Matius 12:40

12:40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish ¹  for three days and three nights, ²  so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

Matius 12:44

12:44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ ³  When it returns, ⁴  it finds the house ⁵  empty, swept clean, and put in order. ⁶ 

Matius 24:38

24:38 For in those days before the flood, people ⁷  were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark.

[12:40]  ¹ tn Grk “large sea creature.”

[12:40]  ² sn A quotation from Jonah 1:17.

[12:44]  ³ tn Grk “I will return to my house from which I came.”

[12:44]  ⁴ tn Grk “comes.”

[12:44]  ⁵ tn The words “the house” are not in Greek but are implied.

[12:44]  ⁶ sn The image of the house empty, swept clean, and put in order refers to the life of the person from whom the demon departed. The key to the example appears to be that no one else has been invited in to dwell. If an exorcism occurs and there is no response to God, then the way is free for the demon to return. Some see the reference to exorcism as more symbolic; thus the story’s only point is about responding to Jesus. This is possible and certainly is an application of the passage.

[24:38]  ⁷ tn Grk “they,” but in an indefinite sense, “people.”