Matthew 12:39

Bible verse

Matthew 12:39 is the 39th verse in the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament.

The generation (Greek. γενεὰ, nation/race) of the time is called adulterous, that is, faithless and unbelieving. Lapide writes that this was perhaps because they left God and the faith and character of Abraham, Isaac and the rest of the Patriarchs. Since they all believed and testified of the Messiah, but these would not acknowledge Him when He was present. The only sign Jesus promises is found in John 2, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up; but He spoke of the temple of His body." The prophet Jonah is a clear prefigure of the Resurrection since he emerges from the belly of the whale after 3 days. Similarities of this verse and the previous one with Matthew 16:1–4 (and also the parallel passages in Mark 8:11 13; Luke 11:16, 29 32) are noted; the comparison of the passages in Matthew 12 and Matthew 16 is as follows. Matthew 12:38–39 Matthew 16:1–4 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." But he answered them,

"An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah." And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them,

"When it is evening, you say, «It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.» And in the morning,

'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky,

but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah."

Jerome: "Excellently is that said, and adulterous, seeing she has put away her husband, and, according to Ezekiel, has joined herself to many lovers."