A Sign from Heaven

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. (Matthew 16:1, NIV 1984).

My Musings – The Pharisees and Sadducees were among the religious elite during Jesus’ time. Few had a favorable opinion of Him. What is remarkable about their request is that it occurred after the following.

“Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” (Matthew 15:29–31, NIV 1984).

“The people were amazed…And they praised the God of Israel.” But not the Pharisees and Sadducees. They wanted some other “sign from heaven.” Jesus’ reply? “A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” (Matthew 16:4, NIV 1984). From His response, “wicked and adulterous,” it is clear that Jesus did not have a favorable opinion about them either. But it was not really an opinion, because He knew their hearts.

So, is the sign that “will be given.” “The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17, NIV 1984). Jesus’ reply in this instance was referring to an earlier exchange with “the Pharisees and teachers of the law.” “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, NIV 1984). In other words, I told you before. It will come. Wait for it.

My Advice – “What I [Paul] received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NIV 1984). They asked for a sign. They got a sign. But it made little difference to the religious leaders.

“The guards [of Jesus’ tomb] went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep. If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ So, the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (Matthew 28:11–15, NIV 1984).

Let’s make sure we believe the sign that was given, fulfilled and paid for our sins, and not the story that was fabricated, widely circulated, and paid for by the chief priests and elders.