Matthew 12:38-40 ASV

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:1-50

This chapter chronicles direct attacks on Christ. The first was petty and foolish. It is on the question of the Sabbath. The Master gives to His people the true conception of the sanctity of the Sabbath. It is established, and remains, for "the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." "How much is a man better than a sheep? Why, then, rescue a sheep and neglect a man? The second attack was characterized by malicious hatred; it was an absolute denial of the sovereignty of God. Satan is cast out by... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:38

‘Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we would see a sign from you.” ‘Then’ is a connecting word (compare Matthew 12:22) and, like most connecting words in the Gospels, must not be overpressed. It indicates a loose connection to give some indication of continuity, without being specific. ‘Certain of the Scribes and Pharisees’ may indicate an official deputation, or may simply indicate that not all Scribes and Pharisees were to be seen as involved. Not all... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:39

‘But he answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will no sign be given to it apart from the sign of Jonah the prophet,” ’ ‘Answered and said.’ In Matthew ‘answered’ does not necessarily refer back to a particular question. It rather has in mind that Jesus’ words are a total answer to all who hear them, that Jesus is God’s answer to all men’s questions. Jesus’ reply is that the only reason that the present generation, who had seen His works... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:40

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the large fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” His first sign is typical of Scripture, it is something that will happen in the future (compare Exodus 3:12; Isaiah 7:14). The future will prove the present (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). It does, however, require faith. In it He describes two things that were incongruous. The first was that Jonah spent three days and three nights in the... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:22-45

Matthew 12:22-Romans : . Jesus’ Answer to the Verdict of the Jerusalem Scribes, and the Intervention of His Family ( Mark 3:20-Habakkuk : *, Luke 11:14-Isaiah :; Luke 11:29-Jonah :; Luke 12:10; Luke 8:19-Ecclesiastes :).— For the painful statement in Mark 3:20 f. Mt. (like Lk.) substitutes the healing of a blind and dumb man probably a second (compressed) use of Matthew 9:27-Obadiah : and Matthew 9:32-Nahum :. The word for “ were amazed” is an adaptation of the word for “ is beside himself”... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:38-42

Matthew 12:38-Luke : . The Request for a Sign Refused ( Luke 11:29-Jonah :. From Q. Cf. Mark 8:11 f.*= Matthew 16:1-Exodus : a, Matthew 16:4).— Mt. uses the incident here as an additional illustration of the hostility between the Pharisees and Jesus. They ask for some more authentic and unique attestation of His claim than a miracle of healing or an everyday exorcism. But to a people that has been God’ s unfaithful bride no sign shall be given but that of Jonah. As he, coming from a... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:38

We read the like to this Matthew 16:1, and Luke seemeth to relate the same history, Luke 11:29. Master was the usual title which they gave to any whom they owned as a teacher. By a sign they mean something that might confirm unto them that he was sent of God; they expected that an extraordinary mission should be so confirmed: so John 6:33, What sign showest thou then, that we might see and believe thee? What dost thou work? Moses showed them signs, (as they there go on), he brought down for... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:40

An evil and adulterous generation; either called adulterous for that specific sin, which reigned amongst them, and indeed their polygamy was hardly better; or else because of their degeneracy from Abraham, whom they so much gloried in as their father, John 8:39,John 8:44. Seeketh after a sign; not satisfied with my miracles which I do on earth, they would have a sign from heaven. God was not difficult of confirming and encouraging people’s faith by signs; he gave Gideon a sign upon his asking,... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Matthew 12:38-45

CRITICAL NOTESMatthew 12:38. A sign.—See Luke 11:16. They wanted something of an immediate and decisive nature, to show, not that His miracles were real—that they seemed willing to concede—but that they were from above, not from beneath (Brown). Gerlach and Lisco suggest that these Pharisees were better inclined, and less opposed to Jesus, than the others. But in our opinion they were rather the worst among the bad (Lange).Matthew 12:39. Adulterous.—Adultery, taken in a spiritual sense,... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:38

Matthew 12:38 In every age, and perhaps more as the world grows older, men's hearts are apt to utter the same wish. The mind, afloat, as it were, on a vast sea, needs, and with reason, a sure anchor. Man cannot tell us of what man has never seen. We crave for the very heaven itself to be opened; we crave to see the light in which God dwells; we crave to hear the voice of Him to whom all things are known, who can neither be deceived nor deceive. I. This feeling is in its own nature nothing... read more

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:1-50

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:38

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:39

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:40

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:22-45

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:38-42

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:38

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:40

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Matthew 12:38-45

Sermon Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:38

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