Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.

“(Hom. xliii.) Because the Lord had so oft repressed the shameless tongue of the Pharisees by His sayings, they now turn to His works, whereat the Evangelist wondering, says, Then certain of the Scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign of thee; and that at a time when they should have been moved, when they should have wondered, and been dumb with astonishment; yet even at such time they desist not from their malice. For they say, We would see a sign of thee, that they may take Him as in a snare.”

“They require a sign of Him, as though what they had seen were not signs; and in another Evangelist what they required is more fully expressed, We would see of thee a sign from heaven. Either they would have fire from heaven as Elias did; or after the example of Samuel they would that in summer-time, contrary to the nature of the climate, thunder should be heard, lightnings gleam, and rain descend; as though they could not have spoken falsely even against such miracles, and said that they befel by reason of divers hidden motions in the air. For if thou cavillest against what thou not only beholdest with thine eyes, but feelest with thine hand, and reapest the benefit of, what wilt thou do in those things which come down from heaven. You might make answer, that in Egypt the magi also had given many signs from heaven.”

“Above, the Lord refuted those who disparaged his miracles and his teaching; here he takes to task those who were testing him. And here he does two things. First is set down the tempting question; second, the reproof, where it says he answering said to them. It says, then, then they answered — that is, after they had seen many miracles and had heard many words of wisdom, so that what is said in Ecclesiasticus 22:9 was fulfilled in him: he who tells a fool wisdom speaks to one who sleeps. Master, we would see a sign from thee. They say Master while tempting him; Psalm 27:3: they speak peace with their neighbor, but evils are in their hearts. We would see a sign from thee. Had they not seen many signs? Yes; but another Evangelist explains it thus, saying, Luke 11:16: we would see a sign from heaven, just as it is read in 1 Kings 12:18 that Samuel made thunder, and Elijah who made fire come down, 2 Kings 1:10. For it is proper to the Jews to seek a sign, as is had in 1 Corinthians 1:22: the Jews seek signs. But when he had given earthly signs, they did not believe; even if he were to give heavenly ones, they would not believe; John 3:12: if I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? Who answering said to them, and so on. Accordingly he repels them, and he does two things. First he denies the petition; second he shows their unworthiness, where it says the men of Nineveh, and so on. First he indicates what they were seeking; second he denies it. It says, then, who answering said to them: an evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. He calls them evil because they were plotters. One is called evil because he harms his neighbor. It is, then, an evil generation, and wicked children. The generation is called adulterous, Isaiah 57:3: but draw near hither, you sons of the sorceress, seed of the adulterer and of the harlot. So then this generation, subject to iniquity, seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. Isaiah 7:11: ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God, either unto the depth of hell, or unto the height above, and so on. It was asking, then, for a sign from the heavens, but they were not worthy to see it. For this he gave to his apostles, who saw him ascending, who saw the glory of God on the mountain. But to these no sign will be given except the sign in hell, as regards the soul, and from the earth, as regards the body. Hence no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. Whereby the death of Christ is signified, and the charity of God is shown, as the Apostle says to the Romans 5:8: when as yet we were sinners, according to the time, Christ died for us, and so on. Likewise the power of the one raising him up is shown, as is had in 1 Corinthians 15:20 and following. And these are the signs of those things which ought to be in us. By the death of Christ it is signified to us that we ought to die to sin; but by the resurrection, that we ought to rise again from sin. And as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights — namely, in truth — so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth. And in this the error of Mani is confounded, who said that he did not die in truth. And he says in the heart of the earth, because just as the heart of man is in the depths, so Christ was in the depths of the earth. Or in the heart of the earth, that is, in the heart of earthly and worldly persons, and of the disciples, who were despairing of him, as is had in Luke, last chapter, 21: but we were hoping that it was he that should have redeemed Israel. Three days and three nights. But here there is a literal question. This seems to be false, because he expired at the ninth hour, and was buried in the evening, but rose in the morning of the third day. Augustine says that some wish to say that the hour in which he was placed on the cross must be counted. Hence they call the first night that darkness which appeared; the second was the night of Friday; the third, of the sabbath day. But according to Augustine this does not hold; it could, however, suffice for us if he had been in the tomb the whole of the Lord's day. Therefore it must be said otherwise: that a natural day, taken for day and night together, is taken for a space of twenty-four hours. But, as Augustine says, in Scripture sometimes a part is taken for the whole. So, then, it must be said that Christ was, by synecdoche, three days and three nights in the tomb, because Friday is taken for the whole day and also for the preceding night; concerning the second day there is no doubt; the third night is taken for the night and the following day. Yet if we look at it according to the truth, it was two nights and one whole day, to signify that his single measure destroyed our double measure. In us there was penalty and fault; in him, penalty alone; and so on. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation. Here he sets down their unworthiness. Here there is a literal question. Did he not work many miracles? Did he not raise Lazarus, and many others? What, then, does it mean that no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet? I answer: no such sign as they were asking for will be given; or no sign will be given for their benefit, for he knew that they would not be converted, because they had been hardened. But he worked signs for the sake of the faithful and the elect, of whom there were many afterward. The men of Nineveh, and so on. This is the unworthiness. And first the gentiles are preferred; second the reason is given, where it says but when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, and so on. Consider: someone is good either because he does not sin, or because he repents. First, then, he prefers those who repented, namely the gentiles; second, those who did not commit sin, where it says the queen of the south, and so on. The Lord had compared his own resurrection to Jonah's; so they might believe that what happened to the Ninevites, who were freed, would happen to these; but these were not only not freed, but were even scattered. Hence the men of Nineveh shall rise. In these words one error of the Jews is excluded — that the resurrection will be before the judgment, and that in the meantime Jerusalem will be rebuilt. And they bring forward on their own behalf what is said in Isaiah 25:6: the Lord shall make unto all people in this mountain a feast of fat things. Others said that the just and the martyrs will rise before the others by a thousand years, and they bring forward on their behalf what is said in Revelation 20:1: I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand; and it follows, and he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil, and bound him, that he should no more seduce the nations, till the thousand years should be finished. Both are excluded when he says shall rise with this generation — the good and the not-good together. And they shall condemn — by comparison, not by authority, because they will rise among those to be condemned; Ezekiel 5:5: this is Jerusalem, I have set her in the midst of the nations, and the countries round about her: she hath despised my judgments, so as to be more wicked than the gentiles, and my commandments more than the countries that are round about her. And in what will they condemn? Because they did penance; but these were unwilling to do penance. The Lord began his preaching from penance; John likewise, and they did not listen; Jeremiah 8:6: there is none that doth penance for his sin. Likewise, those did penance at one preaching of Jonah; but Jesus had made many preachings to these, and yet they were not converted; John 15:24: if I had not done among them the works that no other man hath done, they would not have sin. Likewise, those were converted at the preaching of one prophet; but these had not only a prophet, but the Son of God. Hence it is had in Hebrews 1:1: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, in these days, hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world, and so on. And there follows and behold a greater than Jonah here, as it is had in Hebrews 3:3: for this man was counted worthy of greater glory than Moses. Therefore the Ninevites are preferred, because they did penance. The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it — namely, in wisdom, which these were unwilling to receive. Concerning her it is had in 3 Kings 10:24, that she came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. By her is signified the Church gathered from the faithful; Psalm 44:10: the queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing, surrounded with variety, and so on. She is called queen, because she ought to rule herself; Proverbs 20:8: the king that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look. And she is called of the south by reason of the Holy Spirit; Song of Songs 4:16: arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind, blow through my garden. This queen shall rise in judgment with this generation. Note that it is not said that she did not sin, but that she was not rebellious. Why? Because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, as is had in 3 Kings 10:24: and it was not necessary that you should come from the ends of the earth, because he is here. Hence: and behold a greater than Solomon here, because that one was a temporal king and a sinner, but this one is innocent and eternal; Daniel 7:14: his power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away, and his kingdom that shall not be destroyed. But when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, and so on. Having shown above that the gentiles are more worthy than the Jews, here he wishes to confirm this by an example; and first he sets down the example; second he applies it, where it says so shall it be also unto this most wicked generation. He sets down the example of the unclean spirit. You should note that sometimes an example is set down from a thing done, sometimes from a parable. And when it is set down from a thing done, it is fitting that each element be expounded separately, so that each requires its own explanation, as here the example of Jonah is set down. Sometimes an example is set down from a parable, as when it is said, the kingdom of heaven is like, and so on; here it is not fitting to set down what is in the kingdom of heaven. We can say, then, according to Jerome, that this is a similitude and a parable, and thus there is one sense. Or, according to Augustine, from a thing done, and thus there is a twofold sense. An unclean spirit goes out from a man in two ways, because it torments a man sometimes bodily, sometimes spiritually. Hence it must be seen how a man is filled with an unclean spirit — how bodily and how spiritually; third, how this pertains to the matter at hand. Four things, then, are said. First, the liberation from the unclean spirit; second, the renewed vexation; third, its gravity; fourth, the occasion of the second vexation. It says, then, if the unclean spirit is gone out of a man. Everything that is mixed with a viler thing is called unclean; with a purer thing, purer — as if silver is joined to lead, it becomes viler: so a created spirit, if it cleaves to something lower than itself, is called an unclean spirit. And this spirit goes out sometimes from a man whom it torments bodily, sometimes from one whom it torments spiritually, as in Baptism. Accordingly the renewed vexation is set down, and its occasion. And first on the part of the demon; second on the part of those who are vexed. On the part of the demon, first as regards those others, second as regards these: for this is the demon's custom, that it cannot rest unless it does harm, because from the beginning it loved sin. Hence when it is expelled by someone, it seeks where it may vex. Hence it says he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Hence sometimes it finds no rest. But in what places it may find it, it is said in Job 40:16: he sleepeth under the shadow, in the covert of the reed, and in moist places. Moist places are hearts given over to pleasures; dry places are those who despise pleasures, who turn away from prosperity. And concerning this, Ezekiel 37:11: our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. It says he walketh, and it explores whatever man it may deceive. Hence, for what is said, he walketh, it shows solicitude; 1 Peter 5:8: be sober and watch, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour. Seeking rest, and findeth none, except in moist places. So it was with the Jews, that going out from the Jews it went to the gentiles, who are dry from the moisture of divine grace; but it found no rest, because it was cast out, because they received the word of God. Then it says: I will return into my house from whence I came out. From this word you can gather that if the devil is sometimes expelled from someone because he does penance, it nevertheless does not wholly abandon him: just as it is read of Christ, Luke 4:13, that it departed from him for a time. This, then, must be understood, so that men may always be watchful lest it return. And this is what it says, I will return, and so on. And coming, he findeth it empty. Here is set down the occasion on the part of him who is afflicted a second time. If we wish to apply this to the Jews, it is plain that when it was expelled by the gentiles, it returned to the Jews. Hence a threefold occasion is set down. Namely, idleness; hence it says empty; Ecclesiasticus 33:29: idleness hath taught much evil. Therefore Jerome says: always do some good, so that the devil may find you occupied. Hence empty, that is, idle; Lamentations 1:7: the enemies have seen her, and have mocked at her sabbaths. Swept, because what is cleaned with a broom is not cleaned except in that it lightly clings; hence sweeping is the same as lightly cleaning, and so sweeping is an imperfect cleansing. Likewise adorned, and this is a superficial adornment. Perfect cleansing must be done with fire, as is had in the Law, that vessels had to be cleansed by fire. Likewise, that which is adorned has one beauty of its own, another from adornment alone, of which in Psalm 143:12: their daughters are decked out, adorned round about after the similitude of a temple, and so on. But those who wish to be secure ought to have interior beauty; Psalm 44:14: all the glory of the king's daughter is within, in golden borders, clothed round about with varieties. But when the adornment is only in outward things, one is not abandoned by the demons. So it is with the Jews, because they kept the sabbaths, in which they were more free from good things than from evil ones. Likewise, they placed their whole care in the smallest matters of the Law. Then it goeth, and taketh with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself. Here is set down the second, more grievous vexation, and it is shown to be more grievous first as to number; second as to duration; third as to effect. As to number, because it taketh seven. According to Chrysostom this is expounded literally, because when someone falls and does not take heed, then something worse happens to him; John 5:14: behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee. According to Augustine it takes seven, and this in two ways. For sometimes the penitent does penance, but conducts himself negligently, and then he becomes more prone to falling; Romans 1:28: for which cause God delivered them up to a reprobate sense. And by this, that it says seven, the totality of vices is signified. Otherwise, according to blessed Augustine: some sin with some sin, and in the state of penance add pretense. And just as there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, so there are seven pretenses. Hence at first there were simple vices, then pretenses of vices are added, which are worse; and they are called seven, either on account of the totality of vices, or on account of the sabbath. And those who sin in this way become more persevering in evil; hence it says and entering in, they dwell there, because they are unwilling to depart thence; Jeremiah 8:5: this people in Jerusalem is turned away with a stubborn revolting: they have laid hold on lying, and have refused to return. If this is expounded of the Jews, it is plain that it dwells in them and is unwilling to depart from them. And the last state of that man is made worse than the first. Here is set down the aggravation as to effect. Literally, he who is more punished is more burdened. Hence 2 Peter 2:21: it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice, than, after they have known it, to turn back. Likewise as to the Jews, because they acted worse in blaspheming Christ than in worshipping idols. Therefore there follows so shall it be also unto this most wicked generation, because it will be worse for them than it ever was for them in Egypt.”

“It is probable that these Pharisees with whom Christ is here in discourse were not the same that cavilled at him (Mat 12:24), and would not credit the signs he gave; but another set of them, who saw that there was no reason to discredit them, but would not content themselves with the signs he gave, nor admit the evidence of them, unless he would give them such further proof as they should demand. Here is, I. Their address to him, Mat 12:38. They compliment him with the title of Master, pretending respect for him, when they intended to abuse him; all are not indeed Christ's servants, who call him Master. Their request is, We would see a sign from thee. It was highly reasonable that they should see a sign, that he should by miracles prove his divine mission: see Exo 4:8, Exo 4:9. He came to take down a model of religion that was set up by miracles, and therefore it was requisite he should produce the same credentials; but it was highly unreasonable to demand a sign now, when he had given so many signs already, that did abundantly prove him sent of God. Note, It is natural to proud men to prescribe to God, and then to make that an excuse for not subscribing to him; but a man's offence will never be his defence. II. His answer to this address, this insolent demand, 1. He condemns the demand, as the language of an evil and adulterous generation, Mat 12:39. He fastens the charge, not only on the scribes and Pharisees, but the whole nation of the Jews; they were all like their leaders, a seed and succession of evil-doers: they were an evil generation indeed, that not only hardened themselves against the conviction of Christ's miracles, but set themselves to abuse him, and put contempt on his miracles. They were an adulterous generation, (1.) As an adulterous brood; so miserably degenerated from the faith and obedience of their ancestors, that Abraham and Israel acknowledged them not. See Isa 57:3. Or, (2.) As an adulterous wife; they departed from that God, to whom by covenant they had been espoused: they were not guilty of the whoredom of idolatry, as they had been before the captivity, but they were guilty of infidelity, and all iniquity, and that is whoredom too: they did not look after gods of their own making, but they looked for signs of their own devising; and that was adultery. 2. He refuses to give them any other sign than he has already given them, but that of the prophet Jonas. Note, Though Christ is always ready to hear and answer holy desires and prayers, yet he will not gratify corrupt lusts and humours. Those who ask amiss, ask, and have not. Signs were granted to those who desired them for the confirmation of their faith, as to Abraham and Gideon; but were denied to those who demanded them for the excuse of their unbelief. Justly might Christ have said, They shall never see another miracle: but see his wonderful goodness; (1.) They shall have the same signs still repeated, for their further benefit, and more abundant conviction. (2.) They shall have one sign of a different kind from all these, and that is, the resurrection of Christ from the dead by his own power, called here the sign of the prophet Jonas this was yet reserved for their conviction, and was intended to be the great proof of Christ's being the Messiah; for by that he was declared to be the Son of God with power, Rom 1:4. That was such a sign as surpassed all the rest, completed and crowned them. "If they will not believe the former signs, they will believe this (Exo 4:9), and if this will not convince them, nothing will." And yet the unbelief of the Jews found out an evasion to shift off that too, by saying, His disciples came and stole him away; for none are so incurably blind as those who are resolved they will not see. Now this sign of the prophet Jonas he further explains here; (Mat 12:40) As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, and then came out again safe and well, thus Christ shall be so long in the grave, and then shall rise again. [1.] The grave was to Christ as the belly of the fish was to Jonah; thither he was thrown, as a Ransom for lives ready to be lost in a storm; there he lay, as in the belly of hell (Jon 2:2), and seemed to be cast out of God's sight. [2.] He continued in the grave just as long as Jonah continued in the fish's belly, three days and three nights; not three whole days and nights: it is probable, Jonah did not lie so long in the whale's belly, but part of three natural days (nuchthēmerai, the Greeks called them); he was buried in the afternoon of the sixth day of the week, and rose again in the morning of the first day; it is a manner of speech very usual; see Kg1 20:29; Est 4:16; Est 5:1; Luk 2:21. So long Jonah was a prisoner for his own sins, so long Christ was a Prisoner for ours. [3.] As Jonah in the whale's belly comforted himself with an assurance that yet he should look again toward God's holy temple (Jon 2:4), so Christ when he lay in the grave, is expressly said to rest in hope, as one assured he should not see corruption, Act 2:26, Act 2:27. [4.] As Jonah on the third day was discharged from his prison, and came to the land of the living again, from the congregation of the dead (for dead things are said to be formed from under the waters, Job 26:5), so Christ on the third day should return to life, and rise out of his grave to send abroad the gospel to the Gentiles. 3. Christ takes this occasion to represent the sad character and condition of that generation in which he lived, a generation that would not be reformed, and therefore could not but be ruined; and he gives them their character, as it would stand in the day of judgment, under the full discoveries and final sentences of that day. Persons and things now appear under false colours; characters and conditions are here changeable: if therefore we would make a right estimate, we must take our measures from the last judgment; things are really, what they are eternally. Now Christ represents the people of the Jews, (1.) As a generation that would be condemned by the men of Nineveh, whose repenting at the preaching of Jonas would rise up in judgment against them, Mat 12:41. Christ's resurrection will be the sign of the prophet Jonas to them: but it will not have so happy an effect upon them, as that of Jonas had upon the Ninevites, for they were by it brought to such a repentance as prevented their ruin; but the Jews will be hardened in an unbelief that shall hasten their ruin; and in the day of judgment, the repentance of the Ninevites will be mentioned as an aggravation of the sin, and consequently the condemnation of those to whom Christ preached then, and of those to whom Christ is preached now; for this reason, because Christ is greater than Jonah. [1.] Jonah was but a man, subject to like passions, to like sinful passions, as we are; but Christ is the Son of God. [2.] Jonah was a stranger in Nineveh, he came among the strangers that were prejudiced against his country; but Christ came to his own, when he preached to the Jews, and much more when he is preached among professing Christians, that are called by his name. [3.] Jonah preached but one short sermon, and that with no great solemnity, but as he passed along the streets; Christ renews his calls, sat and taught, taught in the synagogues. [4.] Jonah preached nothing but wrath and ruin within forty days, gave no instructions, directions, or encouragements, to repent: but Christ, besides the warning given us of our danger, has shown wherein we must repent, and assured us of acceptance upon our repentance, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [5.] Jonah wrought no miracle to confirm his doctrine, showed no good will to the Ninevites; but Christ wrought abundance of miracles, and all miracles of mercy: yet the Ninevites repented at the preaching of Jonas, but the Jews were not wrought upon by Christ's preaching. Note, The goodness of some, who have less helps and advantages for their souls, will aggravate the badness of those who have much greater. Those who by the twilight discover the things that belong to their peace, will shame those who grope at noon-day. (2.) As a generation that would be condemned by the queen of the south, the queen of Sheba, Mat 12:42. The Ninevites would shame them for not repenting, the queen of Sheba for not believing in Christ. She came from a far country to hear the wisdom of Solomon; yet people will not be persuaded to come and hear the wisdom of Christ, though he is in every thing greater than Solomon. [1.] The queen of Sheba had no invitation to come to Solomon, nor any promise of being welcome; but we are invited to Christ, to sit at his feet and hear his word. [2.] Solomon was but a wise man, but Christ is wisdom itself, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom. [3.] The queen of Sheba had many difficulties to break through; she was a woman, unfit for travel, the journey long and perilous; she was a queen, and what would become of her own country in her absence? We have no such cares to hinder us. [4.] She could not be sure that it would be worth her while to go so far on this errand; fame uses to flatter men, and perhaps she might have in her own country or court wise men sufficient to instruct her; yet, having heard of Solomon's fame, she would see him; but we come not to Christ upon such uncertainties. [5.] She came from the uttermost parts of the earth, but we have Christ among us, and his word nigh us: Behold he stands at the door, and knocks. [6.] It should seem the wisdom the queen of Sheba came for was only philosophy and politics; but the wisdom that is to be had with Christ is wisdom to salvation. [7.] She could only hear Solomon's wisdom; he could not give her wisdom: but Christ will give wisdom to those who come to him; nay, he will himself be made of God to them Wisdom; so that, upon all these accounts, if we do not hear the wisdom of Christ, the forwardness of the queen of Sheba to come and hear the wisdom of Solomon will rise up in judgment against us and condemn us; for Jesus Christ is greater than Solomon. (3.) As a generation that were resolved to continue in the possession, and under the power, of Satan, notwithstanding all the methods that were used to dispossess him and rescue them. They are compared to one out of whom the devil is gone, but returns with double force, Mat 12:43-45. The devil is here called the unclean spirit, for he has lost all his purity, and delights in and promotes all manner of impurity among men. Now, [1.] The parable represents his possessing men's bodies: Christ having lately cast out a devil, and they having said he had a devil, gave occasion to show how much they were under the power of Satan. This is a further proof that Christ did not cast out devils by compact with the devil, for then he would soon have returned again; but Christ's ejectment of him was final, and such as barred a re-entry: we find him charging the evil spirit to go out, and enter no more, Mar 9:25. Probably the devil was wont sometimes thus to sport with those he had possession of; he would go out, and then return again with more fury; hence the lucid intervals of those in that condition were commonly followed with the more violent fits. When the devil is gone out, he is uneasy, for he sleeps not except he have done mischief (Pro 4:16); he walks in dry places, like one that is very melancholy; he seeks rest but finds none, till he returns again. When Christ cast the legion out of the man, they begged leave to enter into the swine, where they went not long in dry places, but into the lake presently. [2.] The application of the parable makes it to represent the case of the body of the Jewish church and nation: So shall it be with this wicked generation, that now resist, and will finally reject, the gospel of Christ. The devil, who by the labours of Christ and his disciples had been cast out of many of the Jews, sought for rest among the heathen, from whose persons and temples the Christians would every where expel him: so Dr. Whitby: or finding no where else in the heathen world such pleasant, desirable habitations, to his satisfaction, as here in the heart of the Jews: so Dr. Hammond: he shall therefore enter again into them, for Christ had not found admission among them, and they, by their prodigious wickedness and obstinate unbelief, were still more ready than ever to receive him; and then he shall take a durable possession here, and the state of this people is likely to be more desperately damnable (so Dr. Hammond) than it was before Christ came among them, or would have been if Satan had never been cast out. The body of that nation is here represented, First, As an apostate people. After the captivity in Babylon, they began to reform, left their idols, and appeared with some face of religion; but they soon corrupted themselves again: though they never relapsed into idolatry, they fell into all manner of impiety and profaneness, grew worse and worse, and added to all the rest of their wickedness a wilful contempt of, and opposition to, Christ and his gospel. Secondly, As a people marked for ruin. A new commission was passing the seals against that hypocritical nation, the people of God's wrath (like that, Isa 10:6), and their destruction by the Romans was likely to be greater than any other, as their sins had been more flagrant: then it was that wrath came upon them to the uttermost, Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16. Let this be a warning to all nations and churches, to take heed of leaving their first love, of letting fall a good work of reformation begun among them, and returning to that wickedness which they seemed to have forsaken; for the last state of such will be worse than the first.”

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man,.... By "the unclean" spirit, is meant Satan, the old serpent, the devil; who by the Jews, is wont to be called as here, , "the unclean spirit" (x); and that, because he is by sin become so, though he was not so originally; is the cause of uncleanness in men, and delights in unclean persons, places, and things: his "going out of a man", is not to be understood of his being dispossessed of the bodies of men; nor of the ejection of him, and his going by force, through the power of divine grace, out of the souls of men; but either of his leaving the Jews for a while, in some sort, whilst Christ and the Gospel continued among them; and of his going out of the Scribes and Pharisees; not really, but putting on another form, appearing as an angel of light, and under the guise of holiness and righteousness: and so he may be said to go out of men, when any outward reformation is made in them; and they take up a profession of religion, though destitute of the grace of God: he walketh through dry places; referring to a prevailing notion, that unclean spirits walk in, and haunt, desert and desolate places; and may have regard to the Gentiles, among whom Satan might go, seeking rest and satisfaction among them, in their idolatries and other wickedness, till he was there also disturbed by the Gospel sent among them: or by these "dry places" may be meant the saints, whom he takes his walks among, in order, by tempting, to distress them, being secure of pharisaical persons: and these may be so called, not for what they are in themselves; not because the sun of righteousness shines upon them: or because thirsty and desirous of divine and spiritual things; much less as if they had no moisture, since they have a well of living water in them, and are watered by the Lord; or were unfruitful, as dry places usually are; but for what they were to the unclean spirit, there being nothing in their grace, and the exercise of it, and in their spiritual performances, grateful to him; nothing to quench his thirst, and satisfy his sinful appetite; nor were there in them the mire and dirt of iniquity to roll in, as in unregenerate persons: wherefore he is represented as seeking rest, and findeth none: his view in walking in these places, or among such persons, is rest; not the rest of the saints, he seeks their disturbance, but his own rest; which is to do all the mischief he can, by stirring up corruption, tempting to sin, and discouraging the exercise of grace; but is not able to do so much mischief as he would, and so cannot find the rest he seeks for, nor satisfy his envious, spiteful, and malicious temper: and this being the case, it follows, (x) Zohar in Gen. fol. 77. 2.”

“We would see a sign. They wanted to see some new and unusual miracles. They wished, says St. Jerome, either that he would call down fire from heaven, like Elias; or, like Samuel, cause it to rain, to thunder and lighten in summer, contrary to the nature of the country. (Menochius) — That they might be assured he was sent by God, and acted by his Spirit.”

“A SIGN DEMANDED AND THE REPLY--HIS MOTHER AND BRETHREN SEEK TO SPEAK WITH HIM, AND THE ANSWER. ( = Luk 11:16, Luk 11:24-36; Mar 3:31-35; Luk 8:19-21). (Mat 12:38-50) Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master--"Teacher," equivalent to "Rabbi." we would see a sign from thee--"a sign from heaven" (Luk 11:16); something of an immediate and decisive nature, to show, not that His miracles were real--that they seemed willing to concede--but that they were from above, not from beneath. These were not the same class with those who charged Him with being in league with Satan (as we see from Luk 11:15-16); but as the spirit of both was similar, the tone of severe rebuke is continued.”