Lord Over the Sabbath, 12:1-8 (Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5).
[1-2] “At that time” was perhaps the time of ripening grain. The grain fields in Palestine were crossed with paths. The way home was often through a field. Jews were permitted by law to pick grain when going through a field (Deuteronomy 23:25). In this setting, Jesus had a confrontation with some religious leaders. The fourth commandment (Exodus 20:10) required the Israelites to rest on the Sabbath. This meant they could not work. What was considered work? The Pharisees had 39 different activities that they said could not be done on the Sabbath. They followed these rules to keep them from breaking the Sabbath law. God did not give these 39 rules. They were rules made by men. One of the activities they said was wrong was gathering and shelling out grain. When the disciples picked the grain and ate, the Pharisees said they broke this rule.
[3-4] Jesus was the leader. He was asked the question, and He answered. He gave three answers.
His first answer used the example of David (1 Samuel 21:1-6). The bread eaten by David was baked on Friday and eaten each Saturday by the High Priest. Later it was eaten by the priests after it was removed from the holy place (Exodus 25:30; 35:13; 39:36; Leviticus 22:10; 24:5-9). The priest Ahimelech only required David and his men to be ceremonially clean. The Pharisees would not have said David sinned, even though he was not a priest.
[5-6] The second answer concerned the priests. The priests in the temple courtyard actually broke the Sabbath. They carried on with the temple service on the Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8; Numbers 28:9-10). Jesus may well have been saying that He (the Son of God) was greater than the temple and His followers were in His service.
[7-8] The third answer was from Scripture (Hosea 6:6). This Scripture had already been used by Jesus (Matthew 9:13). This passage said that while sacrifice (ritual obedience) was good, mercy was more important. Jesus accused the Pharisees of lacking mercy (Matthew 23:23). If they had had mercy, they would not have condemned the disciples of Jesus. Because Jesus is Lord over the Sabbath, He can say what is right and wrong to do. People should not go hungry because of the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:9-14
9 Jesus moved away from that place. He went into their synagogue. 10 A man with a crippled hand was there. They asked Jesus, “Is it right to heal people on the Sabbath day?” (They wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong.) 11 Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath day. Wouldn’t you grab it and pull it out? 12 A human being is so much more important than a sheep. So it is right to do good on the Sabbath day.” 13 Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” The man did this. His hand was made as healthy as his other hand. 14 The Pharisees left. They made plans to kill Jesus.
Healing on the Sabbath, 12:9-14 (Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11).
[9-12] For “synagogue,” see Matthew 4:23. This question of healing on the Sabbath was not asked when a life was in danger. The crippled hand did not endanger the man’s life. The Pharisees thought more of their animals than of men. An ox or sheep could be rescued from a ditch on the Sabbath. They had forgotten what was more important. Human life is much more important than animal life.
[13-14] Jesus used His power to heal the man instantly and to teach the Pharisees a lesson. All the gospel writers show that the Pharisees did not accept Jesus because of His teaching about the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11; John 5:9ff.). Even when He did good, they thought their traditions were more important. They wanted to kill Him because He did not keep their traditions.
Matthew 12:15-37
15 When Jesus learned about this, he left that place. Many people followed him. Jesus healed them all. 16 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. 17 What God said through the prophet Isaiah came true: 18 “Look at My special servant! He is the one I have chosen. I love him and I am very pleased with him. I will put My Spirit upon him. He will announce justice for the nations, too. 19 He will not argue or yell. No one will hear his voice in the streets. 20 He will not break the stem of a plant that has been bent. He will not even put out the flame of a wick which is barely burning, until he causes justice to win. 21 The nations will put their hope in his name.” Isaiah 42:1-4 22 Then they brought a man with a demon to Jesus. This man was blind and he could not talk. Jesus healed him. The man was able to speak and see. 23 All the crowds were amazed. They kept saying, “This man is not the son of David, is he?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man throws demons out only by using the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!” 25 Jesus knew what they were thinking. He said to them, “Every kingdom which is divided against itself will be ruined. Every town or family which is divided against itself will not hold together. 26 If Satan were throwing out Satan, then he would be divided against himself. How could his kingdom stay together? 27 But if I throw out demons by using the power of Beelezebul, then whose power do your own people use to throw them out? This is why your own people prove you are wrong! 28 However, if it is true that I use the Spirit of God to throw out demons, then God’s kingdom has come upon you!” 29 “How can someone go into a strong man’s house and take away his possessions? He must first tie up the strong man. Then he can rob the strong man’s house.” 30 “If a person is not with me, he is against me. The person who does not gather with me scatters. 31 This is why I am telling you, that people may be forgiven of any sin or any evil thing said against God. But they cannot be forgiven of saying evil things against the Holy Spirit! 32 If someone says something against me, he can be forgiven. However, if someone says something against the Holy Spirit, he cannot be forgiven—not in this age nor the next one.” 33 “Either call the tree good and its fruit good, or call the tree rotten and its fruit rotten. A tree can be known by its fruit. 34 You are like poisonous snakes. You are evil. How can you say good things? A person speaks what flows out of his heart. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, but an evil man brings out evil things from an evil treasure. 36 I tell you, sometimes people talk without thinking. On the Judgment Day they will be held responsible for every word. 37 Your words can make you right with God or your words can condemn you.”
The Servant, 12:15-21.
[15-16] Jesus left because it was not yet time for Him to die. See Matthew 8:4 for the command to keep silence.
[17-21] Isaiah 42:1-4 is applied to Jesus. He was seen as the servant (Acts 3:13, 26; 4:27, 30; 8:32-33; Revelation 4:25; 1 Peter 2:24-25). He was also loved by God (Matthew 3:16; 17:5). In this passage, hope for the Gentiles (non-Jews) is seen.
The Power of God, 12:22-32 (Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-23; 12:10).
[22-23] Jesus’ power was greater than the power of the demon. For “demon,” see Matthew 9:32-34. For “Son of David,” see Matthew 9:27.
[24] The Pharisees could not deny the miracle. They hoped to make fewer people follow Jesus by saying His power came from the Devil (literally “lord of the flies”; see Matthew 9:34; 10:25).
[25-26] Here again, Jesus’ power to read the thoughts of men was shown (see Matthew 9:4). He told them that division brings destruction. A civil war is very destructive. Division can destroy a town, a family, and even Satan. It was childish to think that Satan would cast out Satan.
[27] Other Jews threw out demons (Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49; Acts 19:13-16). The Pharisees should have applied their thinking to those others.
[28] The Spirit of God was applying God’s power on earth (Matthew 1:20; 3:16; 4:1; 10:20; 12:18). Luke talked about the “finger of God” (Luke 11:20). Jesus was throwing out demons by the power, Spirit, and finger of God. The kingdom of God (God’s kingdom) is the same as the kingdom of heaven (see Matthew 3:2). This kingdom (God’s rule) came through Jesus.
[29-30] Jesus was still talking about Satan. The strong man was Satan. The demons were his property. Jesus was the one who was stronger and thus able to control Satan and his demons. The Jews had to decide if Jesus was working with Satan or with God.
[31-32] Speaking evil against God (blasphemy) was a very serious sin. Verse thirty-two defines the sin. Isaiah spoke of those who call good, evil and light, darkness (Isaiah 5:20). The Jews had said many things against Jesus. They said He broke the Sabbath (Matthew 9:3), that He ate with outcasts (Matthew 9:11), that He was a glutton and a drunkard (Mark 11:19). These could be forgiven. The reason the sin against the Spirit was so great was that the sinner removed himself from his only hope for forgiveness. He had a hard and unbelieving heart. The Spirit was working in Christ. If men said Christ’s power was from Satan, then God could not reach them. They turned themselves away from their only hope. If men do not accept Christ’s work, then He cannot save them. The important thing is that men must follow Christ while they are alive.
Two Kinds of Fruit, 12:33-37 (Luke 6:43-45).
[33-35] Jesus said that the Pharisees had evil hearts. For “heart,” see Matthew 5:8. John also called the Pharisees snakes (Matthew 3:7).
[36-37] Words will either show that the heart is right with God, or they will condemn him. A man is accountable for every word he says.
Matthew 12:38-50
38 Then some of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees answered Jesus, “Teacher, we want to see you do a miracle.” 39 Jesus answered them, “The people living today are very evil. They are not faithful to God. They ask for a proof from God, but no proof will be given to them. The only proof will be the miracle which God worked for Jonah the prophet. 40 Jonah was in the belly of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, I will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 On the Judgment Day the men from the city of Nineveh will condemn the people of this time. Why? Because when Jonah preached to them, they changed their hearts. Listen! I am greater than Jonah. 42 The Queen of Sheba will rise up on the Judgment Day with the men of this time and she will condemn them. Why? Because she came a very long way to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. Listen! I am greater than Solomon!” 43 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. If the spirit does not find a place, 44 it says, ‘I will go back to the house from which I came.’ So, it goes and finds that house empty, cleaned up, and in order. 45 Then the evil spirit goes and brings seven other spirits worse than itself, and they go into that man and live there. And that man has even more trouble than he had before. The evil people of this time will be the same way.” 46 While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, suddenly, his mother and his brothers stood outside. They were wanting to speak with him. 47 Someone said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside; they want to speak with you.” 48 Jesus answered that person, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then Jesus pointed to his followers and said, “Look, all these people are my mother and my brothers!
50 If a person does what my Father in heaven wants him to do, he is my brother, my sister, or my mother!”
Demand for a Sign, 12:38-42 (Mark 8:11-12; Luke 11:29-32).
[38-39] “Teacher” was a common way to address someone like Jesus (Matthew 8:39; 19:16). These teachers of the law and the Pharisees wanted to see a sign. They wanted Jesus to perform a miracle. What kind of miracle would have finally been acceptable to them? Paul said the Jews still asked for signs even after the resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:22f.). A similar request is made in Matthew 16:1-4.
These people were unfaithful to God. The relationship of the Jews to God was like a marriage (Isaiah 57:3; Jeremiah 3:20, Ezekiel 16:38; 23:37; Hosea 1:2; 3:1). They had been unfaithful (Hosea 1:2; 3:1; Jeremiah 2:1-3, 20-25, 32-33; 3:1-5).
[40] Jonah was in the fish for three days and nights. Jesus was talking about His own death, burial, and resurrection. After that He would come forth as Jonah did. Jonah, of course, was kept alive in the fish. Jesus died and was raised after three days. This would show Jesus’ greatest power (1 Corinthians 6:14; Acts 2:32-33; Romans 1:4). The Jews did not understand this. For “Son of Man,” see Matthew 8:20.
[41-42] The Jews were not as wise as the people of Nineveh or the Queen of Sheba (literally, the queen of the South; see 1 Kings 10:1-10, 2 Chronicles 9:1-12), Jesus was greater than both Jonah and Solomon, who was the wisest king.
The Empty Man, 12:43-45 (Luke 11:24-26).
[43-44] An evil spirit and a demon are the same thing. If they did not live in someone or something, they stayed in dry places (Isaiah 13:21; 34:14). They sometimes returned to where they had stayed before. “House” means body.
[45] The fact that seven other spirits were brought meant that the second condition would be worse than the first. A cleansed man must fill his life with something new to keep the demon from returning with others. A man who follows Christ becomes the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Holy Spirit of God is greater than any other spirits.
The Family of Jesus, 12:46-50 (Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21.
[46-47] Jesus’ family is also mentioned in Matthew 13:55. Matthew does not tell us why they came. John 7:5 indicates that they did not believe Him. Mark says they thought He was crazy (Mark 3:21).
[48-50] Physical kinship was not what was most important (Matthew 10:34-37). Those who accepted His teachings were really His kinsmen (see Matthew 7:21).
Matthew 13:1-12
13 1 That day Jesus left the house, and he was sitting beside the lake of Galilee. 2 There were so many people who came to Jesus that he had to get into a boat. He sat in the boat and all the crowd stood on the, shore. 3 Jesus used many examples to speak with them: “A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4 While he was planting, some seeds fell along the road. The wild birds ate them up. 5 Some other seeds fell on rocky soil. There was not much soil there. The little plants grew up quickly, because the soil was not deep. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were burned, because their roots dried up. 7 Some more seeds fell among thorny weeds. But the thorny weeds came up and killed them off later. 8 And some seeds fell on good soil. Some were producing fruit 100 times more, some were producing 60 times more, and some 30 times more. 9 The person who has ears must use them!” 10 Jesus’ followers came and asked him, “Why do you use examples to speak to us?” 11 Jesus answered, “You have been chosen to learn the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but these secrets have not been given to others. 12 The person who has something will get more. However, what will happen to the one who has almost nothing? Even what he has will be taken away from him!