1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.
Heads up – majoring on the minor’s will get us nowhere fast. According to the Lord Jesus, the Pharisees and Sadducees – men normally at variance among themselves - were here unanimously proficient - by careful observation - in predicting the weather – the mundane, the normal, and the daily – whether it would be good or threatening. Yet, sadly, they sorely lacked the more important spiritual knowledge of recognizing the signs previously given them pointing to the fact that Jesus was the Christ. They were careful observers of the weather yet our Lord calls them wicked and adulterous because they missed the most important – and that would be Him. They demonstrated great stupidity regarding their own souls. They missed the day of the Lord’s favor. They had no broken hearts – no repentant spirits – rather they merely sought to trifle with the Almighty – not a very good idea.
“A broken and contrite heart has no room for frivolity and trifling. A broken heart is serious, and solemn, and in earnest. A broken heart never tries to play any tricks with God, and never shuffles texts as though even Scripture itself were meant only to be an opportunity for testing our wit.” C. H. Spurgeon
Jesus did not come to earth as a performer of miracles to tantalize and mesmerize us. He was no puppet on a string. The purpose of the miracles He performed confirmed His Words – gave validity to what He said. It is great hypocrisy if we slight the signs God ordains and seek further signs of our own prescribing. Our Lord tells us in John:
31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came--and the Scripture cannot be broken-- 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God's Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” John 10:31-38 (NIV)
These religious leaders had been privy to have been exposed to plenty of our Lord’s miraculous workings - things too hard for mere man to accomplish. In pretense they approached Christ implying they would be satisfied if they saw yet another miracle. They negated the signs that had relieved the sick and sorrowful but desired those that would gratify their proud curiosity and please their arrogant attitudes. Simply put, they were not satisfied with the evidences given them though they were sufficient to satisfy an unprejudiced understanding. They wanted thunder and lightning and voices from heaven as proof of His Deity. Sounds a lot like attitudes of our day as well does it not? We want God to send us an email, come out of the sky doing mighty works perhaps even tweet us and then perchance we might believe even though more than sufficient evidence of the Truth has already been given us. We better be careful unless we like the terms “adulterous” and “wicked” attached to our names.
These religious elite were not seeking Truth they sought to trap the Master – to ensnare Him with their cunning. And Jesus leaves them and went away.
“It is the undoing of multitudes, that they are not aware what will be the result of their refusing Christ...This discourse broke off abruptly; ‘Jesus left them and went away’, Christ will not tarry long with those who tempt him, but justly withdraws from those who are disposed to quarrel with him.” Matthew Henry
“The great difficulty is to get modern audiences to realize that you are preaching Christianity solely and simply because you happen to think it true; they always suppose you are preaching it because you like it or think it good for society or something of that sort...” C.S. Lewis
1 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor 6:1-2 (NIV)