“The Sign Of Jonah!”

“The Sign Of Jonah!”(Mt.26:1-12).
The Pharisees and Sadducees were part of the Sanhedrin, but differed on some salient doctrines. While the Pharisees believed in angels, the immortality of the soul and the resurrection, the Sadducees did not. Besides, the Sadducees were aristocratic monarchists, but the Pharisees were eclectic, popular, and more democratic.
However, in Jesus they had a common enemy. No doubt both groups “came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.”
Jesus wondered that they knew how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but were unable to interpret the signs of the times. The only sign Jesus had for them is the sign of Jonah.
It is not stated, but it seems they were stunned and didn’t know how to leave because Jesus’ response was sarcastic. They came to test Jesus, but after Jesus replied them, he is the one who left them and went away.
However, their testing let Jesus to teach his disciples to be on their “guard against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” At first the disciples did not understand him because he had told them to “guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They thought he said so because they had forgotten to buy bread. The Holy Book contains all genres of literature. If we are not able to distinguish between a figurative expression and plain language, we are bound to misunderstand the writer/speaker and the message. When the message is misunderstood, it leads to doubtful interpretation. The end result is unintended consequences from the hearers.
Today’s religious authorities can be seen as the counterparts of the Pharisees and Sadducees. If we can read and interpret the sky, but if we are not able to interpret the signs of the times, then those who listen to us should guard against our teachings.
The message of salvation is simple and plain: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”(Jn.3:16).
Whoever cannot believe this will still not believe it if a sign was shown from heaven.
Our faith is built on a Unchanging Christ, the Son of the Being Beyond whom no other exist, the Unmoved Mover! The LORD Almighty!
The sign of Jonah is the resurrection after three days in the belly of the earth. When the fish vomited Jonah he went and preached to the Ninevites; they repented and were saved. In the same way we are saved when our faith is built on the risen Christ.
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit enable us to understand what our Lord is telling us. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.