Matthew 12:41 Commentary and Bible Study

The men of Nineveh are long since dead, but they will have something to say to his generation, Christ tells them. All generations will come together when they are all raised to life at the end of the world. In that day, the condemnation of Christ’s unbelieving generation will not only come from God but from other human beings who heard and responded to the message of God. Nineveh was under the judgment of God and Jonah was sent to announce their imminent destruction, but on hearing of this they believed the prophet of God and repented and amended their ways. They turned every one from his evil way, and from the violence that was in their hands. That was done at the preaching of Jonah, a prophet of God, but a mere mortal man. Christ’s generation was hearing the words of the Son of God who had come down from heaven, and yet with such a great visitation, the people of his generation did not believe his message but hardened their hearts. The men of Nineveh will have cause to judge Christ’s generation, because they failed to respond when visited by a far greater messenger from God – the only begotten Son. Yes, our response to the message of God will be judged by the light that we have received. Jonah did no miracles, but Christ healed all who came to him. Jonah did not explain the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, but Christ revealed things that were hidden since the foundation of the world, and spoke like no other man spoke. To whom was a great response due? To the Lord’s prophet, or to the Lord himself? On that day the men of Nineveh will somehow know the greater opportunity that was given to the men of Christ’s generation and will know how they neglected that opportunity. They will be entitled to judge them for their lack of response. They will be aware that the only really significant fact about a life lived on earth is what was done with the revelation of God, the command to repent and the offer of pardon and everlasting life on condition of faith. So speaks the one who knows what no one else knows because he knows all things. He knows what will take place at the end of the world and he even knows the interactions that will occur after the resurrection between the generations. For the lost, true regret comes later, a regret they never experienced during their lives on earth. In the last day, the unbeliever will see what he has lost and all pleasures that seemed so great to him during his life, will then be despised as worthless. Was he really willing to throw away his eternal soul for so little? The condemnation of unbelievers by believers in the last day will be very telling, and will have a force that leaves them speechless.