Coffee With God

Reflection: Matthew 12:38-42

Evangelist Matthew presents the Pharisees and the scribes as the adversaries of Jesus. Most of the arguments against the teachings and signs of Jesus come from these religious leaders. Here they are at it again, but with a seemingly genuine request – for a sign from heaven. Matthew had already reported a number of signs and miracles of Jesus. The ordinary people have been full of praise and amazement at what Jesus is doing and they acclaim that “God has visited his people”. But the religious leaders, blinded by their own prejudice, accused Jesus of using the powers of Satan for his teachings, exorcisms and healings. Now with this request from the leaders, Matthew wants to expose the hypocrisy of the pharisees and the scribes and they must have been demanding Jesus to present his credentials. Jesus retorts by calling them “evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign”. Signs and wonders were happening all around them, but they pretended blindness. So the Lord calls them “evil and unfaithful generation.” No matter what he does or says, they would not believe. Remember the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus, one in hell and the other on the bosom of Father Abraham? Father Abraham tells the rich man in hell: “If they [his brothers and sisters] do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” Same is the answer for the detractors of Jesus. There is no point in going into an argument with those who do not believe in God. God cannot be proved by arguments, but only by faith. Jesus offers them the “sign of Jonah,” – which was well understood by the listeners of Matthew. Because they knew both the story of Jonah as well as the faith of the Christians that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. But again, the Jews in Antioch who refused to believe in Jesus, would not believe in this resurrection story either. Matthew is challenging them – with the greatest sign from Heaven for the Messiah – the sign of the Resurrection. The leaders had no explanations or answers for the teachings and mighty works of Jesus, but they refuse to believe, because they regard themselves as people of knowledge and learning. Complacency and intellectual pride are probably the biggest temptations that confront us today. Sometimes, we are stiff-necked and stubborn like the scribes and pharisees in the Gospel today. We refuse to give up our set patterns of behaviour and consider everyone else is wrong. The Gospel invites us to open wide our eyes – and witness the beauty of God’s miracles all around us.