Matthew 12:7

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. BUT IF YE HAD KNOWN WHAT [THIS] MEANETH, I WILL HAVE MERCY, AND NOT SACRIFICE, (; Micah 6:6, etc.) See the note at . YE WOULD NOT HAVE CONDEMNED THE GUILTLESS: - q. d., 'Had ye understood the great principle of all religion, which the Scripture everywhere recognizes-that ceremonial observances must give way before moral duties, and particularly the necessities of nature-ye would have refrained from these captious complaints against men who in this matter are blameless.' But our Lord added a specific application of this great principle to the law of the sabbath, preser...

7._But if you knew _This _Third _argument is also mentioned by Matthew alone. Christ conveys an indirect reproof to the Pharisees, for not considering why ceremonies were appointed, and to what object they are directed. This has been a common fault in almost every age; and therefore the prophet Hosea (Hosea 6:6) exclaims against the men of his own age for being too much attached to ceremonies, and caring little about the duties of kindness. But God declares aloud, that he sets a higher value on _mercy _than on sacrifice, employing the word _mercy, _by a figure of speech, for offices of kindness, as _sacrifices _include the outward service of the Law. This statement Christ applies to his own time, and charges the Pharisees with wickedly torturing the Law of God out of its true meaning, with disregarding the second table, and being entirely occupied with ceremonies.

1-8 Being in the corn-fields, the disciples began to pluck the ears of corn: the law of God allowed it, Deuteronomy 23:25. This was slender provision for Christ and his disciples; but they were content with it. The Pharisees did not quarrel with them for taking another man's corn, but for doing it on the sabbath day. Christ came to free his followers, not only from the corruptions of the Pharisees, but from their unscriptural rules, and justified what they did. The greatest shall not have their lusts indulged, but the meanest shall have their wants considered. Those labours are lawful on the sabbath day which are necessary, and sabbath rest is to froward, not to hinder sabbath worship. Needful provision for health and food is to be made; but when servants are kept at home, and families become a scene of hurry and confusion on the Lord's day, to furnish a feast for visitors, or for indul...

Verse Matthew 12:7. _I WILL HAVE MERCY, C._] See this explained, Matthew 9:13. There are _four_ ways in which _positive laws_ may cease to oblige. First, by the natural law of _necessity_. Secondly, by a _particular law_, which is _superior_. Thirdly, by the _law_ of _charity_ and _mercy_. Fourthly, by the _dispensation_ and _authority_ of the _Lawgiver_. These cases are all exemplified from Matthew 12:4....

ONE GREATER THAN THE TEMPLE - Here the Saviour refers to himself, and to his own dignity and power. “I have power over the laws; I can grant to my disciples a dispensation from those laws. An act which I command or permit them to do is therefore right.” This proves that he was divine. None but God can authorize people to do a thing contrary to the divine laws. He refers them again Matthew 12:7 to a passage he had before quoted (See the notes at Matthew 9:13), showing that God preferred acts of righteousness, rather than a precise observance of a ceremonial law. Mark adds Mark 2:27 “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” That is, the Sabbath was

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 YE HAD KNOWN WHAT THIS MEANETH, c,] The passage of Scripture in Hosea 6:6 I WILL HAVE MERCY, AND NOT SACRIFICE of the sense of which, SEE GILL "MT 9:13" ye would not have condemned the guiltless. Our Lord taxes the Pharisees both with ignorance of the Scriptures, in which they pretended to be very knowing, and took upon them to be the interpreters of; and with inhumanity, for condemning innocent persons, the apostles, for rubbing a few ears of corn, for the refreshment of nature; which they would never have done, had they understood the word, and will of God; who prefers acts of humanity, compassion, and mercy, to the observance of rites and ceremonies; or had they the common affections of human nature, and those bowels of compassion which one man ought to show to another....

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

SABBATH OBSERVANCE (Mark 2:23 *, Luke 6:1). The incident shows that the disciples were learning their Master's teaching. Deuteronomy 23:25 allowed the practice, but the Rabbinical objection to it on the Sabbath was that it was reaping. The variations from Mk. are not important, except the omission of the mistaken reference to Abiathar, and the addition of Matthew 12:5 as a further and stronger historic exception. Various kinds of Sabbath work were not only permitted but commanded to the priests. Matthew 12:6 f. perhaps belonged originally to another occasio

BUT IF YE HAD KNOWN WHAT THIS MEANETH. They ought to have known, for they professed to be interpreters of the law, but in their slavery to forms and traditions, they had been blind to the spirit of the Scriptures. I WILL HAVE MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE. The argument is, that mercy toward these hungering disciples was more acceptable to God than sacrifices at the altar; though sacrifice was the crown of all the Jewish rites. The quotation is from Hosea 6:6, and is also quoted in Matthew 9:13. It shows that all our forms, rites and ceremonies are worthless before God unless we have kind and merciful hearts....