This teaching responded to the request of Jesus' critics for a sign (v. 16; cf. Matt. 16:1-4). It is the second main part of His answer to these opponents.
11:29-30 Luke's reference to the crowds increasing ties this verse in with the previous incident involving the criticism of His miracles (vv. 14-26). Jonah himself was the sign of impending judgment to the Ninevites. His supernatural appearance and preaching precipitated widespread repentance. Likewise the supernatural appearance and preaching of Jesus and the repentance that accompanied it signified impending judgment. The difference was that the positive response to Jonah's ministry, by Gentiles no less, postponed God's judgment. The negative response to Jesus' ministry did nothing to postpone God's judgment on Israel. This judgment consisted of the postponement of the kingdom and the destruction of Jerusalem. The rejection of Jesus' preaching was all the more serious because miracles accompanied it. The title "Son of Man"presents Jesus as superior to Jonah.
Luke did not mention Jesus' reference to Jonah's three days and nights in the great fish, though that would be a sign that Jesus had come from God after the Resurrection (cf. Matt. 12:40).
11:31-32 The Queen of the South (i.e., Sheba) travelled a great distance to hear Solomon's wisdom (1 Kings 10:1-13) yet the people of Palestine paid little attention to Jesus' wisdom. This was true even though the Son of Man was greater than Solomon. Therefore their judgment was sure. Similarly the people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, yet Jesus' hearers did not repent at His preaching despite His superiority to Jonah. Furthermore the Queen and the Ninevites both responded to spoken messages without any authenticating signs.
The neuter "something"may refer generally to the Son of Man, but it probably refers specifically to His superior wisdom in the first comparison and to His preaching in the second. Significantly for Luke's original readers the people who responded so admirably to the two Old Testament characters Jesus cited were Gentiles. By comparing Himself to the most glorious Israelite king and the most effective Jewish prophet, Jesus taught His superiority in both roles.
