CHAPTER 12. CONFLICTS WITH THE PHARISEES. This chapter delineates the growing alienation between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes. The note of time (ἐν ἐκείνῷ τῷ καιρῷ, Matthew 12:1) points back to the situation in which the prayer Matthew 11:25-30 was uttered (_vide_ Matthew 12:25, where the sa... [ Continue Reading ]
σάββασιν : dative plural, as if from σάββατ - ος, other cases (genitive, singular and plural, dative, singular, accusative, plural) are formed from σάββατον (_vide_ Matthew 12:2). διὰ τῶν σπορίμων might mean through fields adapted for growing grain, but the context requires fields actually sown; fie... [ Continue Reading ]
_Plucking ears of corn on the Sabbath_ (Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5). Sabbath observance was one of the leading causes of conflict between Jesus and the guardians of religion and morality. This is the first of several encounters reported by the evangelist. According to Weiss he follows Mark, but with s... [ Continue Reading ]
ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν π. ε. σαββάτῳ. The emphasis here lies on the last word. To help oneself, when hungry, with the hand was humanely allowed in the Deuteronomic law (Deuteronomy 23:25), only to use the sickle was forbidden as involving waste. But according to the scribes what was lawful on other days was... [ Continue Reading ]
_Christ's defence_. It is twofold. (1) He shields disciples by examples: David and the priests; to both the faultfinders would defer (Matthew 12:3-5); (2) He indicates the principles involved in the examples (Matthew 12:6-8). The case of David was apposite because (_a_) it was a case of eating, (_b_... [ Continue Reading ]
εἰσῆλθεν, ἔφαγον, _he_ entered, _they_ ate. Mark has ἔφαγεν. Weiss explains the harsh change of subject by combination of apostolic source with Mark. The two verbs point to two offences against the law: entering a holy _place_, eating holy _bread_. The sin of the disciples was against a holy _time_.... [ Continue Reading ]
his reference to the priests naturally leads on to the second instance taken from their systematic breach of the technical Sabbath law in the discharge of sacerdotal duty. ἢ οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε, have ye not read? not of course the statement following, but directions on which such a construction could be pu... [ Continue Reading ]
λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν : solemn affirmation, with a certain tone in the voice. τοῦ ἱεροῦ μεῖζον. Though they might not have thought of the matter before, the claim of the temple to overrule the Sabbath law would be admitted by the Pharisees. Therefore, Jesus could base on it an argument _a fortiori_. The Sabb... [ Continue Reading ]
_The principles involved_. The facts stated raise questions as to the reasons. The Pharisees were men of rules, not accustomed to go back on principles. The passion for minutiæ killed reflection. The reasons have been already hinted in the statement of the cases: ὅτε ἐπείνασεν, Matthew 12:3; ἐν τῷ ἱ... [ Continue Reading ]
he principle of human need stated in terms of a favourite prophetic oracle (Matthew 9:13). εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε … οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε : the form of expression, a past indicative in protasis, with a past indicative with ἂν in apodosis, implies that the supposition is contrary to fact (Burton, N. T. Moods... [ Continue Reading ]
his weighty _logion_ is best understood when taken along with that in Mark 2:27 = the Sabbath for man, not man for the Sabbath. The question is: Does it merely state a fact, or does it also contain the rationale of the fact? That depends on the sense we give to the title _Son of Man_. As a technical... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ μεταβὰς … αὐτῶν. The αὐτῶν seems to imply that our evangelist takes the order as one of close temporal sequence (Mark says simply “into a synagogue,” Matthew 3:1). In that case the αὐτῶν would refer to the fault-finding Pharisees of the previous narrative, piqued by Christ's defence and bent on... [ Continue Reading ]
_A Sabbath cure_ (Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11): not necessarily happening immediately after. Matthew and Luke follow Mark's order, which is topical, not historical; another instance of collision as to Sabbath observance.... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ ἰδοὺ, here, as in Matthew 8:2; Matthew 9:2, introducing in a lively manner the story. ξηράν, a _dry_ hand, possibly a familiar expression in Hebrew pathology (De Wette); useless, therefore a serious enough affliction for a working man (a mason, according to Hebrew Gospel, Jerome _ad loc._), espe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Christ's reply_, by two home-thrusting questions and an irresistible conclusion. τίς … ἄνθρωπος. One is tempted here, as in Matthew 7:9, to put emphasis on ἄνθρωπος : who of you not dead to the feelings of a man? Such questions as this and that in Luke 15:4 go to the root of the matter. Humanity wa... [ Continue Reading ]
πόσῳ οὖν διαφέρει, etc. This is another of those simple yet far-reaching utterances by which Christ suggested rather than formulated His doctrine of the infinite worth of man. By how much does a human being differ from a sheep? That is the question which Christian civilisation has not even yet adequ... [ Continue Reading ]
τότε λέγει. He heals by a _word: sine contactu sola voce, quod ne speciem quidem violati Sabbati habere poterat_ (Grotius). Ἔκτεινόν σου τ. χ. Brief authoritative word, possessing both physical and moral power, conveying life to the withered member, and inspiring awe in spectators. καὶ ἐξέτ. καὶ ἀπε... [ Continue Reading ]
_The issue: the hand cured, and Pharisaic ill-will deepened_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐξελθόντες : overawed for the moment, the Pharisaic witnesses of the miracle soon recovered themselves, and went out of the synagogue with hostile intent. συμβούλιον ἔλαβον, consulted together = συμβουλεύεσθαι. κατʼ αὐτοῦ, against Him. Hitherto they had been content with finding fault; now it is com... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus retires; prophetic portraiture of His character_. Matthew 12:15-16 are abridged from Mark 3:7-12, which contains an account of an extensive healing ministry. The sequel of the Sabbatic encounter is very vague. The one fact outstanding and noteworthy is the withdrawal of Jesus, conscious of ha... [ Continue Reading ]
τυφλὸς καὶ κωφός, blind as well as dumb. The demoniac in Matthew 9:32 dumb only. But dumbness here also is the main feature; hence in last clause κωφὸν only, and λαλεῖν before βλέπειν. ὥστε with infinitive, expressing here not merely tendency but result.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Demoniac healed and Pharisaic calumny repelled_ (Mark 3:22-30; Luke 11:14-23 _cf._ Matthew 9:32-34). The healing of a blind and dumb demoniac has its place here not for its own sake, as a miracle, but simply as the introduction to another conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees. It is a story of w... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐξίσταντο : not implying anything exceptionally remarkable in the cure; a standing phrase (in Mark at least) for the impression made on the people. They never got to be familiar with Christ's wonderful works, so as to take them as matters of course. μήτι implies a negative answer: they can hardly be... [ Continue Reading ]
Οἱ δὲ φαρισαῖοι. They of course have a very different opinion. In Mark these were men come down from Jerusalem, to watch, not to lay hold of Jesus, Galilee not being under the direct jurisdiction of the Sanhedrim then (_vide_ on Mark). Οὗτος οὐκ ἐκβάλλει, etc.: theory enunciated for second time, unl... [ Continue Reading ]
εἰδὼς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις. Jesus not only heard their _words_, but knew their thoughts, the malicious feelings which prompted their words, and strove so to present the case as to convict them of bad faith and dishonesty. πᾶσα βασιλεία, etc.: statement of an axiom widely exemplified in human affairs: divi... [ Continue Reading ]
_The theory shown to be absurd_.... [ Continue Reading ]
applies the axiom to Satan, εἰ, introduces a simple particular supposition without reference to its truth. ἐμερείσθη : the aorist has the force of a perfect. Satan casting out Satan means self-stultification; _ipso facto_, self-division results. Against the argument it might be objected: Kingdoms an... [ Continue Reading ]
_The alternative_ : if not by Satan then by the Spirit of God, with an inevitable inference as to the worker and His work. ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ. Luke has ἐν δακτύλῳ θ. The former seems more in keeping with the connection of thought as defending the ethical character of Christ's work assailed by the Phar... [ Continue Reading ]
o help them to decide Jesus throws out yet another parabolic line of thought. ἢ : if all that I have said does not convince you consider this. The parable seems based on Isaiah 49:24-25, and like all Christ's parabolic utterances appeals to common sense. The theme is, spoiling the spoiler, and the a... [ Continue Reading ]
ne begins at this point to have the feeling that here, as elsewhere, our evangelist groups sayings of kindred character instead of exactly reproducing Christ's words as spoken to the Pharisees. The connection is obscure, and the interpretations therefore conflicting. On first view one would say that... [ Continue Reading ]
διὰ τοῦτο connects not merely with preceding verse, but with the whole foregoing argument. Mark more impressively introduces the blasphemy _logion_ with a solemn ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν. πᾶσα ἁμαρτία, etc. A broad preliminary declaration of the pardonableness of human sin of all sorts, and especially of sins... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus changes His tone from argument to solemn warning_.... [ Continue Reading ]
o serious a statement needs to be carefully guarded against misapprehension; therefore Jesus adds an explanatory declaration. λόγον κατὰ τ. υ. τ. ἀνθρώπου. Jesus distinguishes between a word against the Son of Man and a word against the Holy Ghost. The reference in the former is to Himself, presumab... [ Continue Reading ]
ποιήσατε = εἴπατε (Euthy. Zig.), judge, pronounce; call both tree and fruit good, or evil; they must both be of one kind, in fact and in thought (_vide_ Kypke, _ad loc._). The reference of the adage has been much discussed: to the Pharisees or to Christ? Kypke replies: to Christ if you connect with... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kindred Logia_. With the word concerning blasphemy the self-defence of Jesus against Pharisaic calumny reached its culmination and probably (as in Mark's report) its close. The sentences following seem to be accretions rather than an organic part of the discourse. They substantially reproduce sayin... [ Continue Reading ]
Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, _vide_ Matthew 3:7. John and Jesus agree in thinking the Pharisees a viper-brood. Both conceive them as morally hopeless. The Baptist wonders that they should come to a baptism of repentance. Jesus thinks them far on the way to final impenitence. But the point He makes here is tha... [ Continue Reading ]
is found in Luke's version of the Sermon (Luke 6:45). They might have been remarks made to the disciples about the Pharisees, as in Matthew 16:6, though in their present form direct address is implied (_vide_ Matthew 12:34). Their essential import is that the nature or heart of a man determines his... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐκ γὰρ τ. λόγων σου. Judgment by _words_ here taught; in Matthew 25:31-46 judgment by the presence or absence of kind deeds. No contradiction, for words are viewed as the index of a good or bad heart: bad positively, like that of the Pharisees, who spoke wickedly; bad negatively, like that of the th... [ Continue Reading ]
σημεῖον : what kind of a sign? They thought the cure of demoniacs a sign from _hell_. Elsewhere we read of their asking a sign from _heaven_ (Matthew 16:1). From what quarter was the sign now asked to come from? Perhaps those who made the demand had no idea; neither knew nor cared. Their question re... [ Continue Reading ]
_A sign asked and refused, with relative discourse_ (Luke 11:16; Luke 11:29-36). Both Matt.'s and Luke's reports convey the impression that the demand for a sign, and the enunciation of the Satanic theory as to Christ's cures of demoniacs, were synchronous. If they were, the demand was impudent, hyp... [ Continue Reading ]
γενεὰ as in Matthew 11:16, a moral class, “quae in omni malitia et improbitate vivit,” Suicer, s. v. γενεά. μοιχαλὶς, unfaithful to God as a wife to a husband, apt description of men professing godliness but ungodly in heart. ἐπιζητεῖ, hankers after, as in Matthew 6:32; characteristic; men that have... [ Continue Reading ]
gives an entirely different turn to the reference. he verse cannot be challenged on critical grounds. If it is an interpolation, it must have become an accepted part of the text before the date of our earliest copies. If it be genuine, then Jesus points to His resurrection as the appropriate sign fo... [ Continue Reading ]
pplication of the reference in Matthew 12:39. The men of Nineveh are cited in condemnation of the Jewish contemporaries of Jesus. _Cf._ similar use of historic parallels in Matthew 11:20-24. πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ, more than Jonah, _cf._ Matthew 12:6; refers either to Jesus personally as compared with Jonah, o... [ Continue Reading ]
βασίλισσα νότου is next pressed into the service of putting unbelievers to shame. The form βασίλισσα was condemned by Phryn., but Elsner cites instances from Demosthenes and other good writers. J. Alberti also (Observ. Philol.) cites an instance from Athenæus, lib. xiii. 595: βασίλισσʼ ἔσει Βαβυλῶνο... [ Continue Reading ]
διʼ ἀνύδρων τόπων : the haunts of demons, as popularly conceived, were places uninhabited by men, deserts and graveyards. The demon in Tob 8:3 flies to the uppermost parts of Egypt; and in Bar 4:35 a land desolated by fire is to become tenanted by demons. διέρχεται ζητοῦν : the spirit keeps moving o... [ Continue Reading ]
_A comparison. Cf._ Luke 11:24-26. Formerly Jesus had likened the evil race of Pharisaic religionists to children playing in the market-place (Matthew 9:16-19). Now He uses expelled demons to depict their spiritual condition. The similitude moves in the region of popular opinion, and gives a glimpse... [ Continue Reading ]
σχολάζοντα σ. καὶ κ. = untenanted and ready for a tenant, inviting by its clean, ornamented condition. The epithets simply describe in lively pictorial manner the risk of repossession. But naturally commentators seek spiritual equivalents for them. Ornamented how? With _grace_, say some (Hilary, Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
ἑπτὰ ἕτερα πνεύματα, etc. This feature is introduced to make the picture answer to the moral condition of the Pharisees as conceived by Jesus. The parable here passes out of the region of popular imagination and natural probability into a region of deeper psychological insight. Why should the demon... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀδελφοὶ, brothers in the natural sense, sons of Mary by Joseph? Presumably, but an unwelcome hypothesis to many on theological grounds. εἱστήκεισαν, pluperfect, but with sense of imperfect (Fritzsche). They had been standing by while Jesus was speaking. ἔξω, on the outskirts of the crowd, or outside... [ Continue Reading ]
_The relatives of Jesus_ (Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21). Matthew and Mark place this incident in connection with the discourse occasioned by Pharisaic calumny. Luke gives it in a quite different connection. The position assigned it by Matthew and Mark is at least fitting, and through it one can unders... [ Continue Reading ]
(wanting in [77][78][79]) states what is implied in Matthew 12:48 (τῷ λέγοντι), hat some one reported to Jesus the presence of His relatives. [77] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862. [78] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.... [ Continue Reading ]
τίς ἐστιν ἡ μήτηρ μου. One might have expected Jesus, out of delicacy, to have spoken only of His brethren, leaving the bearing of the question on His mother to be inferred. But the mention of her gave increased emphasis to the truth proclaimed. The question repels a well-meant but ignorant interfer... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐκτείνας τ. χ.: an eloquent gesture, making the words following, for those present, superfluous. ἰδού, etc. There are idealists, promoters of pet schemes, and religious devotees whom it would cost no effort to speak thus; not an admirable class of people. It did cost Jesus an effort, for He possesse... [ Continue Reading ]
efinition of spiritual kinsmanship. The highest brotherhood based on spiritual affinity. ὅστις γὰρ ἂν ποιήσῃ : a general present supposition expressed by the subjunctive with ἂν followed by present indicative. τὸ θέλημα τ. πατρός μ. τ. ἐν οὐρανοῖς : this probably comes nearest to Christ's actual wor... [ Continue Reading ]