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Friday, January 24, 2025

Day 23 Bible Readings – Matthew 16: 4 (ESV)

Genesis 45 & 46, Matthew 16, Psalm 17: 13-15

Matthew 16: 4 (ESV)

“An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.”

In verse 4 in Matthew 16, we see Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and Sadducees when they asked for a sign from heaven. Jesus told them there will be no sign except the sign of Jonah. In the Bible commentaries I read, they outlined the similarities between the story of Jonah and the coming crucifixion and resurrection of Chrit. Jesus agreed to be crucified to pay in advance for the sins of humanity, just like Jonah sacrificed himself to saved others. Jesus died on the cross and after three days he was resurrected, just like Jonah who was swallowed by a great fish and was vomited out by the fish after 3 days. Jesus preached for people to repent, It makes me wonder if the Pharisees and Sadducees got the reference to Jonah and what would happen to Jesus. Did the disciples who seemed to know the Old Testament very well understand the Jonah reference as well? I don’t think anyone got the Jonah reference because the disciples never mentioned it in any of the Gospels or even the Book of Acts. But I love how Jesus mentioned it and no one seemed to have caught on as far we know.

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