This is to bring up a part of the Bible -- Mathew 12:38-40
Before I give the passages, let me say this: The miracle of Jonah was that he was in the belly of the whale for 3 days and 3 nights-- and that he came out ALIVE from the belly.
now please listen to Jesus when scribes came to him and asked him to perform a miracle.
Mathew 12:38 The scribes came to him saying "Master, we would see a sign from thee....."
12:39 But Jesus answered and said to them
"An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign,
and there shall be no sign given to it,
but the sign of the Prophet Jonah"
(might I add that Sign in many translations is miracle:
So the Miracle/sign of Jonah)
12:40 and Jesus continues "Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the stomach of the Belly of a whale, so shall the Son of man be 3 days 3 nights in the grave also.
Okay: So when asked for a miracle he tells them no miracle will he perform, other than staying alive once entombed
Your explanation please?
2006-12-01 04:06:01 · 8 answers · asked by liberty_brooks 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am impressed with some of these answers! Thankyou!
2006-12-01 05:25:25 · update #1
When Jonah was in the belly of the whale or fish or whatever you want to call it, he said himself that he was in "Sheol". Obviously he wasn't really dead, since the whale later spit him out, but he was in a bad situation where he could have, possibly should have -died. Anyhow - if you look up sheol it means basically "place of death" so Jonah thought he was done for and was going to die in the belly of the fish. Jesus in Matthew is just relating how that situation is similar to how his was going to be. Jesus knew he was going to die and that in three days he was to be raised up by his father(this was all prophesied, and Jesus knew the prophesies and that they would be fulfilled). Jesus was dead - or in "Sheol" - for 3 days/nghts - just like Jonah was in the "belly of Sheol" for 3 days/nights. Jesus had already performed many miracles for these guys and they had seen and heard of many of them. They were trying to test Jesus because they didn't like him, he was taking their paychecks, I mean followers, away. So Jesus was saying he didn't need to prove himself to these guys - if they wanted a miracle, they could look to the scriptures and read of the miracles of the past and that they could also wait and see that he was to be raised from the dead after 3 days. He did not mean that he was alive in the tomb. The pharisees made sure he was dead - he had been embalmed and everything. Guards even stood at his tomb so that the disciples couldn't steal the body and "say" that Jesus had been raised from the dead. But for 3 days he was dead, useless, not heard from. Just as for the 3 days of Jonah, it was the same. Later the whale/fish spit him out. Figuratively you could say that "Sheol" spit him out just like Jesus.
2006-12-01 04:34:16 · answer #1 · answered by CHRISTINA 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Everyone knows even today you cannot press every detail of an illustration. That is not their function. The function here is to draw parallels. The parallel between Johah in the whale and Jesus in the tomb is both "went under" for 3 days and returned after 3 days. There is no contradiction with the historical claim that Jesus died because that is not the point Jesus is trying to make to those who demanded a sign. They wanted proof of his identity. He said I will not give you a miracle here because I know you are not really seeking the truth, you want to entrap me. So the proof he did give them was his resurrection.
2006-12-01 04:28:37 · answer #2 · answered by Daniel M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think the possible translation as 'miracle' works because if you look at the text, he's just done some exorcisms when they ask their question, and he's already been known to heal the sick etc. Other holy men and prophets have done these sorts of things before. They're asking for an undisputable sign that he's the Messiah, the chosen one from God. Jesus says that there will be no sign other than his death and resurrection, and so it is.
2006-12-01 04:15:25 · answer #3 · answered by Caritas 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think that Jesus said that this was not acceptable, to be asking for a sign, that he is the sign and they can't even see it.
The part about the miracle of Jonah represents that he would die and rise three days later and that would be an acceptable sign or miracle that they would witness.
This is just my interpretation and my opinion.
2006-12-01 04:12:12 · answer #4 · answered by elibw 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
First of- translation isn't whale but big fish-this makes more sense when you see scientifically a person cannot fit into the belly- anywho- it means Jesus' spirit living on then bringing out Jesus body alive after the third day.
2006-12-01 04:10:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
In this situation, the scribes and Pharisees were mocking Jesus, not believing Him unless He did something for them. You cannot tempt the Lord, or test Him. He wasn't going to perform like a circus animal to prove to them that He is the Lord. He told them you just wait, I will die, be bound up in a tomb, and then rise from the dead and walk the earth. That will be their miracle to prove He is Lord.
2006-12-01 04:12:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
In saying this, Jesus asked then why or what is the point? There were many who came before him that pointed to him and they did not beleive those prophets.
There many mircles done in their mist or that they heard or and they choose not to believe. What Glory would God get in their asking?
He told them, they will soon see the greatest miricle... the RESURRECTION.
Wow....gave me goose bumps. :-)
2006-12-01 04:23:08 · answer #7 · answered by 2 know Him & 2 Make Him known 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he does not stay alive in the tomb, he is dead and comes back to life.
P.S. i am kind of confused what you want me to explain...
2006-12-01 04:10:34 · answer #8 · answered by nik 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋