Matthew 12:28

But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. BUT IF I CAST OUT DEVILS BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. In Luke (Luke 11:20) it is, "with (or 'by') the finger of God." This latter expression is just a figurative way of representing the power of God, while the former tells us the living Personal Agent made use of by the Lord Jesus in every exercise of that power. THEN ("NO DOUBT" (LUKE 11:20 )) THE KINGDOM OF GOD, IS COME UNTO YOU, [ ef' (G1909) humas (G5209)] - rather 'upon you,' as the same expression is rendered in Luke: q.d., 'If this expulsi...

28._But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God. _Luke says,_if I cast out devils by The Finger of God; _employing the word _Finger _metaphorically instead of the _Spirit. _As God works, and exerts his power, by his Spirit, it is with propriety that the word _Finger _is applied to him. And this mode of expression was common among the Jews, as Moses relates that Pharaoh’s magicians said, _This is the finger of God _Now Christ infers from what he has already stated, that the scribes prove themselves to be ungrateful to God, by being unwilling that He should reign among them. Hitherto, he replied to their idle calumny; but now, he treats them as convicted persons, and charges them not to make ungodly opposition to the kingdom of God. He does not confine himself to a single miracle, but takes occasion from it to discourse on the object of his coming, reminds them that they ought not merely...

22-30 A soul under Satan's power, and led captive by him, is blind in the things of God, and dumb at the throne of grace; sees nothing, and says nothing to the purpose. Satan blinds the eyes by unbelief, and seals up the lips from prayer. The more people magnified Christ, the more desirous the Pharisees were to vilify him. It was evident that if Satan aided Jesus in casting out devils, the kingdom of hell was divided against itself; how then could it stand! And if they said that Jesus cast out devils by the prince of the devils, they could not prove that their children cast them out by any other power. There are two great interests in the world; and when unclean spirits are cast out by the Holy Spirit, in the conversion of sinners to a life of faith and obedience, the kingdom of God is come unto us. All who do not aid or rejoice in such a change are against Christ....

Verse Matthew 12:28. _BUT IF I CAST OUT DEVILS BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD_] Perhaps the _Spirit of God_ is here mentioned by way of opposition to the _magical incantations_ of the Jews; for it is well known that by fumigations and magical washings, they professed to cast out devils. See a case mentioned by _Schoettgen_ on this verse. _THEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD_] For the destruction of the _kingdom of_ _Satan_ plainly implies the setting up of the _kingdom of God_. _IS COME UNTO YOU._] Is come unexpectedly upon you. εφθασεν, from φθανω, _to appear suddenly - unexpectedly_. They pretended to be in expectation of the kingdom of God, and consequently of the destruction of the kingdom of Satan. But, by being not prepared to receive Christ in these proofs of his Divine mission, they

THEN WAS BROUGHT UNTO HIM ONE POSSESSED WITH A DEVIL - See the notes at Matthew 4:24. The same account, substantially, is found in Mark 3:22, and Luke 11:14. Matthew 12:23 IS NOT THIS THE SON OF DAVID? - That is, Is not this the promised “descendant” of David, the Messiah? They were acquainted with the prophecy in Isaiah 35:5, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped,” and they inferred that he must be the promised Messiah who was abl

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 12:1 The opposition that our Lord met with (1) from his enemies (Matthew 12:1); (2) from his relations (Matthew 12:46-40); ,and the manner in which he dealt with it. MATTHEW 12:1 (1) _Opposition from his enemies._ (A) Conscious and wilful opposition (Matthew 12:1). (α) As regards the sabbath ...

BUT IF I CAST OUT DEVILS BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD,.... As it was certain he did, from the nature, use, and design of such miracles; and it could not be reasonably thought, that Satan would assist in what was so very opposite to his kingdom and interest, and was so serviceable to the cause and glory of Christ. All the three persons had an hand in the miracles of the Messiah; they were done by Christ, in his Father's name, and by the power of the Spirit of God; from which the following inference may be justly deduced, THEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS COME UNTO YOU: meaning, either the Messiah himself; or rather, his kingdom, the Gospel dispensation, which both Christ and John had declared to be at hand; of which the performing of miracles, particularly the casting out of devils, whereby the kingdom of Satan was so much weakened, was a clear proof....

9. THE REJECTION CONSUMMATED AND THE BROKEN RELATIONSHIP. CHAPTER 12 1. The Hungry Disciples and the Accusing Pharisees. (Matthew 12:1 .) 2. The Man with the Withered Hand Healed.(Matthew 12:10 .) 3. The Hatred of the Pharisees.(Matthew 12:14 .) 4. The King in Rejection. (Matthew 12:15 .) 5. The Demon Possessed Man Healed. (Matthew 12:22 .) 6. The Blasphemy of the Pharisees and the King's Answer. (Matthew 12:24 .) 7. The Sign of Jo

JESUS-' ANSWER TO THE VERDICT OF THE JERUSALEM SCRIBES, AND THE INTERVENTION OF HIS FAMILY (Mark 3:20 *, Luke 11:14; Luke 11:29; Luke 12:10; Luke 8:19). For the painful statement in Mark 3:20 f. Mt. (like Lk.) substitutes the healing of a blind and dumb man probably a second (compressed) use of Matthew 9:27 and Matthew 9:

CRISIS (Matthew 12:1-50) In Matthew 12:1-50 we read the history of a series of crucial events in the life of Jesus. In every man's life there are decisive moments, times and events on which the whole of his life hinges. This chapter presents us with the story of such a period in the life of Jesus. In it we see the orthodox Jewish religious leaders of the day coming to their final decision regarding Jesus--and that was rejection. It was not only rejection in the sense that they would have nothing to do with him; it was rejection in the sense that they came to the conclusion that nothing less than his complete elimination would be enough. Here in this chapter we see the first definite steps, the end of which could be nothing other than the Cross. The characters are painted clear b