Matthew 12

The Apostles plucking ears on the Sabbath are defended by Christ,1. Christ healeth a withered hand on the Sabbath, and justifieth the same, 9. Avoids the snares of the Pharises; and healeth all manner of sickness, 14 Forbids to noise this abroad, to fulfill the prophecy of Isay 16. Casteth the Devil out of one that was binde and dumb, and confusets the blasphemies of the Pharisees, 22. Speaks of the sin against the holy Ghost, and of the account which must be given of every idle word,31. Gives the Pharisees no other sign then the sign of Jonas,38. and opposeth against their stiffneckedness, the examples of the Ninivites, and the Queen of the South, 41. By the similitude of an unclean spirit tha was returned again, he teacheth how it shall go with them, 43. and who are his right brother, sister, and another, 46.

1. At thhat time Jesus went on a sabbath day [Gr.sabbath] through the sown (fields) and his Disciples hunred, and began to pluck ears and to eat.

2. And the Phharisees seeing (that) said unto him, Behold, thy Disciples do that not lawful to do on the sabbath. [The Phharisees rebuked Christ Disciples, not because they pluck ears of anotherr man corn, for that was allowed by the Law, Deut 23. ver. 25 but because they did it on the sabbath.]

3. But hhe said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he hungred, and they that (were) with him?

4. How that he went into the house of God [That is, the Tebernacle, which at that time was at Nob. see 1 Sam 21 6.] and did eat the shew – bread, [Gr. bread of setting – before. Heb of the face; namely, of the Lord. What bread this was, and what was done therewith, see Lev.24.5, etc.] whhich it was not lawfull for him to eat, nor for them that (were) with hhim; but the Priest alone.

5. Or have ye read in the Law, that the Priests profane the sabbath [That is, do such works, which would profane the sabbath, if God had not commanded the same, for his service] in the Temple, on the sabbath – daies, and (yet) are blemeless. [that is, do not amis in it.]

6. And i say unto you, that one greater then the Temple is here. [For Christ was the Lord of the Temple, and the thing it self figured and signified by the Temple, Malachi 3:1. John 2:19.]

7. But if ye had known what that is, i will (have) mercy, and not sacrifice, [see before, Matthew 9:13.] ye would no have condemned the guiltless.

8. For the son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath day [Thhat is, hath power to take order about the works of the sabbath.]

9. And going forth from thence, hhe came into their synagogue.

10. And behold therewas a man which had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, Is it also lawful to heal on the sabbath – daies? (that they might accuse him.)

11. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep, and if the same fall into a pit on a sabbath – day, that will not lay hold on it, and list it out?

12. Now how much is a man above a sheep? [Gr. differs from a sheep] Therefore it is lawful to do well [that is, to execise works of charity] on the sabbath – daies.

13. Then said he to the man, strech out thine hand; and he stretchea it out, and it was restored whole like the other.

14. And the Pharisees being gone out, consulted together against him, how they might kill him. [Gr. destroy or make him away.]

15. But Jesus knowing (that) departed thenec, and many multitudes followed him, and he hhealed them all.

16. And commanded them shharply, thhat they should not make him manifest.

17. Thus that mighht be filled which is spoken by Esaias the Prophet , saying,

18. Behold , my servant, [Christ is called the servant of the Father, because he took on him the form of servant, Phil2. verse 7. and because the Father counsel concerning our redemption was accomplished by him, Isaiah 53:10, 11. See likewise the Annotation on Esa 42. verse 1.] whom i have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul hath delight. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall declare judgment [that is, saving doctrine, or the true worship of God, and what belongs thereto] to Gentiles.

19. He shall not strive, nor cry, [Namely, out of ambition, or desire of contention] neither shall there any man hear his voice on the streets.

20. The howed reed [or bruised] shall be not break, and the smoaking wiek [Gr. flax, because the matches or wieks were made thereof] shall be not quench [that is to say, he shall not reject troubled spirit, or weak in faith, but shall meet them with all tenderness] till he shall bring forth [Or, bring in sight. Gr. thrust out, cast out] judgment into victory. [that is to say, shall powerfully press thorow with the truth of his doctrine, until the same gets the upper hand.]

21. And his name shall the Gentiles hope.

22. Then was brought unto him one possessed of the Devil, (who was) bilnd and dumb, [that is, from whom the Devil had taken the use of eyes and tongue] and he healed him, so that the blind both spoke and saw.

23. And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, is not this the Son of David?

24. But the Pharisees having heard (this) said, This (man) casteth not out the Devil, but by Beelzebul [see before, chap 10.25.] the Prince of the Devils.

25. But Jesus knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every Kingdom that is divided against it self, is made waste; and evry City or house that is divided against it self, shhall not stand.

26. And if thhe Satan cast out the Satan, he is divided against it self: how shall then his Kingdom stand?

27. And if i Beelsebul cast out the Devils, by whom then do your sons [Hereby are understood either the Disciples of Christ, who cast out Devils in his name, Luke 10:17. or some other Jews who also sometimes did thus. See Luke 9:49.] cast them out? Therefore shall thhey be your Judges.

28. But if i by the spirit of God cast out the Devils, then is the Kingdome of God come unto you.

29. Or how can any one enter into the house of a strong (man) and breave him of hhis vessels [Thhat is, household – stuff or goods. For the Hhebrew call all manner of furniture, vessels, wherewith the house is provided] except he first have bound the strong (man), and then he will spoil his house.

30. Whoso is not with me, he is against me, and whoso gathereth not with me, he scattereth.

31. Therefore i say unto you, allsin and blasphhemy shall be forgiven unto men, [Namely, if they do repent.] but the blasphhemy against the spirit, [this sin against the hholy Ghost is, when any one, not out of weakness or feare, as Peter, nor of ignorance like Paul, deries or opposeth the truth of the Gospel, but out of meer hatred and obsinacy, against the conviction of the holy Ghost, resists, blasphemes, and persecutes the same] shall not be forgiven unto men. [namely, because they do repent, nor through the righteous judgmentof God, can be brought to repentance. see Hebrews 6:4.]

32. And whosoever shall have spoken (any) word agaisnt the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever shall have spoken against the holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neithher in this word, nor in that which is to come. [That is, never, as it is expounded, Mark 3:29. neither here nor hereafter in the last Judgement; which is also called the word to come, Luke 18:30.]

33. Either make [That is, hold and judge] the Tree good, and his fruit good; or make the tree evil, [Gr. corrupt] and his fruit eveil. For by the fruit, is the Tree known.

34. Ye brood of Adders, How can ye speak good things, whereas ye are evil; for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.

35. The good man bringeth forth good things, out of the good treasure of the heart; and the evil man bringd forth evil things, out of the evil treasure.

36. But i say unto you, That of every vain word [Gr. idle; that is, which hath no profit for edification, Ephesians 4:29. how much more then fro blasphemous words?] which men shall have spoken, they shall give accompt of the same in the day of judgment.

37. For out of thy words thou shalt be justified, [That is, be acknoledged and declared for just.] and out of thy words shall be condemned.

38. Then answered some of the Scribes and Pharusees, saying, Master, we would (fain) see a sign from thee.

39. But he answered and said unto them, The evil and adulterous generation [Or, degenerate, and basterd see John 8. verse 39] desireth a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonas the Prophet.

40. For like as Jonas was three daies and three nights in the whales belly; even so shall the Son of man be three daies and three nights[whole daies and nights are here taken a part of the daies: like as it is usual with the Hebrew. see 1 Sam.30.12. compared with verse 13 and Esther 4:16 compared with Esth.5.1 And if it be taken after the Romans account, who began and ended the daies at midnight, so it falls yet clearer] in the heart of the earth [that is, within, in the earth; after the Hebrew phrase. So Tyre is said to lie in the heart of the sea, Ezek.27. verse.4.]

41. The man of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn the same, [namely, by their example] for they repented upon the preaching of Jonah.And behold, more then Jonas is here.

42. The Queen of the South [That is, of Saba , 1 Kings 10:1 which situated South- wards from Judea.] shall rise up in the judgement with this generation, and condemn the same: for she came from the ends of the earth [that is, from places lying far off] to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold more than Solomon is here.

43. And when the unclean spirit is gone out of man, he goeth through parched places, [that is, dry or waterless places seeking rest, and findes it not.

44. Then he saith, i will return into mine house, from whence i came out; andd coming he findes it empty, swept with becomes, and adorned, [or, trimmed up]

45. Then he goes he away, and takes with him seven other spirits [That is, many. An Hebrew manner of speaking] more wicked then himself;and being entred in they dwell there; and the last of that same man is worse then the first. Even so shall it be also with this wicked generation [By this similitude Christ teacheth, that when a man by the knowledge of the Gospel i freed from his natural ignorance, and notwithstanding lives not according to it, but keeps it under, lie is much worse then before. See 2 Pet chapter 2 verse 20,21]

46. And while he yet spake to the multitude, behold, his mother and brethren [That is, kinred by bloud; which are also called brethren with the Hebrews. see Gen. 13. verse 8.] stood without, seeking to speak with him.

47. And one said unto him; behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand (there) without, seeking to speak with thee.

48. But he answering, said unto him that told him (that) who is my mother, and who are my brethren? [Christ doth not here speak out of contempt of his mother, but only commendeds their spiritual kinred above the fleshy]

49. And stretching out his hand over his Disciples, he said, Behold, my mother and my brethren:

50. For whosoevr doth the will of my Father which is in Heavens; the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.