Jesus and the Old Testament (Jonah/Solomon)

In Matthew 12, Jesus has been in conflict with religious leaders over many disputes. The most recent in context of our main passage is a dispute over the powers in which Jesus has driven out demons. The Pharisees want yet another sign to demonstrate his authority even though Jesus has already done this through the demon healing and the man with a shriveled hand earlier in the chapter. Jesus’ response lands us in the Old Testament with illustrations from Jonah and Solomon. Why does Jesus use these examples in his response? 

“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:39-40). Jesus’ response has three parts and this is the first. He first tells them they are a wicked generation because they are asking for a sign. Simply asking for a sign does not make one a sinner but when the request comes in the midst of abundant signs and the requestor is unbelieving, one may ask with wrong intentions. This is the case presently. Jesus declares no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah. A sign that will come later in Jesus’ ministry. This is in reference to the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. Jonah spent three days and nights in a sea creature’s belly. Jesus will also  spend three days and nights in the earth (meaning in the grave/tomb).

The second part of Jesus’ response turns a focus to the people Jonah was preaching to, the wicked people of Nineveh. Matthew 12:41 says, “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.” Jesus says that the wicked city of Nineveh will judge the generation of unbelievers he is speaking to. Nineveh was an enemy city of Israel and a prophet named Jonah unwillingly went to Nineveh and preached repentance. Do you know what happened? They repented! A wicked city had no sign or miracle as proof they needed to repent, they simply believed the words of a prophet. Now, to Jesus’ point, since he is so much greater than Jonah, this generation of unbelievers should also repent at the simple yet profound teachings he is giving them. 

The third part of the response poses a similar circumstance from another part in Israel’s history. Matthew 12:42 says, “The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here”. During Solomon’s day, his wisdom spread throughout the ancient world. The Queen of Sheba, a distant city to the South, came to hear the words of and wisdom of Solomon. She came a long way to hear Solomon. Again Jesus says he is greater than Solomon so these leaders should be even more quick to believe Jesus. The Queen asked for no sign or miracle but simply traveled based on the stories she heard of Solomon and wanted to hear. We should all have the same desire and belief in the Son of God. 

In summary, in both examples Jesus uses, they were non-Israelites or enemies and neither needed proof or signs. They simply believed and listened. Jesus’ point is that since he is greater than Jonah and Solomon, the Pharisees have all the signs they need and his teachings to believe. Jesus would give the ultimate sign to believe in his resurrection from the dead and as he would say to his disciples “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (John 20:29). For us, we have all we need to believe in the resurrected Messiah and need only to listen, trust and believe.