in our time as it was 2k yrs ago for it confirms the deity of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:4).

As good as the power of God portrayed in the book of Jonah is, greater power is the resurrection of Jesus Christ! 2 Corinthians 11:23-26

As good as the wisdoms in the book of Proverbs are, greater wisdom is Jesus Christ himself! 1 Corinthians 1:24

English Standard Version Chapter 1

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

The Resurrected Jesus gives restoration

The Resurrected Jesus gives redemption

The Resurrected Jesus gives restoration

Jesus’ resurrection is a crucial part of the “good news”, we often say in our gospel presentation that “Jesus died for your sins” , whilst this is obviously true, it is also just as equally important and true to when presenting the gospel that “Jesus resurrected for our sins”. The gospel includes the king’s death for our sins.

Dictionary of Bible Themes (9313 resurrection, spiritual)

Results of being made alive in Christ

Spiritual desires Col 3:1-2

Spiritual assurance Col 3:3-4 See also Jn 5:24 of resurrection to eternal life 1Co 6:14 See also Ro 6:5; 1Co 15:20-22; 2Co 4:14; 1Th 4:14; 1Pe 1:3-4

Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).

Spiritual appetite 1Pe 2:1-3 See also Jn 3:3,6

Commitment to God Ro 6:13

Love for fellow believers 1Jn 3:14

Spiritual character Ro 7:4 See also Gal 5:22-23

If God raised him, he will raise others who are like him, too. The King’s resurrection from the dead is the first fruit, but a full harvest of additional resurrections will happen for all the King’s people (1 Cor. 15:20–22). King Jesus’ resurrection is good news because it anticipates the resurrection of all those united to him through his death.

Let me offer a few more words about Romans 1:2–4 as a gospel summary. Paul takes a cosmic perspective. The Son took on human flesh, fulfilling God’s promises to David. But God had a grander scheme.

After the Son’s death, his resurrection triggered his elevation to a new ruling office. The Son became the Son-of-God-in-Power. He has always been the divine King. But the Son has not always been a human king. Now he is the divine and human King, ruling creation powerfully.

Since Jesus’ reign in power pertains to the Spirit of holiness, his kingship is especially operative wherever the Holy Spirit is present.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Psalms)

Psalm 16 expresses joy and security in the Lord “who will not abandon me in the grave, nor will You let your Holy One see decay” (Psa 16:9–11). Consistent with the larger Old Testament context, the psalmist saw no end to his communion with God. Peter quotes this passage in Acts 2:25–28, and viewed it as a messianic promise: “He spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life” (Acts 2:29–31; compare 13:34–35). Therefore, from the Psalms emerges a skeletal contour of hope in Davidic promises that framed the apostolic doctrine of resurrection from the dead.

The centrality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ

As the basis of faith

1 Corinthians 15:14–15 ESV

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

See also Ac 3:15; Ac 4:33; Ac 17:18; Ac 24:21; Ro 10:9; 2 Ti 2:8; Heb 6:1–2

As the basis of believers’ justification

Ro 4:25; Ro 8:34

As the basis of Christian hope

Ac 24:15; 1 Co 15:19

As the basis of believers’ resurrection

1 Co 15:20–23 The Law of Moses (Ex 23:16) provided for an offering of the firstfruits of crops to God. The firstfruits were the guarantee of the full harvest to come. The NT sees the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the firstfruits of the full ingathering of all God’s people when Jesus Christ comes again.

See also Jn 14:19; Ac 26:23; Ro 8:11