Matthew the apostle wrote about Jesus feeding four thousand men plus women and children, and afterward, “he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red . And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky; but can you not discern the signs of the times?”, and in chapter sixteen and verse four of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus said, “a wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign” where we read:
A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
The verse reads, “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign;”. Matthew began with the words, “a wicked” which means “an evil, diseased, blind and bad” “and adulterous” or “unclean, apostate and faithless” “generation” which means “rank of natural descent and successive members of a group of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits and character” “seeks after” or “inquires, wishes and craves for” “a sign” which means “a token, miracle or wonder”. Matthew shared how Jesus deemed as “wicked” any “generation” of people who are “sign seekers”.
The verse continues, “and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.” Matthew added the words, “and there shall no sign” which means “there will not be a token, miracle or wonder”, “be given unto it” which means “granted, supplied and furnished to that generation”, “but” or “except for and whether it be” “the sign” which means “token, miracle or wonder” “of the prophet” or “belonging to one who moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation” “Jonas” which refers to “Jonah whose name means dove who was the fifth minor prophet, the son of Amittai, and a native of Gath-hepher and lived during the reign of Jeroboam II, king of Israel”. “And he left them” or “and Jesus departed from the Pharisees and Sadducees” “and departed” which means “went His way”. Matthew shared how Jesus declared “no token, miracle or wonder” would be provided except for the “sign” of “Jonah” who spent three days and nights in the belly of a whale.
When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus called out the “wickedness” of the “generation” to which the Pharisees and Sadducees were a part. They were “sign seekers or miracle watchers” rather than seeking the One who was able to perform the miracles. They wanted Jesus to do some sort of “magic-like trick” for them. God desires people to have a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and when they seek after Him and not just what He may or may not do, they have aligned with His plan of “salvation” for man.
Next time Matthew shares how Jesus' disciples, “forgot to take bread” come to Jesus again, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment