Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 He said to them in reply, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 40 Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. 42 At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.
As the tension between Jesus and the religious leaders intensifies, the scribes and Pharisees demand a sign: “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you” (v. 38). Their request, on the surface, may seem harmless—after all, God gave signs to Moses, to Gideon, and to the prophets. But this demand is not born of faith seeking understanding. It is a veiled challenge, a test of Jesus’ legitimacy rooted in hardened hearts. They have already witnessed miracles, heard His teaching, and seen demons cast out (cf. Mt 12:22), yet they remain unmoved. Their request is not a desire for truth, but a willful refusal to believe what has already been revealed.
Jesus answers with measured severity: “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet” (v. 39). Jonah, swallowed by a great fish and delivered after three days, prefigures the death and resurrection of Christ. Jesus makes this typology explicit: “Just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights” (v. 40). The ultimate sign will not be a spectacle but a sacrifice—the mystery of the Cross and the triumph of the Resurrection.
Jesus then declares that the people of Nineveh, who repented at Jonah’s preaching, will rise in judgment against this generation. So too will the queen of the south, who traveled far to hear the wisdom of Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs 10:1-10). In both cases, Gentiles recognized divine truth and responded with reverence. Yet here, in the presence of “something greater than Jonah” and “greater than Solomon” (vv. 41–42), the chosen people turn away with contempt.
This passage reminds us that God has always made His truth known, not by coercion, but by revelation and invitation. From the call of the prophets to the Incarnation, the divine plan unfolds as a summons to trust and repentance. Signs are not lacking; what is often missing is the willingness to believe. As St. John Chrysostom taught, “He does not simply say that no sign will be given, but none except that of Jonah, so that their minds might be sobered by the prospect of judgment and resurrection” (Homilies on Matthew, 43).
In this age, as in every age, many seek wonders, but the true sign remains the same: the Cross and the empty tomb. The wisdom of God is not always clothed in spectacle. It is often veiled in suffering, in mystery, and in mercy that invites repentance rather than astonishment. The question is not whether God has spoken, but whether we are listening and will respond.
Lord Jesus, You are the wisdom greater than Solomon and the sign greater than Jonah. Teach us to recognize Your presence, even when it comes without grandeur. May we never demand signs but respond to Your Word with humble trust, repentance, and joy. Amen.
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Sources and References:
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011).
- A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, ed. Orchard et al. (1953).
- The Navarre Bible: Matthew, Faculty of the University of Navarre (2008).
- The Paulist Biblical Commentary, ed. Chiu et al. (2018).
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§994, 2763.
- St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, 43.
- St. Augustine, Tractates on the Gospel of John, 40.
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