Jesus did not promise a sign
He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." Mark 8:12
He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Matthew 12:39
Is the "sign" he told his believing disciples his death? Yes, I think so.
This is how the pertinent account goes;
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Having answered...Jesus said to them....
People for the longest time think the writer meant Jesus answered the question this way..."Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand--
So "the having answered" part was something not recorded. Why wasn't it? Matthew 12:16 warning them not to tell who he was. The alive Jesus told his alive listeners the sign. His death has everything to do with the good news that he lives in spirit. So the sign is what he said it would be. Dead for three days, but alive. He is only alive to believers. That is what he meant when he said "no sign will be given a wicked generation" because they do not believe his death does not mean death but life.
John 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
There is no sign of Jesus coming. But if the World will not wake up there will be signs of his NOT coming.
He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." Mark 8:12
He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Matthew 12:39
Is the "sign" he told his believing disciples his death? Yes, I think so.
This is how the pertinent account goes;
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Having answered...Jesus said to them....
People for the longest time think the writer meant Jesus answered the question this way..."Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand--
So "the having answered" part was something not recorded. Why wasn't it? Matthew 12:16 warning them not to tell who he was. The alive Jesus told his alive listeners the sign. His death has everything to do with the good news that he lives in spirit. So the sign is what he said it would be. Dead for three days, but alive. He is only alive to believers. That is what he meant when he said "no sign will be given a wicked generation" because they do not believe his death does not mean death but life.
John 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
There is no sign of Jesus coming. But if the World will not wake up there will be signs of his NOT coming.
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