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    Matthew 12:38-50  Lesson 24

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson:
     
    Some people don't need proof, they believe out of faith. 
    Others don't believe even when they meet the Messiah.​

    Study Tip:
    ​     
    Find the truth in each Bible passage.  Ponder what that truth means to you.  Determine how you can apply that truth into your life.
    Who was...
        
    Jonas -
    Also called Jonah.  The son of Amittai, Jonah was born in Gath-hepher (near Nazareth) around 770 BC.  Jonah was a political leader who helped restore the boundaries of Israel (2 Kings 14:25), and an Old Testament prophet who lived seven hundred years before the birth of Christ.  Fearing that the brutal Assyrians would kill him, Jonah refused God's assignment to go to Assyrian and preach.  While fleeing his assignment, Jonah was swallowed by a huge fish but "resurrected" in three days after promising to go to Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, to preach.  Miraculously, rather than kill Jonah, the Assyrians repented (Jonah 3:3-5).  Jonah being "resurrected" from the large fish after three days was a "sign" to the Ninevites, just as Jesus' resurrection is a "sign" for all mankind (Matthew 12:40, Luke 11:30).  You can learn more in the Old Testament book of Jonah. 
     
    The Queen of the south -
    Also called the Queen of Sheba.  Sheba was a Gentile from the Kingdom of the Sabeans, which is believed to have been in present-day Yemen.  Sheba made a long, dangerous trip to Jerusalem to hear the wisdom of the Hebrew King Solomon 
    firsthand but discovered the glory of God instead (1 Kings 10:1-10; 2 Chronicles 9:1-12).  

    The Gospel According to St. Matthew

    The King James Bible    ​

    Matthew 12:38-50
    Asking for a miracle

    ​38Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
    39But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
     
    40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
     
    41The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
     
    42The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
     
    43When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
     
    44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
     
    45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
     
    46While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
     
    47Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
     
    48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
     
    49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
     
    50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.                        ​
    ​​Margin notes: 
     
    "We would see a sign from thee." (12:38) - "We want to see a miracle from you."  People of little faith often asked Jesus to perform miracles so that they might believe or to test Him (Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; John 6:30).  Notice that the Pharisees asked Jesus to perform a miracle right after accusing Him of performing them with Beelzebub's help (Matthew 12:24).
     
    "Adulterous generation." (12:39) - Jesus is not referring to people who broke their marriage vows but to those who professed to love God and then deserted Him.  Their infidelity is against God Himself.
     
    "There shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas." (12:39) - Jesus is saying that the only miracle the Pharisees and scribes will see will be His resurrection from the dead.
     
    "Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly." (12:40) - Jesus is referring to Jonah being swallowed by the great fish (Jonah 1:17).
     
    "So shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (12:40) - Jesus is predicting his death and resurrection after three days in the grave.
     
    "Nineveh." (12:41):  The capital city of the mighty Assyrian Empire, one of the cruelest, bloodiest and evil empires that ever existed (Jonah 1:2).  Miraculously, it's citizens repented after listening to Jonah preach (Jonah 3:3-5).  Nineveh was located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River near the modern day city of Mosul, Iraq.  Nineveh was established by Nimrod, the great-grandson of Noah and the first King of Babylon (Genesis 10:8-12).  Nineveh's ruins were discovered in 1845 and included numerous palaces and a vast library which contained 22,000 inscribed clay tablets.  The city was surrounded by a forty-foot high wall, and it had the first known aqueduct to bring water into the city.  Zephaniah 2:13-15, written around 625 BC, predicted the fall of Nineveh and by 612 BC the city was destroyed by its enemies. 
     
    "They repented." (12:41) - The men of Nineveh repented after hearing Jonah preach. 
     
    "She came from the uttermost parts of the earth." (12:42) - "She came from the ends of the earth."
     
    "Garnished." (12:44) - "Put in order."
     
    "His mother and his brethren stood without." (12:46) - "His mother and brothers stood outside."
     
    "Behold my mother and my brethren!" (12:49) - "Look, these are my mother and my brethren!"  ​
    Luke 11:29-32 also records the "Sign of Jonah." ​​​


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    Matthew 12:38-50         
    The Sign of Jonah
     
    38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority."
     
    39 But Jesus replied, "Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
     
    41 "The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here-but you refuse to repent. 42 The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here-but you refuse to listen.
     
    43 "When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.

    ​45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation."
     
    The True Family of Jesus
     
    46 As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you."
     
    48 Jesus asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, "Look, these are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!"
    ​         ​ 

    This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's question:
     
    1. Is it wrong to seek proof that Jesus is the Son of God? (12:38-39)                                         

    Don't forget to click on the links.    ​

    Answer: (Do you agree?) ​
    ​
    1. No, it's not wrong, but unlike the Pharisees, we must accept proof once it is given.  We have been given ample evidence of Jesus' true identity in His birth, death and resurrection.  Jesus performed many miracles (thirty-five are documented in the New Testament) in front of thousands of witnesses.  The Pharisees and scribes witnessed many of these miracles firsthand, and still they refused to believe.
    Application thought for the day:
     
    "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven,
    the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." (12:50) 
     
    This doesn't mean that performing good works earns us a place in heaven. 
    Salvation can't be earned by a sinful mankind, it's a gift from God. 
    Wanting to do the will of God is simply the evidence that
    we have excepted God's gift and gained salvation by His grace. ​​
    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; "The Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies"; "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible."  All were critical in putting these lesson together.
    ​    © 2022 evolke ​