Someone Greater Than Jonah and Solomon

Jewish Pharisees slander Jesus–and his Holy Spirit–and plot to put him to death. In Matthew 12:38 some of their scribes (rabbis) join them to ask Jesus to prove he is sent from God. They demand a spectacular sign (not just more healing miracles or exorcisms). Compare Mat. 4:5-6, where Satan tests Jesus to prove he is the royal son of God by jumping off the temple heights and being rescued by angels from heaven. The scribes address Jesus as “teacher;” to them he is just another teacher like them.

Jesus replies: an evil and adulterous generation seeks such signs, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights (Mat. 12:39-40). He adds that the people of (Gentile) Nineveh will rise up at the final judgment and condemn this evil (Jewish) generation; for Nineveh repented (temporarily) from their evil violence (see Jonah 3:8), due to Jonah’s message. And, look, something greater than Jonah is here (Mat. 12:41).

The something greater is the new kingdom of heaven that Jesus announces, and the repentance Jesus demands from this evil generation of Israel–that plans to kill him and bury him in the earth. But, like Jonah, he will be in the “abyss” only three days–then he will be the great king over an eternal kingdom that will include Jews and Gentiles from all over the earth (see the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14).

Jesus is more than another rabbi (teacher); he is the great prophet who announces the final great kingdom of heaven. The Spirit from heaven has come and anointed him to proclaim justice (compassion) to all the peoples–Jews and Gentiles (see Mat. 12:17-18). Jesus thus fulfills the mission of the servant (prophet) of Isaiah 42:1f., as well as that servant’s death followed by elevation–in order to bring righteousness (justice/compassion) to “many” (all over the earth) (Isaiah 52:13-53:12).

In addition to Nineveh, the (Gentile) queen of the south will rise up in the final judgment and condemn this evil generation of Israel, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, something greater than Solomon is now here (Mat. 12:42). And someone greater is now here, introducing the new kingdom from heaven. Jesus is more than a rabbi and more even than a prophet–indeed even greater than the wise and powerful king Solomon: Jesus is the eternal king of the new kingdom that will include some Jews as well as Gentiles from all over the world, who repent/turn away from their violence and obey Jesus’ way of compassion through the greater power of the Holy Spirit.