Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 12:38-39

"Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet:" — Matthew 12:38-39 (ASV)

The Pharisees change their manner, but they are in pursuit of the same object. How hopeless had the religionists of that age become! Nothing would convince them. They manifest their hate of the Lord Jesus by ignoring all the wonders He had performed. What further signs could they seek than those He had already given? Fine inquirers they were! They treat all the miracles of our Lord as if they had never occurred.

With good reason the Lord called them “evil and adulterous,” since they were so given to personal lasciviousness and were spiritually so unfaithful to God.

We have those among us now who are so uncandid as to treat all the achievements of evangelical doctrine as if they were nothing, and talk to us as if no result had followed the preaching of the Gospel. Great patience is needed to deal wisely with such.

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

The queen of Sheba did not ask for a sign. She did not expect Solomon to work a miracle; but, sitting down in his presence, she proposed her hard questions, and meekly awaited his answers. So should these scribes and Pharisees have done with the Lord Jesus Christ. These were his signs:

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

The Pharisees change their manner, but they are in pursuit of the same object. How hopeless had the religionists of that age become!

Nothing would convince them. They manifested their hate of the Lord Jesus, by ignoring all the wonders He had performed. What further signs could they seek than those He had already given? Fine inquirers, these! They treated all the miracles of our Lord as if they had never occurred. The Lord might well call them "evil and adulterous," since they were so given to personal lasciviousness and were spiritually so untrue to God.

We have those among us now who are so insincere as to treat all the achievements of evangelical doctrine as if they were nothing, and talk to us as if no result had followed the preaching of the gospel. Great patience is needed to deal wisely with such.