Matthew 12
Answers (3)
Despite the powerful works Jesus was doing, the scribes and the Pharisees demanded more: " Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." Whether they had seen him personally perform miracles or not, there were ample eyewitness testimonies of what he was doing.
Jesus then could say to those leaders" A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet." Matthew 12:38,39
At Matthew 12:40-42 Jesus does not leave them to wonder about what he means: " Just as Jonah was in the belly of the Hugh fish 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." Jonah was swallowed by the hugh fish but came out as if resurrected. Jesus foretold that he himself would die and on the third day be raised. When it did occur, those leaders rejected " the sign of Jonah" and refused to repent and change.
According to Jonah chapter 1 verse 17 through chapter 2 verse 2, Jonah compared his deliverance from the belly of the fish after about three days to being raised from the Grave. Therefore, when Jesus referred to the "sign of Jonah" He meant that his resurrection from the literal grave was to be just as real as Jonah’s deliverance from the belly of the fish.
The sign of Jonah is clarify at Jonah12:40 when Jesus answered the scribes and Pharisees saying,”For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish 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.” Jesus was referring to when He die and lay in the tomb for three days and three nights and then was resurrected . after he will be with his apostles for a short time and then resurrected back to heaven in a spirit form to be with his Father.