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The Lord Jesus now uses the terrible words that the Baptist had addressed to the
Pharisees and Sadducees who came to his baptism (Matt. 3: 7):
"You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the
overflow of the heart the mouth speaks . . . . . but I tell you that men will have to give
account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken" (12: 34-37,
N.I.V.).
The Pharisees had deliberately made their choice and had taken Satan's side against
God, which only shows the evil heart within them.
Verse 36 is very searching. Christ asserts that every "idle word" is noted by God.
Argon, the word translated "idle", literally means "not working". Such words are useless
and do no good. Professor A. T. Robertson says:
"Jesus Who knows our very thoughts (12:25), insists that our words reveal our
thoughts and form a just basis for the interpretation of character (12:37). Here we have
judgment by words, as in 25:31-46 where Jesus presents judgment by deeds. Both are
real tests of actual character . . . . . and by the radio our words can be heard all round the
earth. Who knows where they stop?".
To cap it all, the Pharisees and teachers of the law, in addition to the blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit, now demand a miraculous sign from Christ. "Teacher, we want
to see a miraculous sign from you" (12: 38, N.I.V.). And this, after all the miracles He
had performed! Their request was impudent and hypocritical. The Lord replied:
"A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be
given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three
nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in
the heart of the earth" (12: 39, 40, N.I.V.).
We shall have more to say about the phrase "three days and three nights" when we
come to the burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Is it to be taken literally, or is it a
loose expression denoting a shorter period of time? We shall weigh up the evidence for
and against this when we reach the end of the Gospel.
As He had done before, Christ now asserts that there is a future in resurrection for the
men of Nineveh and the queen of Sheba, who will condemn the favoured generation to
whom the Lord came (12: 41, 42). The men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of
Jonah, but the wicked generation to whom the Lord came had been commanded to repent,
and they refused. The Lord likens them to a demoniac who had been cured and then
allows himself to be re-possessed by demons. The final condition was infinitely worse
than the first (verses 43-45).
The verses that follow tell of the mother and brothers of the Lord who wanted to speak
to Him. These were the younger sons of Joseph and Mary. The Lord's reply was not a
censure on His relatives, but points to the fact that there was something more important
than human relationships. He said: