Then certain of the Scribes and Pharisees
answered
Not the same that charged him with casting out devils, by the
prince of devils; but others, that were present, as appears from
( Luke
11:16 ) and who do not take upon them to make a proper reply
to what he had said, or return an answer to that, but address him
on another account; being willing to divert the discourse, and
try what they could do with him in another, and more gentle and
crafty way; saying, master, not fellow, magician, Samaritan, thou
that hast a devil, and casts out devils by Beelzebub, and art a
devil, and Beelzebub himself; but doctor, teacher, allowing him,
at least, in a flattering way, that he was an instructor of
mankind, though they would not own him to be a prophet, unless he
would give such signs, as would make it appear he was one; hence
they say,
we would see a sign from thee:
that is, a sign from heaven, as they desired at another time, (
Matthew
16:1 ) and, as Luke says, they did now, ( Luke 11:16 ) they had
seen a sign from him on earth, in the cure of the man that had a
withered hand; and another, in dispossessing the devil out of the
man, that was blind and dumb; but these they looked upon rather
as signs from hell, and done by confederacy with the devil; and
therefore desire, or rather, in an imperious way, demand one from
heaven, where they thought Satan had not such power, as on earth;
and where there could not be such collusion and deception, as
they wickedly imagined were in this last action: they seem to
require some such things to be done, as were on Mount Sinai, at
the giving of the law, when there were thunders and lightnings,
and a thick cloud, and the voice of a trumpet, and some visible
appearances of the divine majesty; and intimate, that if
something of this kind was done, if there was any visible and
miraculous appearance in the heavens, produced by him, they
should believe him to be the prophet that was spoken of, and the
true Messiah; but if not, should give no credit to him: however,
this is to be learned from hence, that the Jews, in Christ's
time, expected signs and wonders to be wrought by the Messiah, in
proof of his being so, though now they reject them as needless
F7.
F7 Maimon. Hilch. Melachim. c. 11. sect. 3.