The prophet Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, having been sent to them after spending three days in the belly of the fish, so the mention of the sign of Jonah
in Matthew 16:4 points to Jesus’ resurrection, which will show him as the victorious Messiah (Romans 1:4). When the Ninevites heard about the coming judgment in forty days, they knew that it was time to repent, not to stand by and wait for proof, for the heavenly sign would itself bring destruction upon all who refused to believe. Similarly, this generation should not seek a heavenly sign (Matthew 16:1), but should heed what Jesus had already said and done, lest the judgment come as a heavenly sign to their own ruin. Jesus’ repetition of his earlier words (see Matthew 12:39) shows him again exposing the unbelief of this new alliance of Pharisees and Sadducees, and so reaffirming the truth of his statement. The hearers cannot dismiss the sign of Jonah. They may unite to test Jesus and even seek to remove him from Israel through judicial means. Yet this generation will still face the Son of Man (Matthew 12:40), and thus also his judgment (Matthew 12:41–42). The Jewish leaders’ stubborn unbelief may take new forms, but the truth of God’s Son continues to press its claim upon them, so they must give up their resistance and bow before the Messiah. Jesus then leaves the leaders who had come to him from afar, for they had not truly come to him.
The prophet Jonah became a sign to the inhabitants of Nineveh, having been sent to them after spending three days in the belly of the fish. The reference to the sign of Jonah
in Matthew 16:4 therefore points to the resurrection of Jesus. Through his resurrection he would prove himself as the Messiah (Romans 1:4), and achieve a complete victory over all his enemies.1
When the people of Nineveh heard Jonah’s preaching about the coming judgment in forty days, they knew what was required of them. They realized that it was time for repentance, not for standing by indifferently and waiting for proof, for the heavenly proof would itself bring destruction upon all who refused to believe. Similarly, this generation now asks for a sign from heaven (Matthew 16:1), but they would be wise to heed what Jesus had already said and done, lest the judgment take them by surprise. That would be a heavenly sign to their own ruin.
The literal repetition of Jesus’ earlier words (see Matthew 12:39) shows that he now again seeks to expose the unbelief of this new alliance of Pharisees and Sadducees. In doing so, he also reaffirms the truth of his statement. The hearers cannot dismiss the sign of Jonah. They may unite in an effort to test Jesus and even attempt to remove him from Israel through judicial means. Yet this generation will still continue to be confronted by the Son of Man (Matthew 12:40), and therefore also with his judgment (Matthew 12:41–42). The stubbornness of unbelief of the Jewish leaders may assume new forms and appear in new combinations time and again, but the truth of God’s Son continues to press its claim upon them. They must therefore abandon their theatrical resistance and bow before the Messiah. Jesus leaves it at that. He then departs, leaving behind the leaders who had come to him from afar, for they had not truly come to him—and so he does not remain with them .
4 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.