I think it’s interesting that Jesus would bring up Solomon when the Pharisees and teachers of the law wanted to apply “worldly” wisdom to what His mission was on earth. I can think of three reasons why they would demand a sign:
1. They really were looking for the Messiah, and prophesies told them He would perform miraculous acts and signs. They were sincere and wanted the truth.
2. They did not want to here what Jesus was preaching, and wanted to be amused. They did not want to hear the truth.
3. They were trying to trick Him or hope that He couldn’t perform on demand thereby showing himself a heretic. They wanted to hide the truth.
Regardless of their motive Jesus knew their hearts. His answer shows incredible insight and wisdom for them, and for us today.
Let’s look at this confrontation as found in 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.
Have a good Godly day.
