Pentecost Week Seventeen - Day Five - Who Do You Say That I Am?

Day Five - Who Do You Say That I Am?
New Testament Scripture: Luke 11:31–32

"Something greater than Solomon is here... Something greater than Jonah is here."
 
Jesus ends this passage with a bold declaration: He is greater than Solomon, the wisest king, and Jonah, the reluctant prophet.

These words are not just a statement of comparison—they are a call to action. If Jesus is greater, then He is worthy of greater devotion, greater trust, and greater surrender. The question we must answer is the same question Jesus posed to His disciples in Matthew 16:15: “Who do you say that I am?”

Teaching Point:
This statement is the climax of Jesus’ teaching in this passage.
The Queen of Sheba recognized Solomon’s wisdom and responded with worship.
The Ninevites recognized Jonah’s message and responded with repentance.
But Jesus’ audience, despite standing in the presence of the Son of God, refused to respond.

This is the tragedy of spiritual blindness. The crowd demanded signs while ignoring the evidence before them. They sought wisdom while rejecting the source of all wisdom.
They heard the call to repentance but chose to harden their hearts. Jesus’ words are a warning to every generation: if we fail to recognize who He is, we risk missing the salvation He offers.

Historical Insight:
In Jewish tradition, Solomon represented the height of Israel’s glory. He was the king who built the temple, expanded the kingdom, and displayed unparalleled wisdom. Yet despite his greatness, Solomon’s reign ended in division and idolatry.

Jonah, on the other hand, represented God’s mercy. His mission to Nineveh demonstrated that God’s grace extends even to the most wicked people. But Jonah was flawed—reluctant, bitter, and self-righteous.

Jesus is the greater Solomon because His wisdom is perfect and eternal. He is the greater Jonah because His mission is global, His obedience is complete, and His mercy is infinite. Where Solomon failed, Jesus triumphed. Where Jonah resisted, Jesus embraced. Jesus fulfills everything Solomon and Jonah could not.

The phrase “something greater is here” is not just a comparison—it’s a declaration of Jesus’ divinity.

This is God in the flesh, standing before them. Colossians 1:15–20 describes Jesus as the image of the invisible God, the One through whom all things were created and reconciled. His greatness is not just in what He does but in who He is.

This truth demands a response.

The Queen of Sheba, a Gentile, sought Solomon’s wisdom at great personal cost. The Ninevites, pagans, repented at Jonah’s preaching.

How much more should we, who have the full revelation of Jesus, respond with faith, repentance, and worship?

Modern Application:
The question of Jesus’ identity is not just academic—it’s personal. If Jesus is truly greater than Solomon and Jonah, then He must be greater than anything else in our lives: our ambitions, our fears, our possessions, and our pride.

So, who is Jesus to you? Is He a teacher you admire, a prophet you respect, or the Son of God you worship? Your answer to this question will shape everything about your life—your priorities, your relationships, and your purpose.

Here is a little secret - the more you "See" Jesus, the brighter your light shines.


Prayer:
Jesus, You are greater than anything this world offers.
Help me to live with You at the center of my life.
Teach me to trust Your wisdom, respond to Your mercy, and worship You with my whole heart.
Amen.