Article September 22, 1928 Issue

"The sign of the prophet Jonas"

MABEL REED HYZER

When the Pharisees came to Jesus with the words, "Master, we would see a sign from thee," as recorded in the twelfth chapter of Matthew, one less discerning than our great Teacher might have answered them in a far different manner. Had they not called him "Master," and so, outwardly at least, indicated a respectful and receptive attitude? And was it not possible that, seeing a sign, these people might be converted to the true sense of Christianity, and thus be restrained from their aggressive activities? Might not some simple sign, which Jesus was abundantly able to bestow, have resulted in a great amount of good, far-reaching and restorative in its effects?

These and other arguments might have presented themselves, but Jesus quickly discerned the false motive that prompted the question and, after verbally uncovering the erroneous condition of their thought, added, "There shall no sign be given ... but the sign of the prophet Jonas."

To-day, in the practice of Christian Science, this same pharisaical thought may approach practitioners, and great care and wisdom are needed lest we overlook the one true attitude,—that of the Master,—and realize that the sign to be recognized is "the sign of the prophet Jonas." For the Master goes on to say, "So shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Of these three days in the tomb, Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 44): "The lonely precincts of the tomb gave Jesus a refuge from his foes, a place in which to solve the great problem of being. His three days' work in the sepulchre set the seal of eternity on time."

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