Luke 11:29-32 29And when the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
More and more people began to follow Jesus. The question begins to develop, why? What attracted them to him? Jesus’ response to this growing crowd suggests that they missed his message and call to discipleship. They were in it for the entertainment and emotional high and had not counted the cost of full commitment and consecration.
Jesus’ words seem harsh with calling that generation evil. The people wanted to see proof of his messiahship. The evidence was right before them, but they refused to believe it. Those who have hardened their hearts cannot see the kingdom. For those with the eyes of faith, the kingdom is everywhere to behold. The only evidence Jesus would give was the sign of Jonah. This sign is also mentioned in Matthew 12:39; 16:1 and Mark 8:11–12. There are different possible comparisons between Jonah and Jesus. Verse 30 focuses the comparison on how Jonah went to Nineveh and called the people to repent. His message was simple: God would destroy the city if the people did not repent and turn away from wickedness (Jonah 3:4). The Ninevites listened and “believed God” (Jonah 3:5).
The first-century generation in Israel was doing the opposite of the Ninevites when the clear word of God came to them. Jesus uses his self-description of Son of Man that has a prophetic, revelatory, and messianic tone to it. Those who did not believe in Jesus would be condemned for their rejection of Jesus. Jesus continues this strong warning with the illustration of the queen of the South, referring to the story of when the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon to hear his wisdom in 1 Kings 10:1–13. Both Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba were foreigners, Gentiles, who listened to God’s word. Here were the sons and daughters of Abraham who should have been the first ones to believe.
Even more significant is that they had greater evidence of God’s work and word than any previous generation had. They had the Living Word in their midst. The Ninevites, Gentiles with little revelation and knowledge, repented at the preaching of God’s word, but the Jews of Jesus’ day who had full revelation refused. This passage is a clear reminder that with the revelation of the light of the gospel comes the responsibility to repent and believe.
We may not have Jesus in person, but we have the testimony of the Bible and the evidence of the kingdom’s presence in so many ways in the world today. Jesus is so much greater than any earthly rulers or powers we see today. We must not get distracted or deceived by the many empty words and powerless attempts at control. The call to repent and believe continues to ring out to all who are willing to hear and obey.
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