Matthew 12:42

The Queen of the South shall rise up in judgment.

The Queen of the South, or the earnest inquirer

I. Let us commend her for her inquiring spirit.

1. She was a queen.

2. Her royal court was doubtless already stored with wisdom.

3. She came from a very great distance.

4. She was a foreigner to Solomon and had a religion already.

5. She made a journey which cost her very much expense.

6. She received no invitation.

7. The object she journeyed after was vastly inferior to that which is proposed to our inquiry.

II. How she conducted the inquiry.

1. In person.

2. She went first of all to Solomon.

3. “She told him all that was in her heart.”

4. She proposed to Solomon her hard questions.

5. She listened carefully to what Solomon told her.

6. She saw the house that he had built.

7. She observed the meat on his table.

8. She looked to the sitting of the servants.

III. The result of her inquiry.

1. A confession of faith.

2. A confession of her unbelief-“Howbeit I believed not the words until I came,” etc.

3. Her anticipations were exceeded.

4. She blessed Solomon’s God.

5. She gave to Solomon of her treasures.

6. Solomon made her a present of his royal bounty.

7. She went home to her nation. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Christian put to shame by the heathen.

Wilt thou not be sore confounded, Christian, when-born, as thou art, in the bosom of the Church, in the midst of so many oracles of Scriptures, so many examples of saints-thou shalt yet see many heathens outstripping thee in goodness; so that, excepting only thy faith, which being “ without works” shall only serve to increase thy shame, instead of adding to thy glory, thou shalt find thyself placed below an Aristides in justice, below a Zeleucus in rectitude, below a Palemon in chastity, below an Antigonus in meekness, below a Socrates in patience, below an Epaminondas in disinterestedness; men who were all of them born in the deep gloom of heathenism, never favoured (as thou hast been) with any knowledge of life eternal, with any gospel, with any sacraments-men who had never seen a God dying for them, as thou hast seen. (Segneri.)

I. She went, notwithstanding the distance of her residence. The gospel is brought to our door.

II. She went, notwithstanding all the anxieties of her public station. The claims of business must not be allowed to clash with the claims of religion,

III. She went, though uninvited. We have been invited-how often!

IV. She went to hear the wisdom of a mortal, at best fallible, and who, after all, was guilty of sad and criminal defection. We are invited to hear One greater than Solomon. Let us beware lest the Queen of the South, by her treatment of the less, become a swift witness against us on account of our treatment of the greater. (Brooks.)

Christ and Solomon

I. The comparison. Solomon a type of Christ. As the Son of David; as an eminent favourite of God; as to the extent, prosperity, peacefulness, and wisdom of His government; as the builder of the temple; and as a teacher of wisdom.

II. The superiority.

1. Christ was a Divine as well as a human character, etc.

2. Christ was the antitype, and so greater than the type. (Anon.)

Christ greater than Solomon

I. Solomon was a great querist, but Christ, the great Evangelist, answers the queries of the great Ecclesiastes.

II. Solomon’s teaching is mainly negative, Jesus was as mainly positive.

III. Solomon s speech was regal, but the Saviour’s was Divine. So great is this Prince of prophets that the least in His kingdom is greater than Solomon. (J. Hamilton, D. D.)