Discovery BoxLuke 11:29-32
Context11:29 As 1 the crowds were increasing, Jesus 2 began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, 3 but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 4 11:30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, 5 so the Son of Man will be a sign 6 to this generation. 7 11:31 The queen of the South 8 will rise up at the judgment 9 with the people 10 of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, 11 something greater 12 than Solomon is here! 11:32 The people 13 of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them 14 – and now, 15 something greater than Jonah is here!
Luke 11:50-52
Context11:50 so that this generation may be held accountable 16 for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning 17 of the world, 18 11:51 from the blood of Abel 19 to the blood of Zechariah, 20 who was killed 21 between the altar and the sanctuary. 22 Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against 23 this generation. 11:52 Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away 24 the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered 25 those who were going in.”
[11:29] 1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[11:29] 2 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:29] 3 sn The mention of a sign alludes back to Luke 11:16. Given what Jesus had done, nothing would be good enough. This leads to the rebuke that follows.
[11:29] 4 sn As the following comparisons to Solomon and Jonah show, in the present context the sign of Jonah is not an allusion to Jonah being three days in the belly of the fish, but to Jesus’ teaching about wisdom and repentance.
[11:30] 5 tn Grk “to the Ninevites.” What the Ninevites experienced was Jonah’s message (Jonah 3:4, 10; 4:1).
[11:30] 6 tn The repetition of the words “a sign” are not in the Greek text, but are implied and are supplied here for clarity.
[11:30] 7 tc Only the Western ms D and a few Itala
[11:31] 9 sn On the queen of the South see 1 Kgs 10:1-3 and 2 Chr 9:1-12, as well as Josephus, Ant. 8.6.5-6 (8.165-175). The South most likely refers to modern southwest Arabia, possibly the eastern part of modern Yemen, although there is an ancient tradition reflected in Josephus which identifies this geo-political entity as Ethiopia.
[11:31] 10 sn For the imagery of judgment, see Luke 10:13-15 and 11:19. The warnings are coming consistently now.
[11:31] 11 tn Grk “men”; the word here (ἀνήρ, anhr) usually indicates males or husbands, but occasionally is used in a generic sense of people in general, as is the case here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 1, 2). The same term, translated the same way, occurs in v. 32.
[11:31] 13 sn The message of Jesus was something greater than what Solomon offered. On Jesus and wisdom, see Luke 7:35; 10:21-22; 1 Cor 1:24, 30.
[11:32] 13 tn See the note on the word “people” in v. 31.
[11:32] 14 tn Grk “at the preaching of Jonah.”
[11:50] 17 tn Or “that this generation may be charged with”; or “the blood of all the prophets… may be required from this generation.” This is a warning of judgment. These people are responsible for the shedding of prophetic blood.
[11:50] 18 tn Or “foundation.” However, this does not suggest a time to the modern reader.
[11:50] 19 tn The order of the clauses in this complicated sentence has been rearranged to simplify it for the modern reader.
[11:51] 21 sn Gen 4:10 indicates that Abel’s blood cried out for justice.
[11:51] 22 sn It is not clear which Zechariah is meant here. It is probably the person mentioned in 2 Chr 24:20-25.
[11:51] 23 tn Or “who perished.”
[11:51] 24 tn Or “and the temple”; Grk “and the house,” but in this context a reference to the house of God as a place of sanctuary.
[11:51] 25 tn Or “required from.”
[11:52] 25 sn You have taken away the key to knowledge is another stinging rebuke. They had done the opposite of what they were trying to do.
