110 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XI. 30. For as Jonas was a signunto the Ninevites, so shallalsothe Son ofMan be to thisgeneration. 31. The queen of the south shallriseup in the judgment with the men ofthisgeneration,and con demn them ; forshe came from the utmost partsof the earthto hear the wisdom of Solomon ; and, be hold,a greaterthan Solomon ishere. 32. The men of Nineve shallriseup in thejudg ment withthisgeneration,and shallcondemn it:for they repentedat the preachingof Jonas; and, be hold,a greaterthanJonasishere. BEDE. Our Lord had been assailedwith two kinds of questions,for some accused Him of casting out devils through Beelzebub, to whom up to this point His answer was addressed;and otherstempting Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven,and these He now proceedsto answer. As it follows,And when the people were gathered thick together,He began to say, This is an evilgeneration,fyc. AMBROSE. That you may know that the peopleof the Syna gogue are treatedwith dishonour,while the blessednessof the Church is increased. But as Jonas was a sign to the Ninevites,so also willthe Son of Man be to the Jews. Hence it isadded, They seeka sign; and thereshallno sign in be giventhem but the signof Jonas theprophet. BASIL. 7. ^ sign is fttm'ng brought openly to view, containing in itselfthe manifestationof something hidden,as the signof Jonas representsthe descentto hell,the ascensionof Christ, and His resurrectionfrom the dead. Hence itisadded, For as Jonas was a signto the Ninevites,so shallalso(he Son of Man be to thisgeneration. He gives them a sign,not from heaven, because they were unworthy to see it,but from the lowest depths of hell; a sign,namely, of His incar nation,not of His divinity;of His passion,not of His glorification. AMBROSE. Now as the sign of Jonas is a type of our Lord's passion,so alsois it a testimonyof the grievoussins which the Jews have committed. \Ve may remark at once