Jonah, Solomon and Jesus

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Our passage for this morning begins with a woman in the crowd yelling out blessings on Jesus' mother for having given birth to him. It hadn't really struck me until I was glancing at this passage yesterday, but this outcry is very brave of this woman. Yesterday's passage showed "some" in the crowd (and I think we're safe to assume these "some" were religious leaders) accusing Jesus of using Satan's power. In the midst of these accusations this woman dares to openly praise Jesus.

The other thing that strikes me seeing this passage next to yesterday's reading is that Jesus is not phased by accusation or by praise. Yesterday he responded to doubt and accusation with defense and teaching, not being intimidated by the opposition of people in the crowd. Today he isn't sidetracked from giving prophetic warnings by the positive responses of others in the crowd. He responds to what is going on around him, but he doesn't hold back any part of the message because of worry about upsetting people. "Sign of Jonah" is an interesting metaphor here that Jesus doesn't explain much. In Matthew's Gospel Jesus explains a little further: "Just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights." May our generation have ears to hear the word of repentance and hope.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 11:27-36
27While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” 28But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”

29When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! 32The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!

33“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar, but on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. 34Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness. 35Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. 36If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.”