"விதைகளின் உள்ளே" 🌳
தம்மை “யோனாவை விடப் பெரியவர்” என்று அறிவிப்பதன் மூலம், இயேசு தம்மையே வாக்களிக்கப்பட்ட மேசியா என்று அறிவித்தார்; ஆனால் பரிசேயர்கள் கேட்ட புதிய அடையாளத்தை அவர்களுக்கு அவர் கொடுக்கவில்லை.
ஆனால் இன்றும் பல கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் பரிதபிக்கத்தக்க விதத்தில் கிறிஸ்துவைவிட மற்றவர்களுக்கு முக்கியத்துவம் கொடுத்து வாழ்கின்றனர். எல்லா இறைவாக்கினர்களையும்விட, எல்லாப் புனிதர்களையும்விட இயேசு கிறிஸ்தவர் பெரியவர் என்பதனை உணர்ந்து அறிக்கையிட்டு அந்தச் சத்தியத்துக்குக் கீழ்ப்படியும்போதுதான் நாம் வாழ்வில் இரட்சிப்பு அனுபவத்தைப் பெறமுடியும்.
"அடையாளங்களினாலும் அற்புதங்களினாலும் பலவிதமான பலத்த செய்கைகளினாலும், தம்முடைய சித்தத்தின்படி பகிர்ந்துகொடுத்த பரிசுத்த ஆவியின் வரங்களினாலும், தேவன் தாமே சாட்சி கொடுத்ததுமாயிருக்கிற இவ்வளவு பெரிதான இரட்சிப்பைக்குறித்து நாம் கவலையற்றிருப்போமானால் தண்டனைக்கு எப்படித் தப்பித்துக்கொள்ளுவோம்?" ( எபிரெயர் 2 : 4 )
Scripture Meditation No. 1709
AATHAVAN – Sunday, 12 October 2025
“The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” — Matthew 12:41 (NASB)
In yesterday’s meditation, we reflected on how the Lord Jesus Christ is greater than the temple. Today’s meditation verse reveals another profound truth — Jesus declares that He is greater than Jonah.
Jonah the prophet lived nearly eight hundred years before Christ. The people of Israel were well acquainted with the life story of Jonah and held him in great esteem as a prophet. Therefore, Jesus referred to Jonah as an example familiar to His hearers.
To understand what Jesus meant when He said He was greater than Jonah, let us consider how He surpasses Jonah in every way.
First, Jonah was a mere man who fled from God’s call. But the Lord Jesus Christ is the Word of God Himself, the only begotten Son of the Father — “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14, NASB) He is the sinless High Priest — “One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15, NASB)
Jonah disobeyed God and ran away. But Jesus Christ obeyed the Father even to the point of death on the cross — “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8, NASB)
Jonah merely conveyed God’s message to the people.
But Jesus Christ, being God Himself, taught with authority — “The crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28–29, NASB)
Jonah came out of the belly of the fish after three days as a symbol of death and resurrection. But Jesus truly experienced death and rose again victoriously.
Jonah preached repentance to avoid divine judgment. But Jesus Christ preached not only repentance but also forgiveness of sins and the new birth, granting these blessings to those who believed in Him.
Jonah carried God’s message only to the city of Nineveh. But Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world.
Moreover, Nineveh’s repentance was temporary; the city later fell — “Woe to the bloody city… I will lift up your skirts over your face… All who see you will shrink from you.” (Nahum 3:1–7, NASB) But Jesus offers eternal salvation — “To all those who obey Him.” (Hebrews 5:9, NASB)
By declaring that He is “greater than Jonah,” Jesus identified Himself as the promised Messiah. Yet the Pharisees, demanding new signs, received none beyond this divine revelation.
Even today, many Christians sadly give more importance to others than to Christ Himself. Only when we acknowledge and submit to the truth that Jesus Christ is greater than all prophets and saints will we experience the true joy of salvation.
“How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.” (Hebrews 2:3–4, NASB)
📖 God’s Message by: Bro. M. Geo Prakash
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