Matthew 12

1. At that time. On the exact time of this occurrence, see Luke vi. 1.

began to pluck the ears of corn. The law allowed this on other days (see Deut. xxiii. 25); but it was supposed to be forbidden on the sabbath. The act was regarded as a kind of reaping; and the rubbing in the hands (Luke) as threshing.

4 the house of God. The tabernacle at Nob. Before the erection of the Temple this appellation was given to the place of the Ark: see Psa. xxiii. 6.

did eat the shewbread. See Exod. xxv. 30; 1 Sam. xxi. 5, 6, and notes. Our Lord urges first the plea of necessity. His disciples, like David and his followers, were in want of food. David’s visit to Nob was on the sabbath: see Lev. xxiv. 5-9.

5 are blameless. The priests were more busily engaged on the sabbath than on other days (see Numb. xxviii. 9, 10). But they were blameless, because they laboured in the service of the Temple. Much more the disciples of Jesus, who were engaged in a “greater” service (see ver. 6). The word rendered “profane,” means simply to put to common or secular use.

6 greater than the Temple. The Temple service was greater than the obligation to sabbath-rest: here is One greater than the Temple, much more then supreme over the sabbath (8).

7 what this meaneth. See Hos. vi. 6, and note. In ix. 13, the same words are quoted in reproof of another phase of punctilious ritualism; here we find a second form, in which it shows its hostility to true charity, which is the essence of all acceptable worship. But if, for “sacrifices,” the sabbath-rest might be violated, how much more in “mercy” to men’s necessities and sufferings! Matthew alone reports this argument founded upon the Temple service. In John v. 17, Jesus takes even higher ground.

8. Lord even of the sabbath day. Mark (ii. 27) records the statement on which this remark is immediately founded. The sabbath and other observances are not an end, but means appointed to promote man’s good. The Son of man, to whom all things connected with this great end have been entrusted (xi. 27), can therefore dispense with them if He pleases.

9 when He was departed. “On another sabbath” (Luke vi. 6). The two narratives are joined by both evangelists, because of their bearing on the sabbath question.

11 that shall have one sheep. “A single sheep.” This simple act of humanity was not then forbidden by the Jewish teachers, though it was afterwards prohibited in the Talmud, as if to confute our Lord’s argument. Matthew alone narrates the appeal here made to the Jews respecting their own customs.

12 to do well. “Not to do good when you can is to do evil; and this is the worst violation of the sabbath” (Bengel). See Mark iii. 4; Luke vi. 9, where doing evil is expressly stated as the alternative.

13. And he stretched it forth. Believing that He who gave the command would give the power to obey it, the sufferer made the attempt, and in this act of faith the strength was given. By healing the man without any outward action, our Lord made the miraculous power unquestionable, and deprived the Pharisees of all legal ground of objection.

14 held a council. Rather, “took counsel,” as R.V.

how they might destroy Him. “They were filled with madness” (Luke vi. 11). From this time they began to plot His destruction: see Mark iii. 6, and note.

15. He healed them all. That is, all the sick whom they brought to Him.

17 spoken by Esaias. See notes on Isa. xli. 8; xlii. 1-7. The quotation is a free rendering of the Hebrew. How forcible the contrast between the gentle and benign “Servant of God” and His cruel and bigoted enemies (14)!

24 by Beelzebul (Beelzebul). See note on ch. x. 25. The argument of the Pharisees was that He who could control the demons must have an understanding with the demons’ master. This argument was whispered among the people, the Pharisees themselves not having the audacity to state it openly. But Jesus “knew their thoughts,” and effectually replied.

27 your children. Your “disciples,” or adherents (see note on 1 Sam. x. 12). Whether they really could do this, or only pretended to do it, the argument is equally valid. Your own pupils profess to cast out devils. Why ascribe my power to Beelzebul more than theirs? Nay, my power is more clearly Divine: for my success is obtained, not in some doubtful instances, and by the use of exorcisms: it is simple, instantaneous, and complete in the most desperate cases. It is the “Spirit” of God; such a display of His power as shows that “the reign of God is already upon you” (28), taking you by surprise.

29. Or else. It follows, then, that I come to bind the strong, and to take his possession from him; a contest so urgent (ver. 30) as to allow no neutrality. This conflict, in which all must take one side or the other, is still going on in the world; and all those who do not take part with Christ are really taking part with Satan.

31 blasphemy against the [Holy] Ghost. To gain a clear idea of our Lord’s meaning, observe, 1. That among the spectators on this occasion there might be many who denied the Divine mission of “the Son of man,” but who yet might yield to further evidence; while there were others, acute and well-informed, who were determined not to believe, and malignantly ascribed to Satanic power works which showed the presence of “the Spirit of God” (28). To these latter our Lord evidently refers; though He may, perhaps, be understood rather as warning them against a sin to which they were very closely approaching, than as declaring that they had already committed it. 2. That the sin which shall not be forgiven is not so much the particular act which gave occasion to the remark, as a state of heart, the result of a long course of wilful and malignant opposition to known truth. 3. That unpardonable sin is not confined to the attributing Christ’s miracles to Satanic agency (op. Heb. vi. 4-6); nor is it the only sin which ensures final destruction. 4. At the same time, it is certain that every sin of which men truly repent will be pardoned. No forgiveness, therefore, means no repentance.

32 the [world] to come. “The world to come” was a Jewish phrase for the expected reign of the Messiah. If this be the sense in which it is here used by our Lord, the meaning is, That blessed period which brings pardon and deliverance to others brings none to him; he is irremediably lost.

33 make. In your thoughts: “represent.” “Grant the tree to be good” (Weymouth).

the tree is known by his fruit. If the fruit is good, the tree must be good. My good works must, then, have a good origin, as your evil works must have a bad one: see ver. 34.

34. O generation (brood) of vipers. See iii. 7, and note. The merciful Saviour does not shrink from using the same strong expressions which had been used by the appointed preacher of repentance. The phrase, “brood of vipers,” is peculiarly appropriate to the Pharisees; for “the poison of asps was under their lips”; and their “reckless words” of malignant slander hindered the people from believing in the Saviour (xxiii. 13).

36 every idle word. “Idle” means literally “without deed”—doing nothing. Not only premeditated speeches, but careless, unconsidered words will be judged: for they are spoken “out of the abundance of the heart,” and are therefore a true index of its real state; and, as such, must be of great account in the judgement: cp. Jas. iii. 2-12.

38 we would see a sign from Thee. The Jews held that only a “sign from heaven” could distinguish a messenger of Jehovah from those who wrought miracles by Satanic agency: alleging that such signs were given by their ancient prophets (Exod. xvi. 4; 1 Sam. xii 16-18; Isa. xxxviii. 8; see also Dan. vii. 13). Hence their repeated demands from our Lord (see xvi. 1). His life was, indeed, remarkable for such signs (see ii. 2; iii. 16, 17; John xii. 28); but He would not sanction superstitious notions, or gratify a cavilling temper; and He therefore refused the demand.

39 adulterous. According to Old Testament usage, this word signifies faithless to God, whose people the Jews professed to be: see Exod. xxxiv. 15.

the sign of the prophet Jonas. You, who attribute my miracles to Satan, ask a sign. I will give you none. If you want one, look to Jonah in your own Scriptures. His entombment in the fish and his resurrection (40) were “a sign” to the Ninevites (Luke xi. 30): so my entombment and resurrection will be a sign, more wonderful and conclusive, to this generation; who, however, will disbelieve it, and incur a heavier condemnation (41).

40 whale’s belly. The word is generic, meaning any large sea-monster. See Jonah i. 17, note.

three days and three nights. The Jews spoke of “a day and a night” as a unit, which, in calculating days, they did not divide into parts. Hence three times “a day and a night” might only be one whole day with parts of two others: cp. Matt. xvi. 21, with Mark viii. 31; 2 Chron. x. 5, with x. 12; Esther iv. 16, with v. 1.

the heart of the earth. The language of Jonah (ii. 3) is, “Thou hadst cast me . . . in the midst (lit., heart) of the seas.” Our Lord is speaking of His entombment.

41 shall rise in judgement. Rather, as R.V., “shall stand up in the judgement.”

42 queen of the south. “Of Sheba”: see note on 1 Kings x. 1.

43 he walketh through dry places. The melancholy disposition of the demoniacs, leading them to wander restlessly through desert (lit., “waterless”) places, might have suggested the popular notion that the demons themselves had a preference for the wilderness, and were connected with the wild howling creatures which dwelt there. The special point is, the danger of resting in a partial reformation such as had been the conversion of the Jews from their old idolatrous habits to the strict outward worship of the only true God. Where vital godliness does not take the place of confuted error or forsaken sin, the heart is liable to become the prey of errors and sins even worse than the former.

46. His brethren stood without. They “could not come at Him for the press” (Luke viii. 19); which was so great, “that He and His disciples could not so much as eat bread” (Mark iii. 20). They came “to lay hold on Him” (Mark iii. 21); for some of them did not “believe on Him” (John vii. 5), but thought He was “beside Himself.”

49 my brethren. We never find any of our Lord’s disciples addressing Him as “brother,” either before or after His resurrection.

50 the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Those who most resemble Christ in His love and devotedness to His Father, are truly the most nearly related to Him, and are the objects of His dearest affection.