Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

12:1 pluck heads of grain. The edges of a field were not normally harvested, so that the poor and hungry, foreigners, orphans, and widows could gather food for themselves (see Lev. 19:9; 23:22). This law showed the compassion of God for those in need.

12:2 Pharisees. See note on 3:7.

12:4 ate the bread of the Presence. Twelve loaves of bread, representing God's covenant with the 12 tribes of Israel, were to be baked and placed in the tabernacle on each Sabbath as an offering. The bread was only to be eaten by the priests (Lev. 24:5-9), but Scripture does not condemn David for eating the bread during his escape from Saul. The law was intended to serve God's people, rather than God's people being intended to serve the law (cf. Mark 2:27).

12:5 The fact that priests, in carrying out their duties, had to work on (and thus "profane") the Sabbath, but were guiltless in doing so, shows that God made allowances within the law.

12:6 something greater. The Sabbath points to Christ (see v. 8) and to the "rest" he gives from the impossible task of earning salvation by good works (cf. 11:28).

12:7 I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. See note on 9:13.

12:8 the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath. Jesus does not challenge the Sabbath law itself but rather the Pharisees' interpretation of it. As Messiah, Jesus authoritatively interprets every aspect of the law (cf. 5:17-48) and here points out the Pharisees' blindness to the actual intent of the Sabbath--to bring rest and well-being. This final argument in response to the Pharisees' challenge (12:2) is the decisive argument--that because of who Jesus is, he has the authority to interpret the law.

12:9-10 heal on the Sabbath. In rabbinic teaching, numerous regulations defined minute categories of "work" that were prohibited on the Sabbath, but these legalistic regulations were never God's intent for the OT law. (See the 39 things prohibited on the Sabbath in Mishnah, Shabbat 7.2.) Jesus' opponents believed that the Sabbath could be broken only in extreme cases of life and death. Since the life of the man with the withered hand was not in danger, they believed his healing should wait until after the Sabbath.

12:11-12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! Jesus contrasts the value of an animal to that of a human (see note on 6:26) and asserts that the higher principle is not simply refraining from activity on the Sabbath but doing good on the Sabbath.

12:13 it was restored, healthy. The miracle confirms Jesus' authority to interpret laws relating to the Sabbath (vv. 1-12) and further validates his claim to be the messianic Son of Man (cf. 9:1-8; 12:8).

12:14 conspired against him. The religious leaders see clearly that Jesus' claim concerning authority to interpret the law was in fact a claim to messianic authority, which they judged to be a heresy worthy of death.

12:15 Jesus . . . withdrew from there (cf. 2:14, 22; 4:12, 13), not trying to escape all opposition but to prevent its escalation until the time comes for his predicted betrayal and death.

12:16 ordered them not to make him known. See note on 8:4; cf. 9:30; 16:20; 17:9.

12:17 to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah. Matthew's typical fulfillment formula (see note on 1:22) introduces his longest OT quotation (Isa. 42:1-4). It comes from the "Servant Songs" (Isaiah 42-53), in which the "servant" represents alternately the nation of Israel and the gentle, Spirit-endowed, suffering servant, whose mission is to bring justice to the nations.

12:18-20 my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved. The Father expresses the same delight in his Son at Jesus' baptism (3:17) and at his transfiguration (17:5). he will proclaim justice. The servant brings the good news of the arrival of the kingdom but also pronounces judgment on the rulers of this world who reject him. will not quarrel or cry aloud. He did not come the first time as a conquering warrior. bruised reed . . . smoldering wick. Jesus the servant compassionately cares for those who have been abused (cf. 9:36; 11:28).

12:23 Can this be the Son of David? See note on 9:27. The people thought of David as a warrior and king and believed the Son of David would be a liberator. It was difficult for them to comprehend that this gentle healer could indeed be David's promised Son.

12:24 only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons. See note on 10:25. Practicing magic by Satan's power was a capital offense, punishable by stoning. This view of Jesus as a sorcerer was common among Jews even into the early centuries of Christianity.

12:25-26 Knowing their thoughts indicates Jesus' omniscience and therefore his deity. kingdom divided against itself. Satan would not work against himself by exorcising a demon, which was part of his attempt to control the world.

12:27 your sons. Possibly associates or disciples of the Pharisees. Extrabiblical Jewish literature contains stories about strange rituals for casting out evil spirits (see Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 8.45-48; Tobit 8:2-3; Testament of Solomon throughout), but it is unclear that they were successful (see Acts 19:13-16). The amazement of the crowd in Luke 4:36 indicates that Jesus' authoritative casting out of demons "with a word" (Matt. 8:16) was unprecedented. No example of people casting out demons is found in the OT (but see 1 Sam. 16:14-23).

12:28 by the Spirit of God . . . I cast out demons. Jesus' amazing power over demons was due to the power of the Holy Spirit working through him (cf. 3:16). The kingdom of God is inaugurated, though not completely realized, in the ministry of Jesus. "Kingdom of God" occurs only five times in Matthew, compared to 32 occurrences of "kingdom of heaven," which occurs in none of the other Gospel accounts. Jesus is not only the messianic Son of David (12:23) but the King who exercises God's own kingdom power against Satan and his agents and overcomes the kingdom of Satan through his much greater power (see Isa. 59:17; Eph. 6:10-20; Rev. 19:11-21).

12:29 Jesus was able to expel demons because he had bound Satan, the strong man. Beginning with Jesus' victory over Satan during the temptation in the wilderness (4:1-11), Jesus demonstrated that Satan was powerless to prevent him from proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and demonstrating the reality of its presence through his work and his words. Satan's house represents the sinful world over which, until the coming of Christ, he had such power. Jesus has come to plunder his house and rescue people for the kingdom of God (see Col. 1:13).

12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me. Jesus does not allow anyone to remain neutral about him. (But see further Mark 9:38-41, esp. v. 40, where Jesus' followers cannot make such demands about loyalty to themselves.)

12:31-32 blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. The sin is attributing to Satan what is accomplished by the power of God, and doing this through the flagrant, willful, and persistent rejection of God and his commands. This sin is committed today only by unbelievers who deliberately and unchangeably reject the ministry of the Holy Spirit in calling them to salvation. (See further the extended note on Luke 12:10.)

12:33-35 abundance of the heart. The Pharisees' attempt to label Jesus a blasphemer (v. 24) is itself blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Their wicked words reveal the evil within their own hearts; they were bad trees (v. 33) in need of radical conversion.

12:36-37 the day of judgment. Christ's second coming (see note on 7:23). every careless word. Eternal judgment awaits any who attempt to turn the people against Jesus by slanderous accusations of blasphemy. By your words you will be justified means a person's words will be outward evidence of their inward character. "Justified" here means "shown to be righteous." This verse does not use "justified" in the Pauline sense of "declared righteous by God" (see notes on Gal. 2:16; James 2:21). Similarly, evil people's evil words will be evidence by which they will be condemned.

12:38 a sign. Jesus had already performed many miracles ("signs") that validated his messianic identity. These men were asking for a sign that they could use against him.

12:39 Adulterous refers to spiritual adultery, i.e., unfaithfulness to God. Jesus never rebukes people who seek healing out of genuine need, but he knows these opponents have malicious motives (cf. 16:1). Jonah's being rescued by God was a sign to the people of Nineveh that his message was from God. Jesus' death and resurrection (see 12:40) will likewise be God's sign to the present generation.

12:40 Three days and three nights in Jewish reckoning is inclusive, meaning no more than three days or the combination of any part of three separate days. Jesus was raised "in three days" although he was buried Friday afternoon and resurrected Sunday morning (i.e., part of Friday is day one, all of Saturday is day two, and part of Sunday is day three).

12:41 Jesus' words affirm the historicity of the story of Jonah: he says that the men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment, thus predicting an actual future event; and that these same men repented at the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:5), indicating that Jonah's preaching in Nineveh was an actual historical event.

12:42 queen of the South. The queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-29). Sheba was most likely the home of the Sabaeans in southwestern Arabia, in present-day Yemen. Jesus claims that he is greater than the temple (Matt. 12:6), the prophet Jonah (v. 41), and the wise king Solomon. He thus elevates himself and his message of the kingdom to be greater than, and the fulfillment of, the three greatest institutions in Israel--priest, prophet, and king.

12:43 Demons were often associated with waterless places, apparently because deserts were thought of as being devoid of the blessing of God that came with rainfall and abundant crops (cf. Isa. 13:19-22; 34:13-14; Jer. 17:6; 22:6; 50:12; 51:43; Zeph. 2:13; Mal. 1:3).

12:44 my house from which I came. Demons are persistent in seeking ownership of a person's entire material and immaterial self.

12:45 seven. Linked in Scripture with completion or perfection, here perhaps signifying the completeness of demon possession once the demon returns. If this evil generation continues to reject Jesus, even after witnessing his divine authority over demons, their condition will be worse than if they had never seen him.