2. Notwithstanding this, and though it was owned in the fullest manner by the chief priests and Pharisees themselves, yet we find them very pressing for a sign, σημειον [Matth. xii. 38. xvi. 1. Luke xi. 29.] and that too (which is very remarkable) at the instant our Saviour had been working a miracle before them; a degree of perversity not rashly to be credited of the Jews themselves.
It is true this sign is sometimes called σημειον απο του ουρανου, a sign from Heaven; which, if meaning any thing more than σημειον, as explained above, i. e. a test or credential of his heavenly or divine mission (and what can be more natural than that the Jews should express by this name the only mark they would admit of the Messiah’s coming from Heaven?) I say, if any thing further be intended in it, it must be either, 1. An outward, sensible display of the Divine power, indicating, by some prodigious and splendid appearance in the heavens, or actually interposing, in some signal way, to accomplish the deliverance of Israel; and then either way it falls in with and includes the interpretation here given. Or else, 2. It must mean a mere prodigy, asked out of wantonness, and for no other end than to gratify a silly curiosity in beholding a wondrous sight from Heaven: an interpretation, which, though maintained by some good writers, is utterly unsupported by the sacred accounts, calling it σημειον indiscriminately, without as with the addition of του ουρανου; and shocking to common sense, which makes it incredible that so frivolous a reason as the being denied a sign, thus understood, could be, as St. Paul asserts it was, the stumbling-block of infidelity to the Jewish nation.
3. But what above all confirms and fixes this interpretation is the tenor of our Saviour’s answer to the question itself. For, upon the inquiry, Master, shew us a sign, &c. his constant reply was, A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given them but that of the prophet Jonas: For, &c. As though he had said, “A perverse and degenerate people, disregarding the wisdom of my doctrines, and the power of my miracles—the genuine marks and characteristics of the Messiah—are yet crying out for the test, σημειον, of my coming. I know the proud and ambitious sentiment of your heart: but assure yourselves, God will not accommodate his proceedings to your fond views and prejudices. No such test shall be given you. One sure and certain TEST indeed there shall be, over and above what has yet been afforded; but to shew you how widely different the Divine conduct is from your prescriptions, it is such a one as ye shall least expect; the very reverse of your hopes and expectations. It shall be that of the prophet Jonas. For, as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall Christ (sad contradiction to your conceit of temporal dominion!) be put to death by the Jews, and lie three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. And this event, so degrading of my character with you, and so repugnant to your wishes, shall, I readily foresee, so scandalize you, that, though my return from the grave, like that of Jonas from the whale, shall be in the demonstration of power, yet shall ye, through the inveteracy of that prejudice, be so hardened, as not to be convinced by it.”
The answer of our Saviour is related by Matthew and Luke with some addition, but such as is further favourable to this interpretation. For, upon their asking a sign, it is plain he understood them to mean not a miracle, but a TEST, by the question immediately put to them: When it is evening, ye say it will be fair weather; for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul to-day; for the sky is red and lowering. O! ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the face of the times? “Are the appearances which, in the order and constitution of nature, precede the changes of weather, a sign or test to you of those changes? And are ye stupid and perverse enough to neglect those which, by the Divine appointment, are made the sign or test of the TIMES, of the change of the Mosaic for the Christian dispensation? How is it that ye do not collect this from my miracles and doctrine, the ordinary and stated marks of this change, but ye must perversely demand a test of it, which the Scriptures nowhere promise, and the order and course of God’s Providence disclaim?”
If, after all this, there can yet remain any doubt of the truth of this comment, it will be effectually removed by an authority or two from the other Evangelist, which the reader will indulge me in just mentioning. In our Saviour’s exerting an act of civil power, in scourging and driving the money-changers out of the temple, the Jews require him to shew the credentials of his authority, What sign shewest thou that thou doest these things? The asking a miracle in this case were impertinent; for that, how extraordinary soever, could never prove to the Jews that he came invested with the powers of the civil magistrate. The sign they expected, then was evidently of another kind: an express declaration, or open display, of the regal character and office, evidencing his commission to do such things. Accordingly, the reply of our Saviour was to the same effect as before. Jesus said unto them, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up; for he spake, we know, of the temple of his body. c. ii.
The next authority is in the sixth chapter, where we have an account of the miracle of feeding the five thousand. Upon the multitude’s following him after this, our Saviour objects to them their neglect of miracles, which he presses upon them as motives to their belief. Ye seek me not, because ye saw the miracles, &c. Now what do the Jews return to this charge? Why, they fairly own it to be just, and, what is more, give a reason for their conduct. Their answer is to this effect: “Wherefore do you urge your miracles thus constantly to us, as motives for our belief? If you would have us trust and confide in you as the Messiah, Where is the sign? For, as to your miracles so often insisted on by you, we cannot admit them as proper evidences of your commission. And indeed how should we? for Moses wrought as great, if not greater wonders than you. To confront your late boasted miracle of feeding the five thousand with five loaves, did not he, as it is written, give our fathers bread from heaven? What miracle of yours can be more extraordinary? Yet Moses could do this. The Messiah, therefore, of whom greater things are promised, we expect to be characterized by other signs. What work takest thou in hand, τι εργαζη?” Here, at last, we see (and the reader will forgive the length of the note for the sake of so clear conviction) that the sign asked for, of what kind soever it might be, neither was nor could be a miracle, since all such signs were rejected by these inquirers upon principle.
[84] I have now done with this head [the low opinion of miracles in the heathen world] and am not aware that any reasonable exceptions can be made to the testimonies which have been brought to confirm it; but if any one should think otherwise, and maintain that something else is necessary for the establishment of so singular an opinion, he will be gratify’d in his expectations, as we go along; and will find the principles and practices of much the greater part of the heathens on this point strengthening and confirming each other. P. 77.
[85] For this he must say, and not that the credit of miracles would hereby be something weakened: a point, that, as we shall see hereafter, may be allowed, and yet be of no manner of service to his conclusion.
[86] I have said bad Dæmons; for miracles wrought by the assistance of good Dæmons were, as the Inquirer observes, p. 247, in great repute.
[87] For that this was the obvious and essential difference betwixt the genuine miracles of the gospel, and the tricks of magic, is apparent from many strong expostulations of the Christian apologists, who, when encountered with this frivolous, but malicious objection, used to exclaim: Potestis aliquem nobis designare, monstrare ex omnibus illis magis, Qui unquam fuere per sæcula, consimile aliquid Christo millesimâ ex parte qui fecerit? Qui SINE ULLA VI CARMINUM SINE HERBARUM AUT GRAMINUM SUCCIS, SINE ULLA ALIQUA OBSERVATIONE SOLLICITA SACRORUM, LIBAMINUM, TEMPORUM? &c. Arnob. contr. Gen. L. i. And again, ibid. Atqui constitit Christum SINE ULLIS ADMINICULIS RERUM, SINE ULLIUS RITUS ORSERVATIONE TEL LEGE, omnia illa, quæ fecit, nominis sui possibilitate fecisse; et quod proprium, consentaneum, Deo dignum fuerat vero, nihil nocens, aut noxium, sed OPIFERUM, SED SALUTARE, SED AUXILIARIBUS PLENUM BONIS potestatis munificæ liberalitate donâsse.