29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 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.
33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
As the crowd grew, Jesus addressed their request for a sign. Matthew and Mark point out that it was the Pharisees who demanded a sign (Mat 12:38; Mark 8:11). Luke indicates that the attitude was held by the people as well. Jesus calls them evil because they demand a sign as validation of Jesus’ teaching despite the many miracles He had performed as validation of His message. What sign might be enough to convince someone who doesn’t believe? What could Jesus show them that He hadn’t already that would be enough? There was only one sign left and that is described as the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days so Jesus would die, be in the grave for three days, and then rise again. But that sign would be a sign against that generation of Jews and their unbelief. The queen of the south (a Gentile) will testify against their unbelief because she traveled a great distance to hear the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 10) and they were ignoring Jesus who was far greater than Solomon and standing right in front of them. The men of Nineveh (a Gentile nation) will also testify against their unbelief because they repented at the teaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:5) while the Jews rejected Jesus who is greater than Jonah standing before them. The Jews had been offered the kingdom of God but they rejected it. When Jesus rose again, salvation would be available to all Gentiles and they would receive it in faith. We have the eye witness accounts of Jesus’ miracles and His death, burial, and resurrection. If you don’t yet believe, what will it take? What more could Jesus do to prove He is the Son of God? As a believer, isn’t it wonderful that God opened heaven to all who will believe?
Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12) and his word is truth (John 17:17; John 7:16). What are we to do with that light? We could ignore it or hide it away but that’s not the logical thing to do with a light. Instead, it should be placed on a stand for all to see. How we respond to the light of Jesus’ teaching affects our whole person. If we are open to His teaching, then our whole body will be healthy and full of His light. If we ignore it, then what is in us is darkness. The first step is to receive the light of Jesus by believing in Him, the second is to remain focussed on that light by abiding in His word. And the third is to be the lamp on the stand so others can see and receive that light. How are you responding to the light of Jesus?
Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan
Hezekiah and Isaiah: 2 Kings 18-19