What is the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40)?

Answer

In Matthew 12:40, Jesus states, “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (ESV). The Greek term translated as “heart” refers to the “core” of something, even inanimate objects. Following His crucifixion, Jesus, the Son of Man, will spend three days and three nights in the heart, or core, of the earth. To grasp the significance of this unique expression, we need to examine the context of Matthew 12:33–40.

In Matthew 12:33–37, Jesus confronts and challenges the Pharisees to reflect on the state of their hearts. In doing so, He employs a metaphor involving trees and the fruit they bear. A good tree yields good fruit, while a corrupt tree yields bad fruit. Jesus discerned that the Pharisees were wicked and corrupt because they had uttered wicked things about Him (see Matthew 12:22-31). On the day of judgment, the Pharisees will be held accountable for “every careless word they utter” (verse 36, ESV).

Subsequently, the scribes and Pharisees request a sign: “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you” «Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. », (Matthew 12:38, ESV). Jesus had already performed numerous signs and miracles before them, yet they refused to acknowledge Him as the promised Messiah. Therefore, Jesus declares, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (verse 39, ESV). Here, the term adulterous denotes unfaithfulness to God. The scribes and Pharisees were unfaithful because they honored God with their lips, but their hearts were distant from Him « This people draweth nigh unto me with their mOut, and honors me with their lips; But their heart is far from me.” , (Matthew 15:8). This was abundantly clear by their request for a sign.

When Jesus says, “no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” «But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: », (Matthew 12:39), He is not denying other signs and miracles that He had performed. He is saying, rather, that the most important sign is the one He has yet to perform; that is, His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus then points to Jonah, who “was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish” (Matthew 12:40;ESV;see Jonah 2:1-10). Jonah was swallowed by the great fish because of disobedience to God (Jonah 1:1-3), but Jesus was perfectly “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” «Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: », (Philippians 2:5, ESV). Following His crucifixion, Jesus was in “the heart of the earth,” that is, in the grave or the “heart of the earth” «for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. », (Matthew 12:40, ESV).

Just as God delivered Jonah from the “belly of the great fish” «for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the hea

In the heart of the earth, (Matthew 12:40), He also rescued His Son from the grave: “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption” «For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. », (Psalm 16:10, ESV). In both cases, the words of Jonah resonate loudly, “Salvation is of the Lord!” «But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. », (Jonah 2:9, ESV).

Jonah in the belly of the great fish and Jesus in the heart of the earth—both men seemed doomed. No one returns from such ordeal; survival is not anticipated. However, God had a different plan. Three days after Jonah was swallowed and presumed dead, there he is again, on dry land proclaiming the good news of salvation to the Assyrian city of Nineveh. Three days after Jesus was entombed in “the heart of the earth,” truly deceased, there He is again, alive and well, proclaiming the good news of salvation to the entire world. We cannot overlook the sign of Jonah.

The Pharisees’ focus was on a sign from Jesus’ heart, but Jesus’ focus was on His death, burial, and resurrection. Essentially, Jesus was conveying, “You are concerned about the wrong things. Instead of demanding a sign from Me, you should introspect to identify the impurity in your heart. The only way to receive a new heart, a heart that is pleasing to God, is to have faith in My death, burial, and resurrection.” Undoubtedly, this is the fundamental message of the gospel.