Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 12:41

"The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here." — Matthew 12:41 (ASV)

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold a greater than Jonas is here.

The Gentiles of Nineveh were convinced by the sign of a prophet restored from burial in the sea; and moved by that conviction, they repented at his preaching. Without objection or delay they put the whole city in mourning, and pleaded with God to turn from his anger. Jesus came with a clearer command of repentance, and a brighter promise of deliverance; but he spoke to hardened hearts.

Our Lord reminds the Pharisees of this, and as they were the most Jewish of Jews, they were touched to the quick by the fact that Gentiles perceived what Israel did not understand, and that Ninevites repented while Jews were hardened. All men will rise at the judgment: The men of Nineveh shall rise. The lives of penitents will condemn those who did not repent: the Ninevites will condemn the Jews, because they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and the Jews did not. Those who heard Jonah and repented will be swift witnesses against those who heard Jesus, and refused his testimony.

The standing witness to our Lord is his resurrection from the dead. God grant that every one of us, believing that unquestionable fact, may be so assured of his mission, that we may repent and believe the gospel.

RESURRECTION is one proof, in fact, it is THE SIGN; although, as we shall see, it is supplemented by another. The two will convince us or condemn us.

The people of Nineveh were convinced by the sign of a prophet restored from burial in the sea. Moved by that conviction, they repented at his preaching. Without objection or delay, they put the whole city in mourning and pleaded with God to turn from His anger.

Jesus came with a clearer command of repentance and a brighter promise of deliverance, but He spoke to hardened hearts. Our Lord reminded the Pharisees of this. Since they were the most devout of Jews, they were stung by the fact that Gentiles perceived what Israel did not understand, and that Ninevites repented while Jews were hardened.

All people will rise at the judgment: The men of Nineveh shall rise. The lives of penitent people will condemn those who did not repent. The Ninevites will condemn the Jews, because they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and the Jews did not. Those who heard Jonah and repented will be swift witnesses against those who heard Jesus and refused His testimony.

The enduring witness to our Lord is His resurrection from the dead. May God grant that every one of us, believing that unquestionable fact, may be so assured of His mission that we repent and believe the Gospel.

RESURRECTION is one proof. In fact, it is THE SIGN, although as we will see, it is supplemented by another. The two will convince us or condemn us.