Matthew Chapter 12 (Continued) {The Sign of Jonah} 12:38~~Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered Him, "Master {unbelievers here are committing spiritual adultery by calling Him master - good man - and not recognizing His Deity by calling Him Lord}, we want to see a sign from You." {Note: Blind men. Jesus had been giving his credentials all along here!} 12:39~~But He answered them, "An evil even adulterous generation {one that uses salvation by works} constantly seeking for a sign, but no sign will be given to it . . . except the sign of the prophet Jonah {Bible Doctrine}." {Note: An adulterer here is one who is substituting his good works in place of Jesus Christ for salvation. They have rejected His miracles so He is going back to miracles that are just as real!} {Note: What is stronger? What you can see or the Word? The WORD!} 12:40~~"For just as Jonah kept on being in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. {Note: The heart of the earth in Hebrew is 'Sheol'. This is also called Abraham's bosom, Paradise, and in the Greek 'Hades'. The Pharisees knew they would all go to Sheol and hoped to go to Abraham's bosom/paradise instead of Hades. Jesus tells them after three days He will come back from Sheol resurrected. They will still be around when Christ goes to Sheol and returns! There will be their desired sign! Yet many will still reject Him after the resurrection!} 12:41~~"The {Assyrian} people of Nineveh {where Jonah went} will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they {the Assyrians} changed their mental attitude {about Christ} from the preaching of Jonah . . . yet something greater than Jonah is here! {Note: The Assyrians' were the most despised Gentiles by the Jews. Yet they believed and were saved. These religious Jews will be condemned, but the believing Assyrians will be saved.} 12:42~~"The Queen of the South {Sheba} will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon {doctrine - some of which is in Proverbs} . . . BEHOLD a greater than Solomon is here {the Messiah is here}!"" {Note: Queen of Sheba, the richest woman in the world at the time. She was Arabic, another race the Jews despise. She made a trip to Solomon and got doctrine! Apparently she accepted Christ and went home saved.} {It is Religion that is on the Side of Satan - not Christ or True Christianity} 12:43~~"When the unclean spirit goes out of a person, it travels through dry/waterless places {they stick with religion - works} looking for refreshment, and does not find it {in self-righteous legalism}. {Note: Apparently Jesus had cast demons out of some of the Pharisees in order to allow their volition to express itself one way or the other.} 12:44~~"Then it {the demon} says, 'I will return to my house that I came from.' When it returns it finds the house empty, swept clean {self-righteousness -good works} and put in order {religion is empty - perfect for the demon}." {Note: The religion of Judaism has swept it and legalism has put it in order for the demon. Jesus later calls the Pharisees 'white washed tombstones' - clean on the outside yet spiritually dead inside.} 12:45~~"Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter in and live there; and the final condition of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!" {Note: At some point, Jesus will stop restraining the demons and these unbelievers will be possessed again even worse then before. Their opportunity to be saved is NOW!} {Identification of Brotherhood - Jesus' True Family} 12:46~~While He was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and {four half} brothers came and stood outside, asking to speak to Him. {Note: In Matthew 13:55 we learn the brothers are James {the author of James}, Jude {the author of Jude}, Joseph, and Simon.} 12:47~~Someone told Him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to speak to You." 12:48~~To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers? {To whom will Jesus be related forever?}" 12:49~~And pointing toward His disciples {the believing ones} He said, "These are My mother and My brothers!" 12:50~~"For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven {believing in Christ} is My brother and sister and mother {all in one}." {Note: Doing the will of the Father is defined in I John.3: 23 - believing in Christ.} ************************************************ This page is sponsored by Kenneth Sidley, CPA, an Orange County California CPA (949) 706-3133. Please call Ken for high quality, low cost CPA services in Orange County California. This includes audit, review, compilation, tax returns, Quickbooks, and business consulting services. This page is sponsored by Moxxor For Pain Free Living. Moxxor is a highly concentrated Omega 3 product that has reduced inflammation in this writer. Please go to this website to read more about Moxxor.