Matius 11:10

11:10 This is the one about whom it is written:

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, ¹ 

who will prepare your way before you.’ ² 

Matius 12:38

The Sign of Jonah

12:38 Then some of the experts in the law ³  along with some Pharisees ⁴  answered him, ⁵  “Teacher, we want to see a sign ⁶  from you.”

[11:10]  ¹ tn Grk “before your face” (an idiom).

[11:10]  ² sn The quotation is primarily from Mal 3:1 with pronouns from Exod 23:20. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.

[12:38]  ³ tn Or “Then some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[12:38]  ⁴ tn Grk “and Pharisees.” The word “some” before “Pharisees” has been supplied for clarification.

[12:38]  sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[12:38]  ⁵ tn Grk “answered him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant, but the syntax of the sentence was changed to conform to English style.

[12:38]  ⁶ sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.