Frameworks:
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 12
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
FRAMEWORKS:
Matthew, chapter 12
v.1-
8 Jesus challenged over the Sabbath
v.9-14
Jesus heals on the Sabbath
v.15-21
God's Prophetic Chosen Servant
v.22-29
Jesus and Beelzebul
v.30-32
Blasphemy against the Spirit
v.33-37
Spiritual Realities
v.38-42
The Sign of Jonah
v.43-45
Warning of Enemy Occupation
v.46-50
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
v.1-
8 Jesus challenged over the Sabbath
v.1
(Jesus' disciples
pick grain heads on the Sabbath) At
that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His
disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and
eat them.
v.2
(this upset
the Pharisees) When
the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples
are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
v.3
(he cites David)
He
answered, “Haven't
you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
[see
1 Sam 21:4-6]
v.4
(David
in need had taken the holy bread) He
entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated
bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.
v.5
(priests
‘work' in the temple o the Sabbath) Or
haven't you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in
the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent?
v.6
(something far
bigger than the temple is here) I
tell you that something greater than the temple is here.
v.7
(you need to
really learn the Law) If
you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,'
[Hosea
6:6] you
would not have condemned the innocent.
v.8
(I am lord of
the Sabbath, not it of me) For
the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
v.9-14
Jesus heals on the Sabbath
v.9,10
(in the synagogue
was a man in need and the ‘opposition' questions Jesus) Going
on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and
a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to
bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to
heal on the Sabbath?”
v.11
(you look after
lost sheep on the Sabbath don't you) He
said to them, “If
any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath,
will you not take hold of it and lift it out?
v.12
(isn't a needy
person more valuable than your sheep?) How
much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful
to do good on the Sabbath.”
v.13
(he then healed
the man) Then
he said to the man, “Stretch
out your hand.”
So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as
sound as the other.
v.14
(this so upset
the Pharisees they plotted howe to get rid of Jesus) But
the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
v.15-21
God's Prophetic Chosen Servant
v.15
(because of
this Jesus moved away but still kept healing people) Aware
of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed
him, and he healed all who were ill.
v.16
(he told them
not to tell) He
warned them not to tell others about him.
v.17
(this was as
Isaiah prophesied) This
was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
v.18
(he is God's
servant bring delight to God) “Here
is my servant whom I have chosen,
the
one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him,
and
he will proclaim justice to the nations.
v.19
(he
won't look for publicity)
He will not quarrel or cry out;
no
one will hear his voice in the streets.
v.20
(but a wounded
person he will not harm) A
bruised reed he will not break,
and
a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice
through to victory.
v.21
(so
in him all peoples will hope) In
his name the nations will put their hope.” [Isa
42:1-4]
v.22-29
Jesus and Beelzebul
v.22
(Jesus delivers
a possessed man who was blind and mute) Then
they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute,
and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.
v.23
(the people
wonder of he is the Messiah) All
the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of
David?”
v.24
(this upsets
the Pharisees who say Jesus only does it with Satan's power)
But
when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul,
the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
v.25
(Jesus challenges
this: think about it, a divided kingdom cannot survive) Jesus
knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every
kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city
or household divided against itself will not stand.
v.26
(if Satan casts
out his own his rule won't continue) If
Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then
can his kingdom stand?
v.27
(so if I drive
out demons by his power who do you get to do it) And
if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive
them out? So then, they will be your judges.
v.28
(but if this
is the Holy Spirit, then the kingdom of God is here) But
if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the
kingdom of God has come upon you.
v.29
(
how can you deliver those in the enemy's house without first
disarming him [a reference to his future work on the Cross])
“Or
again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off
his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he
can plunder his house.
v.30-32
Blasphemy against the Spirit
v.30
(if you're not
with me, you're against me) “Whoever
is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with
me scatters.
v.31
(sins can be
forgiven except speaking against the Holy Spirit – the work of
God) And
so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven,
but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
v.32
(speak
against me if you will, but not against the works of God)
Anyone
who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but
anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven,
either in this age or in the age to come.
v.33-37
Spiritual Realities
v.33
(again learn
from trees: good produce good, bad only produce bad) “Make
a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and
its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.
v.34 (you
who speak evil reveal your hearts) You
brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For
the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
v.35
(what comes
out is what is inside) A
good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him,
and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in
him.
v.36
(all will have
to give account on Judgment Day) But
I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day
of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.
v.37
(your words
will acquit or condemn you) For
by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will
be condemned.”
v.38-42
The Sign of Jonah
v.38
(they demand
a sign from him) Then
some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher,
we want to see a sign from you.”
v.39
(the only sign
you'll get is that of Jonah) He
answered, “A
wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will
be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
v.40
(as Jonah ‘died'
for three days and then was resurrected, so it will be with me)
For
as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge
fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in
the heart of the earth.
v.41
(Nineveh that
he went to will testify against you) The
men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation
and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and
now something greater than Jonah is here. [see
Jonah 3]
v.42
(the Queen of
Sheba will similarly testify against you) The
Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation
and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen
to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is
here. [see 1 Kings 10:1-13]
v.43-45
Warning of Enemy Occupation
v.43
(when a demon
is cast out, it seeks a new home) “When
an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places
seeking rest and does not find it.
v.44
(if it returns
and finds nothing changed, it will take up occupation again)
Then
it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives,
it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.
v.45
(the latter
state is seven times worse. The same will be true of this nation
that cleaned up after John but never changed) Then
it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than
itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition
of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be
with this wicked generation.”
v.46-50
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
v.46
(Jesus family
turn up) While
Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers
stood outside, wanting to speak to him.
v.47
(Jesus is told)
Someone
told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting
to speak to you.”
v.48
(he
takes the opportunity to ask who is really related to him)
He
replied to him, “Who
is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
v.49
(he points to
his disciples) Pointing
to his disciples, he said, “Here
are my mother and my brothers.
v.50
(whoever obeys
God will be part of his family) For
whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and
sister and mother.”