“As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah…
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.”
Luke 11:29, 32 NIV
Why did Jesus classify His hearers as a “wicked generation”? What had they done to deserve this judgment?
Represented by their religious leaders, they were wicked, not because of sin but because they refused to believe what Jesus taught them. Instead, they kept demanding a sign. Despite His obvious authority to interpret Torah as it was meant to be understood, despite the miracles He did to confirm what He taught, that is, the nature and presence God’s reign among them, they still kept refusing to believe Him without signs.
What was the real issue? When we stand back and examine the clash between the religious leaders and their followers, and Jesus, what was it all about?
Jesus came from heaven for several reasons, among which was to reveal the true nature of the Father, that is, the greatness of His love. He did this by what He taught and by what He did, and especially by His attitude and treatment of the people the Pharisees despised…the outcasts.
The religious leaders were sticklers for the letter of the Law, but their “ holiness” was fake. They came down hard on those who didn’t believe and do what they did. They were an exclusive club that rejected everyone who was not on their side. Their “holiness” was for show.
“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach…Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.”
Matthew 23:1-3, 5-7 NIV
Jesus was ruthless in His condemnation of the ones who should have been examples to the people.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”
Matthew 23:23-24 NIV
The religious leaders clashed with Jesus because they refused to believe Him because they refused to accept His authority. They kept demanding a sign instead of believing His word. Hence, the sign of Jonah…the story of a man who came back from inside “a great fish” to preach to sinners. The sinners believed his message, repented, and received God’s mercy… but the Pharisees and their followers did not! How much greater will be the judgment on those who refuse to believe the preaching of the Son of God than on those who believed words of the prophet.
“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.”
Luke 11:32 NIV
To be continued…