|  Home  |  New Testament Studies  |  Matthew Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

÷÷MATTHEW 12

MATTHEW 12

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

BACKGROUND TO MATTHEW 12:1-50

1. Matthew 12 describes the growing opposition (cf. Matt. 11:12) by the Jewish religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees, to Jesus because of His violation of the Oral Tradition (i.e., the Talmud). There is both a Babylonian and a Palestinian Talmud. The Palestinian was never finished, so the Babylonian became the more authoritative of the two.
   
   
2. Matthew 12 relates to Matt. 11:28-30, which describes the Oral Tradition in terms of a "burden" and a "yoke." Jesus' yoke is easy and light and brings rest, but not so the elaborate ceremonial and legal rules of the Pharisees. Jesus' yoke is not a means of acceptance but the natural result of being in fellowship with Him.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

÷MATTHEW 12:1-8

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:1-8
 ¹At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. ²But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, " Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath." ³But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, ⁴how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? ⁵Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? ⁶But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. ⁷But if you had known what this means, "I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,'you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

12:1 "At that time" Often the Gospel writers used this (and other) time designations as a way to move to a new topic or event, not a pure temporal indicator (cf. Matt. 11:25; 12:1; Luke 10:21; 13:1; Acts 7:20; 12:1; 19:23).

▣ "Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath" The Talmud taught that any journey over 2,000 paces on the Sabbath was considered work and, therefore, not permitted. It is interesting that the crowds, along with the Pharisees and the Scribes, were following Jesus on the Sabbath; therefore, they also were guilty of breaking this Sabbath law. For a full discussion of the origin and theology of the Pharisees, see SPECIAL TOPIC: PHARISEES

The Gospel writers had to choose certain events and teachings from all that Jesus said and did (cf. John 20:30-31) to reveal the New Covenant and His Messianic person and work. It almost seems that these writers chose these Sabbath encounters to illustrate how Jesus confronted and dealt with the religious leaders, sects, and traditions of the Talmud. Jesus' good news was different from the legalism and ritualism of Jewish traditions (cf. Matt. 5:21-48).

▣ "Sabbath" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SABBATH (NT) and SPECIAL TOPIC: SABBATH (OT).

▣ "began to pick the heads of grain and eat" Normally this was legally allowed (cf. Deut. 23:25). The problem was that it occurred on the Sabbath (cf. Exod. 34:21). From the other Synoptic Gospels we learn that the disciples were hungry. Technically according to the rabbis, they were guilty of several offenses:

1. harvesting
2. processing
3. preparing food on the Sabbath
4. all of this with ceremonially unclean hands

12:3 "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry" Jesus' phrasing affirms the inspiration of the OT (cf. Matt. 5:17-19). For the historical event see 1 Samuel 21:1ff.

SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION

12:4 "the house of God" Matthew 12:4 is a historical allusion to the tabernacle (cf. Exodus 25-30) of David's younger days. But it must also refer to the later temple built by Solomon (cf. Matt. 12:6). YHWH symbolically dwelt between the wings of the cherubim over the ark of the covenant.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHERUBIM

SPECIAL TOPIC: MERCY SEAT

This referred to "the Showbread" or "the Bread of the Presence" which was placed on the table in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle and later the temple (each weighing over 12 pounds). This seems to have symbolized YHWH's provision and care for His people, not food for YHWH! It was unleavened which linked back to the Exodus (cf. Gen. 15:12-21). They became weekly nourishment exclusively for the priests (cf. Lev. 24:5-9; Exod. 25:30). These twelve loaves were replaced every week. However, under the special conditions of 1 Samuel 21, David was allowed to eat them.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SHOW BREAD OF THE PRESENCE

SPECIAL TOPIC: SOOTHING AROMA

12:5 "the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent" The Sabbath was a work day for the priests (cf. Num. 28:9-10). The VERB "break" is literally "treat as common." It is found only here and Acts 24:6.

12:6 "But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here" Some manuscripts have the MASCULINE "someone" (cf. NKJV), but the most attested ancient reading is NEUTER, "some thing" (cf. NASB, NRSV, TEV, JB). This seems to refer to the Kingdom of God, a veiled Messianic reference (cf. Matt. 12:28, 41-42). This must have been a shocking statement to these Jews.

Jesus is greater than:

1. the temple, Matt. 12:6
2. Jonah, Matt. 12:41
3. Solomon, Matt. 12:42
4. Jacob, John 4:12
5. John the Baptist, John 5:36
6. Abraham, John 8:53
7. Scripture, Matt. 5:21-48; Mark 7:18-19

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS IS GREATER THAN. . .

12: 7 "if you had known what this means" This is a SECOND CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE called "contrary to fact." A false statement is made to accentuate a false conslusion. Its inference is "If you had known (but you did not), then you would not have condemned the innocent (but you did)."

SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK GRAMMATICAL TERMS, VII. C.

▣ "I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice" This is a quote from Hosea 6:6. It was an example of the preaching of the eighth century prophets, which emphasized attitude over ritual (cf. Mic. 6:6-8).

To clarify this theological issue I have included my exegetical comments from my online commentary of Hosea 6:6 (at www.freebiblecommentary.org).

"I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice" God looks at the heart! Motive is the key (cf. Jer. 9:24)! This is one of the key theological passages in the book (cf. Hosea 8:7; 11:12). "Loyalty" is the same as Hosea 6:4, but here it is true covenant love/loyalty. Jesus used this concept in His discussion with the Pharisees in Matt. 9:13; 12:7. This does not imply that God wanted them to stop sacrificing, but to be careful to have the right motive (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22; Isa. 1:11-13; Jer. 7:21-23; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8). For a good discussion see Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 207-208, 294-295). The sacrificial system was a way to show the seriousness of the sin and the willingness of God to accept sinners into fellowship with Himself. However, when it was turned into ritual without repentance and faith, it became a farce, a barrier to a true interpersonal relationship with God."

See www.freebiblecommentary.org.

12:8 "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" This must have been a great shock to the Jews who had made circumcision and Sabbath keeping almost ultimate (cf. Mark 2:27). Jesus illustrates this truth in His reinterpretations of Moses and the oral traditons that interpreted and applied his words (i.e., Genesis ‒ Deuteronomy, c.f. Matt. 5:20-48). When people raise anything or anyone to the place of ultimate allegiance instead of God Himself (or His Messiah), they become idolaters.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SON OF MAN

SPECIAL TOPIC: MOSES' AUTHORSHIP OF THE PENTATEUCH

÷MATTHEW 12:9-14

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:9-14
 ⁹Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. ¹⁰And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"–so that they might accuse Him. ¹¹And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? ¹²How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." ¹³Then He said to the man, " Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. ¹⁴But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

12:10 "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath" This question is never dealt with in the OT, but the ultimacy of the Sabbath had become part of the Oral Tradition by which the rabbis of old interpreted the OT texts (i.e., healing on the Sabbath only to save a life). Their focus was on human rules (cf. Isa. 29:13), not human need!

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEALING

▣ "And a man was there whose hand was withered" From the non-canonical "Gospel of Hebrews" we learn the tradition that the man was a mason and that it was his right hand that was withered. Therefore he was unable to work.

12:11 "sheep" This is one of many examples of where the Oral Tradition had become a burden instead of a joy. Sheep had become worth more than humans (cf. Matt. 10:31).

▣ "if" This is a THIRD CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE which denoted potential action.

12:12 Jesus uses the question/answer format to dialog with his challengers (cf. Matt. 9:5; 12:12; 21:25; even disciples, Mark 8:17-18).

12:14 "the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him" From Mark 3:6 we learn that the consultation was held between the Herodians and the Pharisees, who were traditional enemies (politics and religion).

SPECIAL TOPIC: PHARISEES

SPECIAL TOPIC: HERODIANS

▣ "as to how they might destroy Him" These leaders saw themselves as Israel's defenders! It is amazing that the religious leaders saw no conflict in their premeditated murder compared to Jesus' supposed ritual and Sabbath breaking (cf. Matt. 26:4; Luke 6:11; John. 11:53).

÷MATTHEW 12:15-21

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:15-21
 ¹⁵But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, ¹⁶and warned them not to tell who He was. ¹⁷This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
¹⁸"Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen;
 My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased;
  I will put My Spirit upon Him,
  And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
  ¹⁹He will not quarrel, nor cry out;
  Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
  ²⁰A battered reed He will not break off,
  And a smoldering wick He will not put out,
  Until He leads justice to victory.
  ²¹And in His name the Gentiles will hope."

12:15 "aware of this" It is difficult to ascertain the source of Jesus' knowledge.

1. over heard
2. knew the human heart
3. informed by the Spirit

This question cannot be answered because of Jesus' unique combination of the human and the divine (i.e., incarnation).

▣ "and He healed them all" There is such power, compassion, and the fulfillment OT prophecy expressed in this phrase. Jesus cared for people, all people. It must be remembered that physical healing, even exorcism, did not automatically involve spiritual restoration or salvation.

The verses that speak of Jesus' healing ministry express the extent of it in different ways.

1. sometimes they say "all," (cf. Matt. 8:16; 12:15; Luke 4:40; Acts 10:38)
2. sometimes they say every "kind," not every "one" (cf. Matt. 4:23; 9:23)
3. sometimes they say "many" not "all" (cf. Mark 1:34; 3:10; Luke 7:21)
4. often they imply that He healed all (cf. Matt. 14:14; 15:30; 19:2; 21:14)

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEALING

12:16 "and warned them not to tell who He was" This is related to the Messianic secret (esp. of Mark's Gospel). Jesus implored people not to share His miracles, but to share His message which was still in process. The gospel was not yet finished. This Messianic secret was a common theme of the Synoptics (cf. Matt. 8:4; 9:30; 17:9; Mark 1:44; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:30; 9:9; Luke 4:41; 8:56; 9:21). Jesus did not want to be known as just another itinerant healer!

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE GOSPEL

12:17 "Isaiah the prophet" Matthew 12:18-21 is a quote from Isa. 42:1ff. It does not exactly follow the Masoretic Hebrew text or the Greek Septuagint. It clearly showed Jesus' Messianic consciousness.

SPECIAL TOPIC: MASORETIC TEXT

SPECIAL TOPIC: SEPTUAGINT

12:18-21 This is a quote from Isa. 42:1-4 (but not the LXX), which is the first of the "Servant Songs" of Isaiah.

Notice the characteristics of the Coming One which are being displayed in Jesus.

1. called
   1. My (YHWH) Servant
   2. whom I have chosen
   3. My Beloved
   4. in whom My (YHWH) Soul is well-pleased
2. YHWH's Spirit upon Him
3. proclaim justice to the Gentiles
4. personal characteristics
   1. will not quarrel
   2. will not cry out
   3. will not hear His voice in the streets
5. personal actions
   1. will not break the battered reed
   2. will not put out the smoldering wick
   3. will lead justice to victory
   4. in His name Gentiles will hope

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIANIC ERA

SPECIAL TOPIC: TITLES FOR THE SPECIAL COMING ONE

12:18 "My Servant"This was a special honorific title (cf. Acts 3:13) used of Moses, Joshua, and David in the OT. Because of the special poems in Isa. 42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12, called "the Servant Songs," it took on Messianic connotations. This Messianic element climaxes in Isa. 52:13-53:12, the "Suffering Servant." The Jews of Jesus' day did not expect a suffering Messiah but a supernaturally empowered military Messiah. This explains why the Jewish leaders did not accept Jesus' message (even John the Baptist did not understand, cf. Matt. 11:3).

The Jews have always understood these Servant Songs to refer to the nation of Israel and this is surely true (cf. Isa. 41:8; 42:1,19; 43:10; 49:3-6). However these songs are individualized into one ideal righteous Israelite (cf. Isa. 52:14 (LXX), 15 (LXX); 53:1-12). Israel had failed (cf. Isa. 42:19; 53:8) in her world mission task (cf. Gen. 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6) because of continued violations of the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-28). Therefore, instead of blessing, all the world saw was the judgment of God. Therefore, YHWH Himself had to enact a New Covenant focusing on His actions and faithfulness (cf. Ezek. 36:22-36; Jer. 31:31-34).

SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT

▣ "My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased" This title was also used at the baptism and the Transfiguration of Jesus (cf. Matt. 3:17; 17:5). The Father was pleased with the ministry of the Son. This title combines the royal emphasis of Psalm 2 and the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 40-53.

The use of "soul" to describe God is imagery to express that He is a living being (cf. Heb. 10:38). This description of God in human terms is called anthropomorphism.

SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN (anthropomorphism)

SPECIAL TOPIC: BELOVED

▣ "I will put My Spirit upon Him" Do you see the three persons of the Trinity in the quote from Isa. 42:1?

Jesus and the Spirit have a combined theological relationship.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS AND THE SPIRIT

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT

12:18,21 "He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. . .in His name the Gentiles will hope" The statement that the Kingdom was open to the Gentile believers was shocking to the Jews (cf. Isa. 2:2-4; 12:4-5; 25:6-9; 42:6-12; 51:4-5; 45:22; 49:5,6; 56:6-8; 60:3; 66:18,23; see Paul's statement at Galatians 3; Eph. 2:11-3:13).

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

12:19 "He will not quarrel, nor cry out" This described the manner of Jesus' ministry before the governmental leaders of Palestine (cf. Isa. 53:7) like Pilate and Herod.

12:20 "A battered reed He will not break off,

And a smoldering wick He will not put out,

Until He leads justice to victory"

This could mean

1. Jesus treated sinners with gentleness
2. Jesus' kingdom looked so weak and small, yet it would fill the earth with joy (cf. Matt. 13:31-32)

SPECIAL TOPIC: JUSTICE

12:21 "in His name" See SPECIAL TOPIC: The Name of the Lord (NT).

▣ "hope" This is surprisingly the only occurrence of the word "hope" in Matthew and even here it is in an OT quote from Isa. 42:4. It does appear three times in Luke (cf. Luke 6:34; 23:8; 24:21). The word becomes an eschatological pointer in Paul's writings, who uses it nineteen times.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HOPE

÷MATTHEW 12:22-24

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:22-24
 ²²Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. ²³All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, "This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?" ²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons."

12:22 This was one of the Messianic signs (cf. Isa. 29:18; 35:5; 42:7,16; Matt. 9:27-31; 12:22; 15:30; 21:14). Israel herself needed this healing ministry (cf. Isa. 6:9-10 and 42:18-22). It was a sign they refused to see!

12:23 "This man cannot be the Son of David, can He" In Greek, this question expected a "no" answer, but with the possibility that maybe it might be true. The term "the Son of David" was a Messianic title from 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17. It was used often by Matthew (cf. Matt. 1:1; 9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30-31; 21:9,15; 22:42; also note Rev. 3:7; 5:5; 22:16).

12:24 "the Pharisees heard this, they said" This is the essence of the unpardonable sin, attributing God's work to Satan and calling that which is true, false and that which is light, darkness. The Pharisees could not deny the marvelous powers of Jesus so they attributed them to the supernatural power of the evil one (cf. Matt. 9:32-34; Mark 3:22-30, Luke 11:14-26).

SPECIAL TOPIC: UNPARDONABLE SIN

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SIN UNTO DEATH

▣ "Beelzebul" This referred to the Ba'al (male Canaanite fertility god) of the City of Zebub (cf. 2 Kings 1). The Jews slightly changed the name to Ba'al of Zebul which meant " lord of the dung" or "lord of the flies." This word is spelled differently in the ancient texts. Zebul is in the Latin Vulgate and the Peshitta translations, while the term Zebub is in all the Greek manuscripts. It was a title for Satan. In later Judaism, Zebul was the chief of demons.

SPECIAL TOPIC: BEELZEBUL

÷MATTHEW 12:25-30

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:25-30
 ²⁵And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁸But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God. then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. ³⁰He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

12:25-32 Jesus used a logical, analytical argument to show the ridiculousness of the Pharisees'claim (cf. Mark 3:23-27; Luke 11:17-22). There were four examples used:

1. Matt. 12:25
2. Matt. 12:27
3. Matt. 12:28
4. Matt. 12:29

These are a series of FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCES, which are usually assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes, but here they are false (Matt. 12:26 and 27). However, the FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE in Matt. 12:28 is true to reality! Context, context, context!

SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK GRAMMATICAL TERMS, VII. B.

12:25 "And knowing their thoughts" It is uncertain whether Jesus was using His supernatural ability to read men's thoughts or whether he saw them talking and overheard their comments (cf. Matt. 9:4). See note at Matt. 12:1.

▣ "Jesus" The oldest Greek manuscripts omit the name (i.e., P²¹, א, B, D, and some Old Latin, Syrian, and Coptic manuscripts). However, it is included in MSS C, L, and W, as well as many ancient church leaders' texts, such as Chrysostom, Jerome, and Augustine. Because of this the UBS⁴ cannot decide (i.e., "C:" rating) which is the original text.

The Jews (i.e., "your sons") practiced exorcism by magical formulas and oaths (cf. Mark 9:38; Acts 19:13). The unusual account in Matt. 12:43-45 seems to relate to this Jewish exorcism which cast out the demons, but did not replace it with faith in God, leaving a spiritual vacuum.

The NET Bible sees this phrase as referring to Jesus' disciples, to whom He gave the power of exorcism also. Thereby Jesus is not alluding to unbelieving Jewish exorcists but others who believe in Him and use His name in deliverance rites.

SPECIAL TOPIC: EXORCISM

12:28 "If. . .then the kingdom of God has come upon you" This is a FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE, assumed to be true by the author for his literary purposes. This is another veiled Messianic reference. It is also highly unusual for Matthew to use the phrase "the kingdom of God," which is usually found in Mark and Luke. Matthew usually used the phrase "kingdom of heaven." There are only four exceptions:

1. this passage
2. Matt. 19:24
3. Matt. 21:31
4. Matt. 21:43

Jesus asserted that His exorcisms demonstrated that His Messianic power proved the arrival of the new age of the Spirit! See a good brief discussion of "realized eschatology" in F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 198. Also note his discussion of "the Kingdom," pp. 43-44. Another good brief discussion about "the Kingdom of God" is found in C. B. Caird's The Language and Imagery of the Bible, pp. 11-12,43.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

The question is, does this phrase refer to

1. the Kingdom's approach
2. the Kingdom's arrival

The context supports the full but unexpected arrival of the New Age of the Spirit, the New Covenant, the Messianic Age! This surprised these hearers.

The continuing NT tension is exacerbated! The full Kingdom has arrived in Jesus, but has not been fully implemented (cf. Matt. 6:10).

12:29 This verse is often used to support the modern practice of casting Satan out of worship services. But in context this is not a "promise" text to be used for corporate exorcisms. Believers are not given the authority to bind Satan (i.e., "the strong man"). Even Michael the Archangel of Israel does not speak judgment against Satan (cf. Jude 9). The Apostles and the Seventy were given the power of exorcism over the demonic (cf. Matt. 10:1; Luke 10:17-20). However this is never listed among the gifts of the Spirit given to the Church. This parable is paralleled in Mark 3:22-27 and Luke 11:21-23.

12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me" A clear, radical choice must be made (cf. Mark 9:40; Luke 9:49, 50; 11:23). Jesus brings the New Age, mankind must respond to Him. Not to respond is to choose! See a good discussion in Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 466-467 (i.e., conditional covenant)

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

÷MATTHEW 12:31-32

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:31-32
 ³¹"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. ³² Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come."

12:31-32 This reference to blasphemy against the Spirit is often called "the unpardonable sin." From the parallel in Mark 3:28 it is obvious that "Son of Man" was not a title for Jesus in this context but a generic use of the Hebrew idiom "sons of men" or "mankind." This is supported by the parallelism of Matt. 12:31 and 32. The sin discussed was not a sin of ignorance but of willful rejection of God and His truth in the presence of great light. Many people worry about whether they have committed this sin. People who desire to know God or are afraid that they have committed this sin have not! This sin is the continuing rejection of Jesus in the presence of great light, to the point of spiritual callousness. This is similar to Heb. 6:4-6 and 10:26-31.

See a good brief discussion in F. F. Bruce's Answers to Questions, pp. 46-47.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT

▣ "either in this age or in the age to come" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME

÷MATTHEW 12:33-37

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:33-37
 ³³"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. ³⁵The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. ³⁶But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. ³⁷For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

12:33 "for the tree is known by its fruit" What one does, like what one says, reveals the true self. See full note at Matt. 7:16.

12:34 "You brood of vipers" Jesus used His harshest language for the religious leaders of His day. In this regard He followed the preaching of John the Baptist (cf. Matt. 3:7). The Serpent of Genesis 3 could be the original source of this imagery (cf. Rev. 12:9; 20:2).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SERPENT

SPECIAL TOPIC: LEVIATHAN

▣ "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart" It is not what goes into a person, but what comes out, that defiles (cf. Mark 7:17-23). Humans reveal themselves by what they say. Speech is part of the image of God. Speech reveals the heart (cf. Matt. 7:116,20; Luke 6:44; James 3:12).

SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH

12:35 The "treasure" refers to a person's inner self (cf. Luke 6:45).

12:36 "they shall give an account for it in the day of judgment" Jesus repeatedly spoke about judgment and its eternal consequences (cf. Matthew 7; 25). This relates to those who have rejected Jesus. Their lives, priorities, and words reflect their spiritual choices (cf. Matt. 12:37).

SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGMENT IN THE NT

12:37 See SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH

÷MATTHEW 12:38-42

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:38-42
 ³⁸Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." ³⁹But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; ⁴⁰for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴²The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here."

12:38 "scribes" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBES

▣ "we want to see a sign from You" They had heard Jesus' teachings and had seen the healings and exorcisms performed by Him, but they wanted some ultimate sign to convince them to believe on Him. This is exactly the temptation of Matt. 4:5-7 to which Jesus would not succumb. However, in reality, He had given them sign after sign but they would not or could not see (i.e., Isa. 6:9-10)!

Is spiritual blindness something God does (i.e., Pharaoh, see SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD HARDENED) or must humans choose to accept or reject truth? I think this is the tension between

1. Arminianism and Calvinism (see SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION). The tension in is an aspect of Eastern thought (see SPECIAL TOPIC: EASTERN LITERATURE [biblical paradoxes])
2. This is the same theological issue seen in the theological debate over "unconditional covenants vs. conditional covenants" (see SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT)

I think humans created in God's image and likeness for fellowship with Him have been given the dignity of choice. God always set the conditions of the covenant, but He demands that humans repsond in repentance and faith, both initially and continually through life.

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGN (OT)

12:39 "adulterous" Adultery became imagery for spiritual unfaithfulness (cf. Lev. 20:5; Num. 25:1; Hosea 1:2; 4:10,18; 5:3; Matt. 16:4; Mark 8:38; James 4:4).

▣ "no sign will be given" See good note in Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 467-470.

▣ "the sign of Jonah the prophet" As Jonah was in the great fish three days, Jesus was three days in the grave (Hades). We must remember that this is three days by Jewish reckoning, not three twenty-four hour periods. Any part of a day, which for them was evening to evening (cf. Genesis 1), was reckoned as a full day.

Jesus' allusion to Jonah confirms strongly the historicity of the book of Jonah. It is precisely the experience in the great fish that was used as an analogy (cf. Matt. 16:4). See my exegetical commentary on Jonah, free online at www.freebiblecommentary.org

12:40 "three nights" See full note at Matt. 16:21.

▣ "in the heart of the earth" This referred to descending into Hades (cf. Matt. 11:23), the realm of the dead, the grave, or the metaphorical place of unborn children (cf. Ps. 139:15-16). This is phenomenological language: the language of observation and of common human description. The Jews, like us, buried their dead; therefore, they "lived" in the ground.

Jesus' words would not have been understood by His contemporary hearers until after His resurrection. Matthew has structured the sayings of Jesus for theological purposes, not chronological sequence (cf. Matt. 7:21-23, also could not have had meaning until a much later date).

SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD? II, B.

SPECIAL TOPIC: RESURRECTION

12:41 "the men of Nineveh" This also relates to Matt. 11:20-24, as does Matt. 12:42. Nineveh repented due to Jonah's preaching and consequently was spared the wrath of God's judgment. This also implies that the Ninevites of Jonah's day were alive in an afterlife.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS IS GREATER THAN. . .

▣ "repented" See SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT) and see note at Matt. 4:17.

12:42 "The Queen of the south" This was a way of referring to the Queen of Sheba (cf. 1 Kings 10:1-15), who is still alive and will appear to testify in the eschaton.

▣ "something greater than Solomon is here" This is another clear Messianic claim. It reveals Jesus' self-understanding. He saw Himself as greater than the wisest man of the ancient East (cf. 1 Kgs. 3:12; 4:19-34). See full note at Matt. 12:6.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS IS GREATER THAN

÷MATTHEW 12:43-45

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:43-45
 ⁴³"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. ⁴⁴Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."

12:43 "the unclean spirit" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DEMONIC (unclean spirits) IN THE NT.

▣ "waterless places" In the OT the desert was the haunt of the demonic (i.e., Azazel in Leviticus 16 and desert animals in Isa. 13:21; 34:14).

SPECIAL TOPIC: ANGELS AND DEMONS, C.

12:44-45 This passage has three possible meanings.

1. the Jewish exorcists performed exorcisms without personal faith, and the demonic spirit returned
2. it is an allusion to national Israel in the sense of their rejection of idol worship, but without replacing it with a faith relationship to YHWH
3. it referred to the preaching of John the Baptist, whom they accepted as being from God, while rejecting Jesus

The last condition was far worse than the immediate problem (cf. 2 Pet. 2:20-22).

÷MATTHEW 12:46-50

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 12:46-50
 ⁴⁶While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. ⁴⁷Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You." ⁴⁸But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" ⁴⁹And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! ⁵⁰For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."

12:46 "His mother and brothers were standing outside" Apparently they thought Jesus was working too hard or was becoming too untraditional (cf. Mark 3:20-21).

12:47 This verse is not included in the Greek uncial manuscripts א, B, and L or in some Old Latin, Syrian, and Coptic manuscripts. It is included in the manuscripts א^c, C, and D and the Vulgate and the Diatessaron. It is also found in Mark 3:32 and Luke 8:20. It seems that

1. scribes added it to this verse to make the three parallel. It is included in NASB, NKJV, NRSV, and TEV translations.
2. The United Bible Societies Fourth Edition Greek New Testament translation committee believes that it was inadvertently left out of the text because of a slip of the eye (homoloteleuton) between two similar words ("speak") in the Greek text at the end of Matt. 12:46 and 47.
3. The verse is required to make sense of the paragraph.

SPECIAL TOPIC: TEXTUAL CRITICISM

12:50 "For whoever does the will of My Father" The will of God is to repent and to believe on Him whom He has sent (cf. John. 6:39-40). Once one is saved, God also has a will of Christlikeness for every believer, (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 4:19).

The NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 488, has such a good statement about Jesus' call to be a disciple.

1. the unconditional sacrifice of one's whole life (cf. Matt. 10:37; Luke 9:59-62; 14:26-27)
2. the unconditional sacrifice of one's life for the whole life (cf. Matt. 16:24-25; John 11:16)
3. bound to Jesus and to do God's will (cf. Matt. 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35)

Jesus' call to follow Him is a radical call to selflessness which demonstrates that the effects of the Fall are reversed! This is a life-long, life-inclusive call!

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WILL (thelēma) OF GOD

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD

SPECIAL TOPIC: DISCIPLES

▣ "who is in heaven" This is a recurrent circumlocution in Matthew (cf. Matt. 5:16,45; 6:1,9; 7:11,21; 10:32-33; 12:50).

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN AND THE THIRD HEAVEN

▣ "He is my brother and sister and mother" Faith in Christ supercedes earthly family ties (parallel in Mark 3:31-35). Christianity is a family based on the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of Jesus (cf. Rom. 8:15-17).

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHRISTIANITY IS CORPORATE

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why does Jesus make such an affirmation of Old Testament Law in Matthew 5:17-21 and yet reject so vehemently the Oral Tradition of the Jews?
2. Does Jesus claim to be the Messiah in Matthew 12?
3. Did Jesus perform these miracles in confrontation or in reaction to the Pharisees?
4. How does Isaiah 42:1-4 describe the ministry of the Messiah?
5. Define/explain the Pharisees'calling Jesus Beelzebub.
6. What and where is Hades?
7. Explain the parable in Matt. 12:43-45.

|  Home  |  New Testament Studies  |  Matthew Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International