Luke 11:29-36 – Don’t switch off the light within you!

The crowds that saw the Lord delivered the mute, in Luke 11:14, comprised of many hard and callous people. While some were awe stricken, many of the religious leaders questioned the source of His Power. There were also others who demanded for greater signs from heaven. Just as he addressed the Pharisees that insinuated He was in league with Beelzebub, here in Luke 11:29-36, He dealt with those that demanded for greater signs from heaven. Jesus called them a wicked generation. Despite the many signs that He had performed still they were not satisfied. They insisted that He showed them greater signs from heaven to prove Himself.

In refusing to meet their demands, He brought up two Old Testament characters and the situations they encountered to argue from the lesser to the greater. They are: the Prophet Jonah with the people of Nineveh; and King Solomon with the Queen of Sheba. Jesus our Lord is certainly greater than Jonah and Solomon. Here, He wanted  to show that His message is far more superior to Jonah and His wisdom greater than Solomon's. If the audiences of the two lesser preachers could accept their lesser messages, it made no sense that His own audience should reject His more superior message. He told these callous people opposing Him that the audiences of two lesser preachers would rise to impeach them on the judgment day. For they had just rejected a much more superior message from a much more superior preacher. He then declared that the only sign they would see would be the sign of Jonah. He was referring to His impending death and resurrection. As Jonah came back from the belly of the great fish alive, so also would He return from the grave alive. His resurrection would be the greatest sign from heaven. That would be the only needful sign for them.

Jesus then revealed in Luke 11:33-34 where their fault lay. In the ‘light’ and the ‘eye’ illustrations, He told them that the light was not their problem. It had already shone from the stand where it was placed. Their problem was in the deliberate shutting of their eyes. Hence no light could penetrate the eyes to enlighten them. So the problem with Jesus' audience had nothing to do with the revelation but their faulty reception. So in verses 35-36, He issued a warning, urging them to tune their perception. He told them not to shut their spiritual eye to occlude the spiritual light. But instead to open them for the illumination of God's light.

Isn't it so true that none could be as blind as one who refuses to see? We must pray for the eyes of our minds to be enlightened so that we will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. May God grant us a keen and sharp spiritual perception! Amen!