Matthew Chapter Twelve
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
[Text parallels Mark 2:23-28 and Luke 6:1-5]
12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
The Pharisees were committed to follow Jesus and His disciples, not to learn from Him, but to spy on them so that they can potentially catch one of them “in the act” of violating the law.[1] While walking through a field of grain, Jesus’ disciples began to pluck some of the grain and eat it (a common practice which was acceptable by law, see Deuteronomy 23:24-25).
The Jewish oral traditions (or “Oral Law”) were compiled in the Mishnah, which identified 39 violations of the Sabbath[2] that are not included in Scripture. However, the Pharisees considered the “Oral Law,” to be of equal weight to Scripture and threshing (separating the grain from the plant), winnowing (the process of separating the grain from the chaff), grinding, and sifting of grain were considered violations of the Sabbath. In their eyes the disciples were plucking, rubbing, blowing, and grinding the grain in their hands making them guilty of threshing, winnowing, etc. So they pointed out their alleged sin to Jesus
Instead of correcting them for their misunderstanding of Scripture or for their use of a non-God breathed set of rules, Jesus first takes them back to an event unrelated to the Sabbath recorded in 1 Samuel 21:1-6, where David and a few of his men that were being pursued by King Saul, came to Nob near where the Tabernacle was at that time, in search of food and supplies. A priest named Ahimelech gave David the “Holy Bread” from the Tabernacle, which was only to be eaten by the priests (also known as the Bread of Presence, or Shewbread in the KJV, see also Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5-9). Jesus used this example to demonstrate that compassion and love are behind the law (see also Romans 13:8-10), in other words, their hunger and well-being were more important than the strict compliance of the law. Jesus then used a second example pointing out that the priests work in the Temple on the Sabbath and yet they are without guilt (see Numbers 28:9-10). Referring to Himself, He then tells them that something greater than the Temple was there among them, which would have undoubtedly shocked them as only God could be greater than the Temple. Sadly, they still did not recognize who He was.
Jesus further rebukes them by telling them that if they had known what the phrase, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” from Hosea 6:6 meant, they would have never accused His disciples. He then clearly stated that He is the “Lord of the Sabbath.” If the claim that something greater than the Temple did not horrify them, that claim certainly would have.
Considerations
In Exodus we read that, “Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death,” (Exodus 31:15b). A regulation that was indeed enforced, as later seen in an example found in the book of Numbers, “While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him. And the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Numbers 15:32-36)
In Mark’s gospel Jesus is recorded to have said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27), pointing out that the Sabbath was for man’s benefit, as it was truly a day of rest. But, if that were so, then why would someone be put to death for not resting as the event of Numbers chapter 15 records above?
There are a number of things to consider, the first being that keeping the Sabbath day is part of God’s law. While it is difficult to comprehend the need for a mandatory rest, God knows humanity better than anyone else as He is the Creator. But understanding that keeping the Sabbath is part of God’s law doesn’t help us understand why the punishment was so severe. It is interesting to see in that story above, about the man picking up sticks, that the people did not know what they should do with him. If they didn’t know, chances are that the man who was guilty of violating the Sabbath was also unaware of the penalty, making the story even more difficult to comprehend. So, what is missing? As we know and just stated, God is our Creator, His ways are not our ways and since we are not capable of ever fully understanding God and His ways, we simply are not ‘wired’ to comprehend as He does. But with that said, could we possibly be missing something?
Throughout man’s existence, mankind has tried to ‘connect’ to God. While often using parameters given to us from God, we can only relate and comprehend from a human perspective. If God desires His people to not work on the Sabbath, they should not work. If God wants a sacrifice done in a certain way, it is to be done in that certain way. However, people can and often do get trapped in the protocol and that procedure becomes more important than anything else (being the ‘letter’ of the law versus the ‘intent’ of the law). That is why so many traditions and man-made rules were developed through the years that were designed to keep one from violating God’s law (or at least their interpretation of the law). Man has rationalized that their ‘protocols’ (specific procedures) must be what God wants. But is it? Does God want only mindless obedience? We need to remember that He does not look at people the same way people look at people. He sees and knows their motivation. It is not about things done or not done, it is about one’s love and heart for God. We are told a number of times in the Bible about the connection of obedience with love (the reason for the obedience). For example, in this account of the event of Jesus and His disciples walking through a grain field as recorded by Matthew, Jesus provided the connection when He quoted Hosea 6:6, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” This statement would stun anyone seeking to please God through actions (the following of any manmade or God-breathed protocol). Man can be fooled to believe that love exists as evidenced and seen by actions, but God cannot, as He sees the true heart of man. So, going back to why the death penalty for picking up sticks, God could see the motivation of the man. Was the man defiant towards God and willfully disobedient? The text does not clarify, but it does seem likely. While the penalty of death still seems excessive, we can see that God knows those that will obey and love Him, as well as those who won’t. And since God is outside of time (as He created time, He is not influenced by time) and is omniscient (knowing all things), He knew before the beginning of time, if someone would accept Jesus as their Savior or not.
Since Jesus fulfilled the law and had been given all authority, man’s relationship with God is through Him. There is nothing in the law, including the Ten Commandments, that is required to obtain eternal salvation. However, we read in the Great Commission[3] that Christians, in addition to making disciples, should be teaching them to observe all that He commanded (see Matthew 28:20). He wants all Christians to be disciples and to be obedient to Him, which means that all Christians should know everything He said. It is interesting to note that while He reiterated and amplified much of the Ten Commandments,[4] He did not state anything about the need to keep the Sabbath.
To clarify this point, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Colossae, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17) Paul calls the Old Testament God-ordained festivals and days a ‘shadow’. What is a shadow? We might define a shadow as the result of something that is blocking light from a light source. While shadow movement may provide some information to someone viewing, the shadow itself is not nearly as important as the object that casts the shadow. Paul uses the term ‘shadow’ figuratively representing something, or in this case, someone of greater importance had come (see Hebrews 8:5; 10:1). The ‘substance’ (Greek word here is ‘sōma’,[5] a word that is most often translated as ‘body’) that is creating the shadow belongs to Jesus (see also Romans 10:4). The Old Testament festivals, new-moon celebrations, and Sabbaths all pointed to the coming Messiah, Jesus. Paul is directing his readers attention to the fact that Christians do not need to follow these regulations anymore. There are no rules or procedures, Christianity is about a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Christians follow and obey Him because of their love for Him.
However, not having strict rules and regulations was very intimidating among Jewish converts to Christianity, something that even the apostle Peter had a problem dealing with, and yes, it was Paul who straightened him out (see Galatians chapter 2). This issue should never be taken too lightly as legalism[6] still plagues many Jewish converts today. It is interesting to note that the first four of the seven festivals given to Moses have indeed pointed to significant events (Jesus was crucified on Passover, buried on Feast of Unleavened Bread, rose to life on the Feast of First Fruits, and the church was born on Pentecost) the remaining three may yet point to something significant, perhaps that is the reason Paul chose the Greek verb ‘estin’[7] to refer to “these are a shadow,” instead of ‘were’ a shadow.
Jewish converts are not the only ones that may be adversely effected by legalism. Various worship practices are often started by well-intended church leaders representing some aspect they feel important to either celebrate or to emphasize. When the practice continues to be maintained for many years without change (sometimes due to the fact that the reason for the specific practice was never passed on from generation to generation), it can become a valued tradition, which on its own is not a problem, but when that practice becomes more important than what it represents by the people of a church, then it can be a potentially hazardous tradition. Some Christians defend their ‘traditions’ by referring to some Old Testament practices, if that is what you are thinking, please understand that is okay, but none of those requirements are pertinent anymore. The Law was fulfilled by Jesus, including all ritualistic worship practices, you are now free to praise however you want, whenever you want. Remember all authority has been given to Jesus, our service is to Him.
Healing a Withered Hand
[Text parallels Mark 3:1-5 and Luke 6:6-10]
12:9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.
Jesus enters the Pharisee’s synagogue where there was a man with a withered hand (non-specific but apparently not life-threatening). Probably still outraged by Jesus’ claim that God desires compassion more than sacrifice, the Pharisees undoubtedly set up this encounter to trap Jesus. They ask Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” From our perspective that seems like an absurd question. Who else could provide healing? But from the Pharisee’s perspective there were regulations regarding what might be called ‘healing’ in the “Oral Law,” as found recorded in the Babylonian Talmud Tractate Sabbath, for example: restrictions stating that salve can only be applied before the Sabbath;[8] the restrictions of the use of some healing treatments;[9] and the restriction of using vinegar to reduce pain.[10] Please note that none of these restrictions can be found in Scripture. To help the Pharisees understand God’s perspective, Jesus asks them which one of them would not pull out a sheep from a pit if it fell in one on a Sabbath. No response is noted, meaning He probably received silence in reply, He tells them that they, human beings, are certainly more valuable than sheep. So He then turns to the man and says, “Stretch out your hand.” The man did as Jesus requested and the hand was immediately healed.
Chosen By God
[Verses 6:14-15 parallels Mark 3:6-12 and Luke 6:11]
12:14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. 15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: 18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; 20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; 21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
Still convinced that Jesus was just a man and not from God (since Jesus did not think like them, the self-proclaimed experts on God), the Pharisees left the synagogue and gathered together to figure out a way to kill Him. If it wasn’t for Roman law, the Pharisees would have probably killed Jesus on the spot. So they needed to find a way that could work without the Roman government knowing their true intentions. Aware that the Pharisees were plotting against Him, Jesus left the area. Mark records that He went towards the Sea of Galilee (see Mark 3:7). Many people followed and Jesus, having compassion, healed them. Once again Jesus told them to not make Him known.[11]
To assure his readers that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, Matthew records that this outpouring of compassion was in fulfillment of Isaiah 42:1-4, a prophecy regarding the coming Messiah. This Old Testament prophecy speaks of a servant, chosen and loved by God, filled with the Holy Spirit, will proclaim justice (both the Hebrew ‘miš·pāṯ’,[12] and the Greek, ‘krísin’,[13] refer to a legal decision or judgment, in context offering salvation) to all people. The prophecy continues to describe Jesus as one who will not fight, shout, or even raise His voice. He will be gentle in His pursuit of justice of which He will be victorious and through His name the Gentiles have hope in salvation.
Considerations
Prophetic Text Overview No. 10
Matthew partially quotes Isaiah 42:1-4, a passage that describes the Messiah, “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.” This is the first presentation in the New Testament of Jesus as being a servant of God.[14] Picturing the Son of God as a servant is very difficult for us to understand, if not impossible. Being all-powerful but yet being submissive to His Father’s will and compassionate to those that were sick, injured, blind, or otherwise in need. Perhaps the apostle Paul explained it best when he wrote referring to Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)
Ignoring the Truth or Misinterpreting Evidence Can Be Damning
[Text parallels Mark 3:22-30 and Luke 11:14-23]
12:22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”
A demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, undoubtedly another test. Jesus completely healed him, allowing him to speak and to see. The crowd’s reaction was similar to when Jesus was able to cast out the demon in the deaf man (see Matthew 9:32-34), as it was thought that to exorcise a demon, you had to first ask its name.[15] In this event, the crowd was amazed (Greek ‘existanto’,[16] which is a stronger term than ‘ethaumasan’,[17] the word that was used in Matthew 9:33 to describe the crowd’s amazement, this word means essentially, “to be out of one’s mind, amazed”), as they recognized that this type of miracle could only be performed by the Messiah and therefore asked, “Can this be the Son of David?” An Old Testament reference and title for the Messiah.[18]
12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.
When the Pharisees heard the crowd call Jesus the Messiah, they had to counter quickly, again they accuse Jesus of being in cahoots with the prince of demons, Beelzebul[19] (see Matthew 9:32-34). Jesus, knowing their thoughts, begins to refute their claim using straightforward reasoning and logic. First, any group, be it a kingdom, city, or even a house, if divided among themselves will not be able to survive. So, if Satan casts out Satan he is only dividing his own kingdom. Jesus reminds them that their “sons” (referring to their followers) also cast out demons. “And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.” (verse 27, NLT) Which would make themselves equally empowered. But if what He said is true and that He is indeed casting out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit, then the King of the Kingdom of God, the Messiah Himself, has arrived and is standing in front of them. But they still could not see.
Jesus then focuses on their inability to properly reason or interpret the evidence in plain sight using an illustration of a house belonging to a strong man. If someone desired to break in and burglarize his house, they would need to bind the owner first. Only someone stronger would be able to subdue and tie the man up before taking anything from the house. In casting out demons and healing, Jesus had indeed demonstrated that superior strength, plus He clearly opposed to Satan in everything He said and did. The Pharisees were rejecting the obvious and attributing what they saw as being from Satan. In the following passage Jesus proceeds to make one of the more direct statements regarding His ministry. Sadly, due to it being direct, many Christians have misunderstood what it means.
12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Since everyone is born into sin, and continues to sin, mankind is already condemned (see Romans 5:12-21), and since Jesus is the only path to salvation, anyone that does not accept Jesus remains condemned. Therefore, anyone who is not with Jesus is against Him and whoever does not work with Him is working against Him.[20] The Greek word ‘synagōn’,[21] refers to believers gathering with Him. It can refer to gathering people, such as making disciples (see Matthew 28:19) or gathering with others, such as in churches.
Jesus then explains how salvation through Him works. If a person sins or speaks blasphemy (Greek ‘blasphēmía’,[22] false witness, verbal abuse, slander designed to wound or destroy) they can be forgiven by Jesus, including those things spoken against Him. But then warns that if a person speaks blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, they will not be forgiven. This is not a reference to a thoughtless utterance or “slip of the tongue,” this relates to what the Pharisees were thinking and saying here. They refused to believe and accept the evidence, they determined Jesus was wrong (they sought acceptance from God through their own righteousness not as a gift given to them) and completely rejected Him. Jesus is saying that the only way to be saved is to accept His life-saving offer, to deny Him like the Pharisees were doing, results in no forgiveness. No forgiveness means no salvation, ever.[23]
12:33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Jesus uses another straightforward object lesson to point out the error in the Pharisees’ logic. Previously during His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus used the analogy of recognizing divisive false prophets by examining their fruit, if a person bears good fruit they are like a healthy tree, their good fruit will be seen. But, if they bear bad fruit, they will ultimately be cut down and thrown in the fire (see Matthew 7:15-20). Here He makes a similar analogy, a tree is either healthy and its fruit is good, or a tree is unhealthy as the fruit it produces is bad. Jesus calls them a “brood of vipers,” the same term John the Baptist used when he saw the Pharisees and Sadducees approach shortly before Jesus was baptized (see Matthew 3:7), undoubtedly for the same reason, referring to their sharp tongues and false teaching. He asks them, “How can you speak good, when you are evil?” Since words come from the heart, a good person speaks out of their treasury of good and an evil person can only speak from their evil heart and mind.
When the day of judgment comes, everyone is to give an ‘account’ (Greek ‘logon’,[24] to speak intelligently, spoken word) for every ‘careless’ (Greek ‘argon’,[25] not at work, lazy, chose to be idle, false, insincere) ‘word’ (Greek ‘rhēma’,[26] spoken word) they have ever spoken. Is Jesus saying that we will be held responsible for every word spoken in our life time? Even though the warning is being given to the Pharisees and to those that are speaking against Jesus, both believers and unbelievers should take note that they are accountable for what words they say. Jesus tells us that, “by your words you will be justified” (Greek ‘dikaiōthēsē’,[27] to bring out the fact that the person is righteous). The words spoken by a believer should reflect the presence of the Holy Spirit and be thoughtful of the person or group being spoken to. But what about those “slips of the tongue?” Since Christians are still sinners and capable of sinning, it is inevitable that words will come out that will be harmful or perhaps even toxic (see James 3:8). The biggest difference between a believer and an unbeliever is that a believer is forgiven, while that may sound like cliché, it is true. When a believer dies, their “route to heaven” does not include being judged at the Great White Throne (see Revelation 20:11-15), as that is reserved for unbelievers only.[28] But that does not mean that words shouldn’t be chosen carefully. Since Christians represent Jesus, any hurt or harm as a result of words spoken would reflect on Him. Jesus is saying that words will either reveal righteousness (one redeemed by Jesus) or unrighteousness which leads to condemnation (see Luke 19:11-27).
Considerations
Jesus offers a stern warning regarding what is commonly referred to as the “unpardonable sin,” in verse 32. Sadly, this verse has been the source of great debate and misunderstanding. Even believers have been ‘shaken’ by this verse, thinking they may have inadvertently committed this sin. We need to always remember that since mankind cannot save themselves, not even a fraction amount, and that Jesus did all the work in order for anyone to be saved. If He did everything, what could someone do that would be unpardonable? The answer can only be one thing, the total rejection of His offer. In this section of Matthew (verses 22-37), Jesus tells us that what comes out of a person’s mouth divulges the nature of their heart (a concept that He will later amplify, see Matthew 15:10-20). If a person speaks against the Holy Spirit, they have no regard for God or His plan for salvation. Therefore, the old saying is true, if you are worried about committing the unpardonable sin, you have not committed the unpardonable sin.
When we read about a person (or a group of people) who have supposedly spent a significant amount of time studying Scripture interpret what is clearly God in action as being powered by Satan we need to stop reading and investigate why. How can someone who has dedicated their lives to God be so blind? Was it ignorance? Or was it doubt? These Pharisees had all the facts but came up with the wrong conclusion. There is a difference between ignorance and intentional choice. And there is a difference between doubt and unbelief. It has been said that doubt is a matter of the mind, but unbelief is a matter of the will. Doubt flourishes when one doesn’t understand what God is doing or why He is doing it. The Pharisees weren’t ignorant or doubting what they saw, they simply did not believe Jesus. Even though the evidence seen clearly and abundantly fulfilled prophecy, their rejection of Him was due to unbelief. They had fabricated a non-Biblical view of what the Messiah would do and not do, and since that view was not seen in Jesus they saw Him as a fraud. We need to be careful to not make the same mistake, theological presuppositions can, and often do, interfere with our own understanding of Jesus. The Bible must be studied with the aid of the Holy Spirit, always remember to pray for discernment! Always seek the truth, remember the Bereans, “they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11b) If you have a question, do as James instructs, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)
Scripture often speaks about the careless and destructive nature of the tongue. For example David wrote, “For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.” (Psalm 5:9) Isaiah wrote, “And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5), and the apostle Paul quoted Psalm 5:9 and several other Psalms in Romans 3:9-20 regarding poisoned words spoken by God’s enemies. But no other Biblical writer covers the subject of “loose tongues” more than the epistle writer James. The subject of controlling one’s mouth and to watch what is being said can be found in every chapter of his epistle. For example, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” (James 1:26) and “And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:6, see also James 1:19; 2:12; 3:5, 8; 4:11; 5:12). It is clear that what is spoken truly matters to God.
The Sign of Jonah
[Text parallels Luke 11:29-32]
12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
Even after hearing straightforward and irrefutable teaching, the Pharisees, and now the scribes, are still not ready to give up their positions in life and change their beliefs. So they ask for more evidence to be presented in order to determine if Jesus is actually from God. They ask for another sign! From the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus has been offering sign after sign, and now they want to see another sign. He calls them an evil and adulterous generation, these leaders had wandered away from God’s Word by embracing a man-made self-righteous legalistic religion, thus breaching their covenant relationship making them unfaithful to God (truly adulterous, see Psalm 73:27; Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:6-10; 13:27; Hosea 9:1).
From a human perspective we might wonder, why not another sign? But Jesus is all-knowing and understood that another sign would not be sufficient to change the hardened-hearts of the scribes and Pharisees, so He said the only sign will be His death and resurrection. Calling it the “sign of the prophet Jonah,” Jesus connects the time Jonah was in the great fish for three days and three nights to His time in the grave, as He will soon do likewise, alluding to His death and resurrection. Jesus noted that the people of Nineveh (at the time pagans), those that responded to Jonah’s preaching and repented of their sins, will rise up at the time of judgment and condemn this generation (of self-righteous Jews) as Jesus, who is greater than Jonah, was doing the teaching. Jesus then adds that the queen of the South, referring to the Queen of Sheba who came from a long distance to visit King Solomon (see 1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chronicles 9:1-12; Joel 3:8), who once was a pagan who learned of God from Solomon, will also judge and condemn this generation, as Jesus who is greater than Solomon, was there. These radical comparisons of judgment were not illusions to these people judging others but were used by Jesus to illustrate just how far the scribes and Pharisees had wandered from the truth. Their beliefs and presuppositions prevented them from seeing who Jesus was.[29]
Considerations
Theology, being the study of God, is a complex subject as we can only use the information He provided for us to study Him. While some might disagree with that statement, the question remains, how does one that is created understand its creator? If we recognize that the source of that information is the Bible we have an obligation to completely understand it. The Bible must be studied and understood as God intended it to be learned. We are simply not allowed to convolute or otherwise change the meaning of Scripture. Since the subject of God is indeed very complex, it is difficult enough without man having to limit God or impose restrictions due to lack of understanding.
There is perhaps nothing more invasive to theology than the problem of presuppositions. A presupposition is generally defined as something assumed beforehand at the beginning of an argument or in this context before studying the Word of God. A presupposition can effectively limit or taint the process of thinking regarding any subject. But in theology it can easily result in eternal condemnation. While it is true that most errors in theology due to incorrect presuppositions would be considered minor or inconsequential (not affecting one's salvation), there are, however, many that carry the weight of being damning.
In the process of rationalizing, a presupposition simply calls on past experiences and education to establish something to be true and right. The problem begins when the information is either incorrect or the evaluation to determine something as being true or not is flawed (illogical) or inadequate. Often due to pride or an unwillingness to "test the facts," many incorrect presuppositions are accepted as fact.
When the Bible is read and studied from Genesis to Revelation we are given many fundamentals about God. As we read these facts they become foundational truths that later become presuppositions to be used to understand additional truths about God. But if we apply human logic to these truths and limit God to only what the human mind can understand, the result is a flawed presupposition. For example, if a well-intended theologian or denomination leader writes about their interpretation, saying that something must occur or must be interpreted in a specific way and then later in the Biblical text another passage states something that appears to contradict that viewpoint, instead or revisiting the initial presupposition, the later text is often either ignored or interpreted incorrectly. Instead of finding a solution that fits all of the facts of the text, the incorrect presupposition is maintained and those errors are then passed on to others. And since the source is trusted (such as a long-dead theologian), the error goes unchecked.
In the various gospel accounts we see that the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes all suffered from severe presuppositional errors that prevented them from recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. Whether it was thinking that Jesus should have been more like them, or simply the fact that Jesus healed (doing work) on the Sabbath, regardless, in their eyes His behavior did not comply with their presuppositions for the coming Savor and as a result many undoubtedly rejected Jesus.
So what is the solution? The entire Bible must be studied by every Christian. The whole counsel of God must be understood as God intended. When studying the Bible it is important that you pray to God for discernment before reading. While commentaries are useful to guide (hopefully like this one), we need to remember that there is only one book that matters and that is the Bible.[30]
This period of time has been a subject of debate primarily due to the interpretation of the chronology of the week between Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the day of His resurrection. Based on verse forty, the time Jesus was in the grave was for a period of three days and three nights, but if Jesus was crucified on Friday and then raised from the dead on Sunday morning, that is not a period of three days and three nights.
Through the years many theologians, scholars, and commentators have developed a variety of explanations and theories on how to ‘fit’ the period mentioned in verse forty to their understanding of the week’s events. Several of these theories will be explored later in the commentary regarding the “Holy Week.”[31]
One of the more intriguing statements pertaining to this period comes from the apostle Paul, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) Understanding that when a New Testament writer uses the term Scripture, they are referring to the Old Testament, as the New Testament was in the process of being written. The question then arises, which three-day period in the Old Testament was Paul talking about? There are a number of three-day periods recorded in the Old Testament including the time Jonah was in that extremely large fish. While there are a number of interesting parallels between Jonah and Jesus (sent to save others, success in mission, etc.) there is one three-day period that is often overlooked. The recorded time it took for the people of Israel to leave Egypt.
It has been estimated that to travel from Goshen to the Red Sea, depending on route, would have required somewhere between 16-20 days based on current knowledge (remember the Israelites numbered well over 600,000 people who were traveling with all of their possessions and livestock animals). But the Scripture text reads differently, the duration recorded is much less. If the departure from Egypt actually began with the slaughter of the Passover lambs at twilight (see Exodus 12:6) and in the following morning they began to leave Egypt spending their first night in Etham (see Exodus 13:20), followed by an evening in front of Pi-hahiroth near the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:2), the next day would be when God divided the waters for the Israelites, adding up to only three days and three nights. This raises a number of questions. Did God give them supernatural abilities to move fast across the desert? That is not considered likely. Is the text wrong? No. So what are we missing here? We need to see that the text does not implicitly state or imply the number of days between Succoth (see Exodus 12:37; 13:20) and Pi-hahiroth (see Exodus 14:2), but there does seem to be a gap in the narrative. Why would the text only mention a period of three days and three nights? One explanation is that this description in Exodus can be seen as a model of deliverance with the Israelites being delivered out of Egypt (a Biblical metaphor for the world and sin) which is then pointing its readers to the future event of a much bigger event of deliverance, one for all of mankind through the blood of Jesus.
In the Midrash known as the Bereishit Rabbah (a Jewish commentary on the book of Genesis), it is interesting to see that chapter 56 begins with a discussion about Scripture’s use of three-day periods:
“On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes…” (Genesis 22:4) It is written “He will revive us from the two days, on the third day He will set us up, and we will live before Him.” (Hoshea 6:2) On the third day of the tribes it is written “On the third day, Joseph said to them…” (Genesis 42:18) On the third day of the spies, as it says “…and hide yourselves there three days…” (Joshua 2:16) On the third day of the giving of the Torah, as it says “It came to pass on the third day…” (Exodus 19:16) On the third day of Jonah, as it is written “…and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.” (Jonah 2:1) On the third day of those who came up from exile, as it is written “…and stayed there three days.” (Ezra 8:32) On the third day of the resurrection of the dead, as it is written “He will revive us from the two days, on the third day He will set us up, and we will live before Him.” (Hoshea 6:2) On Esther’s third day “Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther clothed herself regally…” (Esther 5:1) The royalty of her father’s house. In what merit? This is an argument of the Rabbis and R’ Levi. The Rabbis say: in the merit of the third day of the giving of the Torah, as it says “It came to pass on the third day when it was morning…” (Exodus 19:16) R’ Levi said: in the merit of the third day of our father Avraham, as it says "On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.” (Genesis 22:4) What did he see? He saw a cloud attached to the mountain. He said: it appears that this is the place where the Holy One told me to offer up my son.[32]
Perhaps the most noteworthy point is the rabbi’s recognition of a three-day gap for the resurrection of the dead (referring to Hosea 6:2). It appears that the Jews were aware of the special nature of a three-day and three-night gap, but never applied again it to what all of those models were pointed to, namely the death and resurrection of Jesus.
One of the most-used literary device found in Scripture is the 'Type' (also known as a ‘Model’ or ’Shadow’).[33] The subject of a type can be a person, thing, position, symbol, or event that is a foreshadow of the future (a precursor). The Bible employs a variety of types, the most well-known are those things or people in the Old Testament that point to people and events in the New Testament. A few examples include: Genesis 14:18-20; Exodus 17:6; Psalm 22:1-21; 69:7, 9, 20; 110:4; John 3:14-15; Romans 5:14; 15:3; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 10:1-11; 15:45; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18; also note that the book of Hebrews explains several types, see chapters 5, 7, 8 and 9.
Return of an Unclean Spirit
12:43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
Jesus continues the comparison of how bad the judgment will be for this evil generation of self-righteous religious men. Earlier He said that they will judged by the people of Nineveh, those that listened to Jonah, and then by the Queen of Sheba who learned of God from Solomon. Now, Jesus tells them that they will not only have the potential of getting progressively further away from God and get worse, they will not be able to obtain the goal they originally sought (righteousness), unless they change their beliefs.
Jesus uses an interesting object lesson, the setting is taken from a realm that cannot be seen by humans, about an unclean spirit[34] that has gone out of a person. There is no mention if it left on its own or was forced out, but the context of the story seems to support some form of exorcism, or at least the spirit was annoyed by something that attempted to exorcise it, as it is seeking rest. It begins to search for another place to dwell, it passes through waterless places (Greek ‘anydrōn’,[35] literally without water, such as a desert, many Jews believed that the abode of evil spirits was in deserts).[36] While looking, the unclean spirit decides to return to the person it left, only to find it empty, apparently cleaned out, but since the person’s reform still did not embrace the true God, the spirit was able to return. Except this time the unclean spirit brought with it seven additional spirits, bringing in more evil than the first.
Jesus’ Family
[Text parallels Mark 3:31-35 and Luke 8:19-21]
12:46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Many readers are shocked when they read these passages. Jesus is not downgrading or denying the need for family relationships. He is saying that there is a greater relationship available, and that is between man and God. The relationship between Jesus and a believer is greater than even family members of the same bloodline. It is important to understand that Christianity is not about religion, but a relationship.
The text does not specify why Jesus’ mother and brothers wanted to talk with Him (since His father Joseph is not referenced after Jesus began His ministry, it is assumed he had passed away by this time). Some believe the family might have wanted to check on His wellbeing, while yet others believe that they desired to have a moment of family intervention, perhaps to silence any further embarrassment to the family. Regardless, the reason why they came looking for Jesus in unimportant.
When Jesus was told that His mother and brothers were waiting for Him, He replied with the curious question, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” He then pointed to His disciples and explained that they were His family, anyone who does the will of His Father is His brother, sister, and mother. What is the will of God the Father? In Luke’s account Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21) Essentially to hear, accept, and trust Jesus.
Note: Verse 47 is omitted in some Bible versions including the ESV due to it being omitted in some manuscripts. The text, “Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” (NIV) although seemingly necessary for the sense of the following verses, it does not change the context nor the basic understanding of the passage. It is believed that the verse was accidentally omitted from the manuscripts because of a homoeoteleuton.[37]
Considerations
Being a Christian is about a personal relationship with Jesus, not about following protocol or ritual (the very definition of ‘religion’ or being religious). Jesus did all the work to get us into heaven, there is absolutely nothing we can do that can earn us righteousness. This concept is contrary to nearly every idea and religion that dictates that man must do something to gain God’s favor. This is not possible as our greatest effort is worthless before God (see Isaiah 64:6). But since God loves us, He sent His Son to do everything so that we can enjoy His presence, fellowship, and salvation forever (see John 3:16).
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[1] See Considerations under Matthew 9:10-13 regarding “Stalking Jesus” and “Legalism.”
[2] Neusner, J. (1988). The Mishnah : A new translation (pp. 187–188). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
[3] See the Introduction to Matthew regarding “The Great Commission”. See also the commentaries under Matthew 28:18 and 19-20 and Considerations under Matthew 28:19-20.
[4] See commentary under Matthew 5:1
[5] Strong’s Greek 4983.
[6] See Considerations under Matthew 9:10-13 regarding “Legalism.”
[7] Strong’s Greek 2076.
[8] Neusner, J. (2011). The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 66–67). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers. Folio 18A.
[9] Neusner, J. (2011). The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary (Vol. 2, p. 493). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers. Folio 109A.
[10] Neusner, J. (2011). The Babylonian Talmud: A Translation and Commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 501–503). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers. Folio 111A.
[11] See Considerations under Matthew 9:27-31 regarding “Tell No One.”
[12] Strong’s Hebrew 4941.
[13] Strong’s Greek 2920.
[14] In verse one of Isaiah chapter 42 found in the Septuagint, it presents the name of Jacob and Israel to represent the nation of Israel as the servant, however since the text of the first nine verses clearly refer to the Messiah, those names can be considered a reference to His lineage (see commentary under Matthew 1:1 regarding the use of past names in a person’s lineage).
[15] See commentary under Matthew 9:32-34 regarding the folklore of exorcism.
[16] Strong’s Greek 1839.
[17] Strong’s Greek 2296.
[18] See commentary under Matthew 1:1.
[19] See Considerations under Matthew 10:24-26 regarding “Beelzebul.”
[20] See also Considerations under Luke 9:49-50 "A Contraposition?"
[21] Strong’s Greek 4863.
[22] Strong’s Greek 988.
[23] See also commentaries under Mark 3:28-30; Luke 12:8-12 and Considerations under Matthew 12:33-37 regarding “Unpardonable?”
[24] Strong’s Greek 3056.
[25] Strong’s Greek 692.
[26] Strong’s Greek 4487.
[27] Strong’s Greek 1344.
[28] See Considerations under Matthew 8:5-13 regarding “Hell By Any Other Name is Still Hell or Is it?”
[29] See commentary under Luke 11:29-32.
[30] See commentary under Matthew 7:15-20 regarding Acts 17:11.
[31] See Considerations under Matthew 26:26-29 "Timing."
[32] Bereishit Rabbah. Judaica Press. http://www.jtsa.edu/Conservative_Judaism/JTS_Torah_Commentary/Va-yishlah_Between_5772.xml?ss=print
[33] See also Considerations under Matthew 12:1-8 "The Lord of the Sabbath."
[34] See commentary and Considerations under Matthew 8:28-34 regarding "Demons."
[35] Strong’s Greek 504.
[36] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.
[37] Metzger, B. M., United Bible Societies. (1994). A textual commentary on the Greek New Testament, second edition a companion volume to the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament (4th rev. ed.) (p. 26). London; New York: United Bible Societies.
A homoeoteleuton is the repetition of closing words of a line or verse, or similar endings near together.