Matthew 12:40

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:38-45

The sign-seekers. After Jesus had denounced the blasphemy of the scribes and Pharisees, and threatened them with the severity of the judgment, certain of their number demanded of him a sign to sustain his asserted authority. In his reply we notice— I. THAT THE SINNERS ARE REBUKED IN MERCY . 1 . They sought a sign , viz. , from heaven. 2 . But this sign was not for that generation. 3 . He gave them the sign from the earth. (a) As to the fact. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:40

Matthew only. For as Jonas ( Jonah , Revised Version) was three days and three nights in the whale's belly . Verbally from the LXX . of Jonah 1:17 ( Jonah 2:1 ). So shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth . Since, so far as the balance of evidence goes, the Crucifixion was on Friday and the Resurrection on Sunday, the actual time between them was only one clear day and two parts of days (which might fairly be called three days) and two... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:38-42

We would see a sign from thee - See Luke 11:16, Luke 11:29-32. A “sign” commonly signifies a miracle - that is, a sign that God was with the person or had sent him. Compare the notes at Isaiah 7:11. Luke adds that this was done “tempting him;” that is, trying him, doubting if he had the power to do it. If these persons had been present with him for any considerable time, they had already seen sufficient proofs that he was what he claimed to be. They might have been, however, those who had... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 12:38-40

Matthew 12:38-40. Then certain of the scribes, &c. Now present, upon hearing how plainly Christ admonished, and how severely he rebuked them, answered Probably with a view to divert the discourse to another topic, We would see a sign from thee As if they had said, Otherwise we will not believe this doctrine. Thus they insinuated that the ejection of devils was but a trifling miracle, which, for all he had said to the contrary, might be done by the help of devils, and that no signs... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:22-45

52. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:22-45; Mark 3:22-30; Luke 11:14-36)On one occasion when Jesus cast out demons, the Pharisees accused him of doing it by the power of Satan, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:22-24; Luke 11:14-16). Jesus replied that if the prince of demons used his own power to cast out demons, he would be creating civil war in his own kingdom. He would be destroying himself. The only way a strong man can be defeated is if a stronger man overpowers him. In casting out... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 12:40

as = just as. The Lord was dead, therefore Jonah must have been. Nothing is said about his being "preserved alive". That "sign" would have had no relation to what is here signified. See notes on Jonah. three nights. Apart from these words, "three days" might mean any portion of a day. But "three nights" forbids this interpretation. See App-144 and App-156 . Quoted from Jonah 1:17 . the whale's. Greek. ketos. Occ only here. There is nothing about "a whale" either in the Hebrew of Jonah... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:40

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.The use of "whale" in this verse is in error; the Greek word is "sea-monster," as a glance at the English Revised Version (1885) margin will show; not that there is any essential difference, for the Bible states that "God prepared" a great fish (Jonah 1:17). In the book of Jonah is related also how God "prepared" a gourd (Jonah 4:6), a worm... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:40

Matthew 12:40. For as Jonas was three days and three nights— See the note on Jonah 1:17. Instead of the whale's, we should read the fish's belly. It is no where in the Old Testament said that it was a whale, and κητος signifies any large fish in general. See Mintert on the word. The heart of the earth is a Hebraism for the earth. See what Ezekiel says of the city of Tyre, which was situated on the seashore, ch. Mat 27:4 Matthew 28:2. Our Saviour, in the expression here used, alludes to Jonah... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:40

40. For as Jonas was—"a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation" (Luke 11:30). For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly— (Luke 11:30- :). so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth—This was the second public announcement of His resurrection three days after His death. (For the first, see Luke 11:30- :). Jonah's case was analogous to this, as being a signal judgment of God; reversed in three days;... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 12:1-50

B. Specific instances of Israel’s rejection of Jesus ch. 12Matthew has shown that opposition to Jesus came from two main sources: the animosity of the religious leaders, and the indifference of the common Israelites. In this chapter he presented five instances in which opposition manifested itself and increased. In each situation the approach to Jesus was negative, but Jesus responded positively. [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 158.] "Central to the plot of Matthew’s story is the element... read more

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