Luke 11:29-32
The Sign of Jonah
29 As ▼▼tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
the crowds were increasing, Jesus ▼▼tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, ▼▼sn The mention of a sign alludes back to Luke 11:16. Given what Jesus had done, nothing would be good enough. This leads to the rebuke that follows.
but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. ▼▼sn As the following comparisons to Solomon and Jonah show, in the present context the sign of Jonah is not an allusion to Jonah being three days in the belly of the fish, but to Jesus’ teaching about wisdom and repentance.
30For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, ▼ so the Son of Man will be a sign ▼▼tn The repetition of the words “a sign” are not in the Greek text, but are implied and are supplied here for clarity.
to this generation. ▼▼tc Only the Western ms D and a few Itala mss add here a long reference to Jonah being in the belly of the fish for three days and nights and the Son of Man being three days in the earth, apparently harmonizing the text to the parallel in Matt 12:40.
31The queen of the South ▼▼sn On the queen of the South see 1 Kgs 10:1-3 and 2 Chr 9:1-12, as well as Josephus, Ant. 8.6.5-6 (8.165-175). The South most likely refers to modern southwest Arabia, possibly the eastern part of modern Yemen, although there is an ancient tradition reflected in Josephus which identifies this geo-political entity as Ethiopia.
will rise up at the judgment ▼▼sn For the imagery of judgment, see Luke 10:13-15 and 11:19. The warnings are coming consistently now.
with the people ▼ of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and now, ▼▼tn Grk “behold.”
something greater ▼▼sn The message of Jesus was something greater than what Solomon offered. On Jesus and wisdom, see Luke 7:35; 10:21-22; 1 Cor 1:24, 30.
than Solomon is here! 32The people ▼ of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them ▼▼tn Grk “at the preaching of Jonah.”
▼ —and now, ▼▼tn Grk “behold.”
something greater than Jonah is here!
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