Matthew 12:41

The Pharisees believed correctly that judgment followed resurrection. [Note: F. W. Green, ed., The Gospel According to Saint Matthew in the Revised Version, p. 183.] Jesus followed His comments about resurrection in Matthew 12:40 with instruction about judgment in Matthew 12:41.

His critics’ condemnation would be greater than that of the Ninevites because the Ninevites repented at Jonah’s preaching, but the scribes and Pharisees would not repent at Jesus’ preaching. Jesus did not mean that the believing Ninevites and the unbelieving Jews of Jesus’ day would appear before God at the same time. That is clear because the Ninevites would not condemn the Jews, but God would. Jesus meant that the believing Ninevites could testify against the unbelieving Jews when each group appeared before God for judgment.

The something greater than Jonah was again the authority of Messiah. The sign Jesus promised did not meet His critics’ demand since they did not need weak faith strengthened. It was a sign that He provided for His own disciples. By refusing to respond to Jesus’ message the scribes and Pharisees showed themselves to be worse sinners than the Gentile Ninevites.

"Jesus is greater than Jonah in many ways. He is greater in His person, for Jonah was a mere man. He was greater in His obedience, for Jonah disobeyed God and was chastened. Jesus actually died, while Jonah’s ’grave’ was in the belly of the great fish. Jesus arose from the dead under His own power. Jonah ministered only to one city [according to the Book of Jonah], while Jesus gave His life for the whole world. Certainly Jesus was greater in His love, for Jonah did not love the people of Nineveh-he wanted them to die. Jonah’s message saved Nineveh from judgment; he was a messenger of the wrath of God. Jesus’ message was that of grace and salvation." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:43.]