Luke 11:32 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

NIV: The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

NASB: The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

CSB: The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s preaching, and look—something greater than Jonah is here.

NLT: The people of Nineveh will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here — but you refuse to repent.

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

NKJV: The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

Jewish religious leaders have demanded Jesus perform more miracles before they accept Him as their Messiah (Luke 11:16; Matthew 12:38). This is in defiance of Him already fulfilling Messianic prophecies found in their Scriptures (Isaiah 35:5–6; Luke 11:14). Jesus promises them one last sign: formerly pagan Gentiles will hear God's Word, repent of their sins, and worship Him. Prophetically, Jesus mentions the Ninevites who gave up their violent practices when the prophet Jonah warned them of God's coming judgment (Jonah 3). Then, He reminds the Pharisees of the Queen of Sheba who heard Solomon and rightly judged he spoke God's wisdom (1 Kings 10:1–13; Luke 11:29–31).

When Jesus was preparing His larger group of disciples to spread the message that the kingdom of God had arrived, He took a moment to lament that predominantly Jewish cities rejected Him. And yet, Gentile cities, if they had equally experienced His miracles, would have accepted Him (Luke 10:13–15). Here, Jesus gives proof that His assertion was valid. There were few cities more wicked than Nineveh. And yet the testimony of a reluctant Jewish prophet sent the entire kingdom to their knees in repentance.

The Ninevites are going to stand before God and declare that these religious leaders deserve hell. Jesus' critics refuse to acknowledge that an itinerant teacher from Nazareth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and teach truth, is the Messiah. The Pharisees and lawyers have all the proof they need in the books of prophecy. Jonah merely survived a fish and then preached for a day; Jesus' works and message are "something greater," and so will be His judgment. Like the Queen of Sheba and the Ninevites, Gentiles all over the world have heard of the Jewish Messiah and worship Him as their Savior.

The queen of the South and the Ninevites saw God's words clearly and allowed those words to bring light into their hearts. Jesus now warns the Pharisees and their lawyers that those who hide the light of God's truth do so because the darkness in their hearts will not let them see (Luke 11:33–36).

Luke 11:29–32 returns to Jewish religious leaders' continued failure to accept the evidence that Jesus is working with God, not Satan. Some had claimed Jesus cast out demons through Satan's power, a claim Jesus proved ridiculous (Luke 11:14–20). Now some demand more miraculous proofs. Less obvious signs and less powerful prophets brought Gentiles to worship God in the Old Testament. Jews who claim to know Scripture should be more observant and believing. Matthew 12:38–42 records the same event.

In what some scholars refer to as "The Travelogue to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51—19:27), Jesus prepares His disciples for His crucifixion and resurrection and the establishment of the church. The description begins with Christ teaching the disciples how to spread the news of the kingdom of God and reaffirming how they will be blessed, culminating in the Lord's Prayer (Luke 9:51—11:13). Luke 11 finishes with accounts of leaders who reject Jesus. The remainder of the travelogue gives a pattern of teaching on the kingdom of God, miracles, and explanations of salvation. Then Jesus enters Jerusalem to face the cross.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.