29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. (Luke 11:29-32 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
The sign which the Pharisees here desired of our Saviour, was a miracle wrought by him. Now our Saviour, though he was very ready to work miracles to encourage and confirm his hearers’ faith, yet not to satisfy the unbelieving Pharisees’ curiosity: and accordingly he tells them, they should have no other sign than that of his resurrection, which Jonas was a type of.
Next, he threatens them for their obstinacy and infidelity, which he aggravates from the example of the queen of the south, and the men of Nineveh.
From thence learn, that the sins of infidelity and impenitency are exceedingly heightened, and their guilt aggravated, from the means afforded by God to bring men to faith and obedience. The sin of the Pharisees was infinitely greater in rejecting the evidence of Christ’s miracles, than the sin of the Ninevites would have been in refusing to hearken to Jonas’s ministry; therefore the Ninevites shall condemn the Pharisees.
BURKITT | Luke 11:1 | Luke 11:2-4 | Luke 11:5-8 | Luke 11:9-10 | Luke 11:11-13 | Luke 11:14-20 | Luke 11:21-26 | Luke 11:27-28 | Luke 11:29-32 | Luke 11:33-36 | Luke 11:37-40 | Luke 11:41 | Luke 11:42 | Luke 11:43 | Luke 11:44 | Luke 11:45-46 | Luke 11:47-54 |