I’m working on Luke 11:29-32. It is interesting that Luke connects this to “when the crowds were increasing, he began to say” whereas Matthew does not.

The passage is clearly connected to the one that precedes it on the accusation he was casting out demons by Beelzebul, the testing and seeking out a sign. I think it’s also safe to assume Jesus read the hearts of the crowd just as he read the hearts of his critics in the preceding passage.

NT Wright’s point in Jesus and the Victory of God of seeing Jesus through the prophetic roll is strong in this passage. The “generation” complaint I think is clearly linked to that crystal-seed passage Deuteronomy 32.

Did Jesus have an uneasy feeling about easy popularity? The passage itself is angular because you have the miraculously affirmative response of the Ninevites to Jonah, and the response of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, and now one greater than both was before them. Shouldn’t he be popular?

Jesus is clearly looking down the road (as Matthew 12:40 clarifies) that he will be more popular still (triumphal entry) and then quickly be abandoned as the leaders pull off their nighttime arrest and trial making the Romans fix their problem for them.

What kind of response is Jesus condemning, and what kind of response is he demanding?

There are many passages in which Jesus welcomes seekers, especially those from the less desirable parts of town. Jesus’ reputation for this today has endured despite near complete Biblical illiteracy. Another quality of those whose seeking Jesus consistently welcomes is desperation. The men and women seeking healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, to be saved from what is threatening to destroy them. It is that quality that the crowd seems to lack.

What then can we say about seekers Jesus’ welcomes and seekers Jesus is directing these comments toward? It isn’t purely utility. Desperate seekers of Jesus need him. It seems to more be a kind of shopping for expedience or spiritual accessory. It’s the shopper who wanders into the religious market place looking for just the right thing accessory to complete his power-suit, to adorn him, to make him glorious, to advantage him against his adversaries, to deify him. It is the spiritual consumer looking for something to give them a bit more meaning, a bit more style, a bit more inner peace, something to add to their already considerable spiritual portfolio.

Jesus rejects this group with the strongest possible language. The evil people of Nineveh, Nazis of the ancient world, saw their desperate need for God despite the most reluctant and counter-productive prophet imaginable. How much more should the crowd recognize Jesus! The pagan queen of Sheba discovered the creator God through the wisdom of Solomon, a rare success story of OT missiology of God. These two groups in the final day will stand up and condemn spiritual shoppers who have the benefit of the law and the prophets, and even the apostles.

We are out of touch with our deep need. Reports from Iran today suggest that the showdown is coming. Leaders of the current regime and leaders of the opposition are making their calculations. Who will blink in this deadly game of chicken? The least desperate will blink. The most desperate will either die or win, or both. Shoppers are not desperate. They shop out of boredom counting on the fact that there will be a tomorrow and they have sufficient resources to provide for themselves. They think they can possess Jesus but he cannot be possessed, you can only be possessed by him.