Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In Matthew 12:40-41, Jesus gave a twofold explanation of His meaning.

The first was the similarity between the time that Jonah spent in the belly of the great fish that swallowed him (Jonah 1:17) before the fish vomited him back out on land (Jonah 2:10), and the time that Jesus would be entombed following his death (when He would be in the figurative "belly of the earth") until He would rise again.

The second sign was the manner in which Jonah had been sent by God to the inhabitants of the large city of Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-2) to warn them that the city was about to be destroyed by God if its citizens did not repent of their wickedness. In the same way, Jesus (who described Himself as greater than Jonah (Luke 11:32)) was sent by God to Israel (and, in particular, to Jerusalem) preaching repentance. Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching and was spared, but Jerusalem rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70.

August 06 2018 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Leslie Coutinho Supporter

Matthew 12:41: The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 

The sign of Jonah Lord Jesus spoke off was the rising of the Ninevites to bring judgment with this generation, which came to pass as the Lord Jesus revealed unto us. The temple's veil was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and there was an earthquake, causing the rocks to be rent in the city. For those who were in the grave as Jonah was in the belly of the fish who had done good, the graves were opened, and they heard the voice of the Son of God and came fourth out of the graves after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. They then went into the holy city and appeared, and being witnessed were revealed unto many. (Mat 27:51-53/John 5:25-29)

Jonah, who cried out of the belly of the great fish, was vomited out on the dry land. He then arose and went preaching for what the Lord bid him to do. The preaching of Jonah after witnessing by the men who they had cast into the sea, where the sea calmed down “led the people to repent from their evil way and of the violence of their hands.” (Jonah 3:8) The judgment that was coming to this generation after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, was witnessed by the guards who came into the city and showed unto the chief priest all things that were done. When they assembled with the elders, “they repented not” but were secured with large amounts of money to secure their tongue and say the disciples stole his body by night. (Mat 28:11-15)

They who observe lying vanities today forsake their own mercy. (Jonah 2:8) When Lazarus passed away the Jews who were with Mary and Martha witnessed his resurrection. As Lazarus emerged from the grave many believed in Jesus, and some of them clung to worthless idols and turned away from God’s love for them. After witnessing this miracle, they went their way to the Pharisees and told them what Lord Jesus had done. (John 11:46-47) This was the sign of judgment Lord Jesus spoke of, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28-29)

Daniel 12:2: And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

7 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

When Jesus was confronted by Pharisees and scribes to show them a sign, Jesus said none would be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah, Matthew 12:40.

This was an amazing response as these leaders were expecting something spectacular such as fire being called out of heaven. Instead, He drew on a most humiliating event on Jonah’s part, being swallowed by some great fish and remaining there in the belly for three days and three nights. But by this, Jesus predicted what would happen to Him, especially the unusual sign of being raised from the dead the third day.

This poses a problem because the phrase, “three days AND three nights,” only found here, does not work from Friday to Sunday. Three days can be understood but not three nights. The resurrection is definitely on Sunday, the first day of the week, but to make it fit, some place the crucifixion on Wednesday or Thursday. But Friday is the day Jesus died. All the gospel writers called it Preparation (day), the modern Greek name for Friday. It was the day to prepare for the Sabbath when no one was to work.

There is an explanation that makes sense. The clue is in the phrase “heart of the earth.” It is usually thought of as the grave, but despite what some people claim, Jonah did not die but was captive. In like manner, Jesus was captive when He was arrested and brought to the “heart of the earth” or “heart of the land,” that is, to the authorities.

This is the sense in Deuteronomy 11:3, which says the people saw God’s “...signs and His acts which He did in the midst of Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to all his land.” God worked in “the midst [or heart] of Egypt,’ specifically the ruler, “Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

Jesus predicted the third day would be after being delivered over to authorities, Matthew 16:21, Matthew 20:18-19, Luke 24:20-21. From the betrayal to the resurrection would be the time frame. Thus, the timeline looks like this, noting that as the Jewish saying goes, “The portion of a day is as the whole of it”:

1st night – betrayal, arrest, interrogations
1st day – trials, mocking, scourging, crucifixion, burial
2nd night – in the tomb
2nd day – in the tomb
3rd night – in the tomb
3rd day – resurrection soon after dawn

The interesting thing is that the Lord spoke to the fish, deciding the very moment to have the fish eject Jonah and “deposit” him on dry land. Not one day, two days, but after three days and three nights. Likewise, God chose to raise Jesus from the grave on the third day.

The whole experience is captured by the words of Isaiah 53:5, in that even from the time of arrest, Jesus suffered for our sins and for this we have peace and healing from our sin-stricken condition.

All it requires is to believe in Jesus, John 6:47, accepting this miraculous sign of God.

12 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report