Matthew 12:38-42 - You Don't Need More Signs
- Chad Werkhoven
- 13 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Some people always need more evidence God's Word is true.
Matthew 12:38–42 (NIV)
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 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. 41 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. 42 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.
Canons of Dordt
Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints
Article 10 & 11 - Assurance Despite Doubts
Accordingly, our assurance
does not derive from some private revelation beyond or outside the Word,
but
from faith in the promises of God which he has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort,
from the testimony of the Holy Spirit testifying with our spirit that we are God’s children and heirs (Rom. 8:16-17),
and finally from a serious and holy pursuit of a clear conscience and of good works.
And if God’s chosen ones in this world
did not have this well-founded comfort
that the victory will be theirs
and this reliable guarantee of eternal glory,
they would be of all people most miserable.
Meanwhile, Scripture testifies that
believers
have to contend in this life with various doubts of the flesh
and that under severe temptation they do not always experience this full assurance of faith and certainty of perseverance.
But God, the Father of all comfort,
does not let them be tempted beyond what they can bear,
but with the temptation he also provides a way out (1 Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit revives in them the assurance of their perseverance.
Summary
It's been awhile since we've heard from the Establishment. If you're new to our Bible reading plan, we use the term to refer to guys like the Pharisees & Sadducees (two rival religious/political parties), teachers of the laws and other Jewish insiders. They were Jesus' biggest nemesis during His ministry, as they worked overtime to protect their religious rackets. They ultimately saw to His execution on the cross.
These guys are so insidious in part because of the syrupy-sincere way they come to Jesus, as if they'd put their trust in Jesus as their Messiah if only He'd give them a bit more evidence. So once again they ask for a sign - this time, right after they had just explained away the miracle Jesus had just performed, saying that Jesus gained His powers demonically.
Jesus has no patience for these erudite scoffers, and He doesn't hold back. He answered to their face, A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! Jesus couldn't have used two more stinging words to describe these guys - wicked and adulterous. Can you imagine the looks on their faces as Jesus unloaded on them? No wonder the Establishment hated Him so much!
It would have been so easy for Jesus to bust out another miracle right then and there - to call their bluff, displaying His mighty power and giving definitive proof that He really was who He claimed to be. Then they'd really have a look on their faces! But Jesus doesn't do that. Instead, He points them back to the Old Testament account of Jonah. God's gracious faithfulness through dozens of generations was all the miraculous proof they needed.
Dig Deeper
Jesus here isn't saying that you don't need rationale or proof to help establish and build your faith and trust in Him. He's just saying that you don't need more than the massive amount of evidence which He has very plentifully revealed in his Word for our comfort. Ever since the beginning of time, the Establishment has sought to discredit the hundreds of miracles the Bible testifies to. Jesus' point is that if you can't accept the miraculous evidence that already exists, then more miracles won't do the trick either.
Maybe you have a friend who often asks something like, “If God is real, why doesn’t He show Himself to me right now?” The problem with the question is that we're already surrounded with evidence of God's existence in the Creation He spoke into being and continues to govern! Even the breath used to voice such a question comes from God!
Since the problem for such people isn't a lack of evidence, simply producing more 'miraculous' evidence won't sway anyone. The unbelieving mind would still reinterpret or explain it away. What’s needed is not just more proof, but a new heart.
It's good for you to be able to give reasons for your faith in clear, logical language. Nowhere does God ever call anyone to take a blind leap of faith by putting their trust in Him. It's good for you to improve your apologetic skills so you can explain to yourself and others why Christianity is reasonable and true. But ultimately remember that your faith is a gift; you can 'see' things that others can't because your heart and mind have been regenerated. So thank God for His gift to you!
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who saved Jonah after three days in the fish, and His Son after three days in the grave;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will continue to build your trust and assurance by helping you see and understand the massive amounts of evidence that His Word is true;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 1
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