Matthew 12

 

 1 At (1) (*) that time Jesus went on a Sabbath day through the corn, and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.

 

(1) Of the true sanctifying of the Sabbath, and the abrogating of it.

(*) Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1 .

 

 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do (*) that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath.

 

(*) Deuteronomy 23:25 .

 

 3 But he said unto them, (*) (♣) Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungered, and they that were with him?

 

(*) 1 Samuel 21:6 .

(♣) Necessity maketh that lawful, which is prohibited for a certain respect, in things appertaining to ceremonies.

 

 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the (a) shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the (*) Priests?

 

(a) The Hebrews call it bread of faces, because it stood before the Lord all the week upon the golden table appointed to that service; Leviticus 24:6 .

(*) Exodus 29:33; Leviticus 8:31; Leviticus 24:9 .

 

 5 Or have ye not read in the Law, how that on the Sabbath days the Priests in the Temple (*) (b) (♣) break the Sabbath, and are blameless?

 

(*) Numbers 18:9 .

(b) When the Priests do God's service upon the Sabbath day, yet they do break not the Law; much less doth the Lord of the Sabbath break the Sabbath.

(♣) Not that the Priests brake the Sabbath in doing that, which was commanded by the Law, but he speaketh thus to confuse the error of the people, who thought the Sabbath broken, if any necessary work was done that day.

 

 6 But I say unto you, that here is one greater than the Temple.

 

 7 Wherefore if ye knew what this is, (*) I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the innocents.

 

(*) Hosea 6:7; Matthew 9:13 . 

 

 8 For the Son of man is (*) Lord, even of the Sabbath.

 

(*) Christ hath power exempt his from keeping of the Sabbath, seeing the service required in the Temple, was able to excuse them that labored in the same.

 

 9  (*) (2) And he departed thence, and went into their Synagogue;

 

(*) Mark 3:1; Luke 6:6 .

(2) The ceremonies of the Law are not against the love of our neighbor.

 

 10 And behold, there was a man which had his hand dried up. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal upon a Sabbath day? That they might accuse him.

 

 11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have a sheep, and if it fall on a Sabbath day into a pit, will not take it and lift it out?

 

 12 How much more then is a man better than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do well on a Sabbath day.

 

 13 Then said he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth, and it was made whole as the other.

 

 14  (3) Then the Pharisees went out, and consulted against him, how they might destroy him.

 

(3) How far and in what respect we may give place to the unbridled rage of the wicked.

 

 15 But when Jesus knew it, he departed thence, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all,

 

 16 And charged them that they should not make him known,

 

 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, saying,

 

 18  (*) Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul delighteth; I will put my Spirit on him, and he shall shew (c) (♣) judgment to the Gentiles.

 

(*) Isaiah 42:1 .

(c) By judgment is meant a settled state because Christ was to publish true religion among the Gentiles, and to cast out superstition, which thing wheresoever it is done, the Lord is said to reign and judge there, that is to say, to govern and rule matters.

(♣) The right trade of government, not only to the Jews, but also to strange nations.

 

 19 He shall not (*) strive, nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

 

(*) He shall not make great noise, nor seek outward pomp and glory.

 

 20 A (*) bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he (d)  bring forth judgment (♣) unto victory.

 

(*) He will bear with him them that be infirm and weak.

(d) He shall pronounce sentence and judgment, maugre the world and Satan, and shew himself conqueror over all his enemies.

(♣) Christ shall overcome all lets, which hinder the course of the Gospel, and then shall give sentence as a conqueror against all his enemies.

 

 21 And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust.

 

 22  ¶ (*) (4) Then was brought to him one possessed with a devil, both blind and dumb, and he healed him, so that he which was blind and dumb, both spake and saw.

 

(*) Luke 11:14 .

(4) A truth, be it never so manifest, is subject to the slander of the wicked; yet not withstanding it ought to be avouched stoutly.

 

 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this that son of David?

 

 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, (*) This man casteth the devils no otherwise out but through Beelzebub the prince of devils.

 

(*) Mat. 9:34; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15 .

 

 25  (5) But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be (*) brought to naught, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

 

(5) The kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the devil cannot consist together.

(*) Or, desolate.

 

 26 So if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom endure?

 

 27 Also if I through Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your (*) children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.

 

(*) Which conjured devils by the virtue of God’s name, albeit it was expressly against the Law of God.

 

 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then is the kingdom of God come unto you.

 

 29 Else how can a man enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man, and then spoil his house?

 

 30 He (*) that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.

 

(*) He declareth to the Pharisees. That they were in two sorts his enemies, not only because they did forsake him, but also make open war against him.

 

 31  (*) Wherefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

 

(*) Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10 . 

 

 32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; (6) but whosoever shall speak against the (*) holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.

 

(6) Of blasphemy against the holy Ghost.

(*) That is, he that striveth against the truth which he knoweth, and against his conscience, cannot return to repentance, for he sinneth against the holy Ghost.

 

 33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good, or else make the tree (*) evil, and his fruit evil; for the tree is known by the fruit.

 

(*) Or, corrupt.

 

 34  (7) O (♣) generations of vipers, how can you speak good things, when ye are evil? For of the (*) abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

 

(7) Hypocrites at the length bewray themselves even by their own mouth.

(♣) Or, broods.

(*) Luke 6:45 .

 

 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of an evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things.

 

 36 But I say unto you, that of every (e) (*) idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of judgment.

 

(e) Vain and unprofitable trifles, which the most part of men spend their lives in.

(*) Much more they shall give account of their blasphemies.

 

 37 For by thy words thou shalt be (*) justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

 

(*) Their wicked words shall be a sufficient proof to condemn the ungodly, if there were no other thing.

 

 38  ¶ (8) (*) Then answered certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees, saying, Master, (♣) we would see a sign of thee.

 

(8) Against froward desires of miracles.

(*) Matthew 16:1; Luke 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:22 .

(♣) This was to find some new or pretext to resist his doctrine.

 

 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and (f) (*) adulterous generation seeketh a sign, but no sign shall be given unto it, save that sign of the Prophet Jonah.

 

(f) Bastard, which fell from Abraham's faith, or forsook the true worship of God.

(*) They were become bastards and degenerate from their holy ancestors.

 

 40  (*) For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three (♣) days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

 

(*) Jonah 1:17 .

(♣) He taketh part of the day for the whole day.

 

 41  (9) The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and condemn it, for they (*) repented at the preaching of (♣) Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.

 

(9) Christ teacheth by the sorrowful example of the Jews, that there are none more miserable than they which put out the light of the Gospel which was kindled in them.

(*) Jonah 3:5 .

(♣) Who was a poor stranger, and yet these know not the Messiah which was promised to be their King.

 

 42  (*) The Queen of the (g) South shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall (♣) condemn it, for she came from the (h) utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

 

(*) 1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chronicles 9:1 .

(g) He meaneth the Queen of Sheba; whose country is south in respect to the land of Israel; 1 King 10 .

(♣) It is meant as touching her face in coming to see Solomon, and not her person; for she was not instructed in the Law of God.
(h) For Sheba is situate in the utmost coast of Arabia upon the mouth of the Arabian Sea.

 

 43  ¶ (*) Now when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh throughout (♣) dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

 

(*) Luke 11:24 .

(♣) Or, wilderness.

 

 44 Then he saith, I will return into mine house from whence I came; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished.

 

 45  ¶ Then he goeth, and taketh unto him (♣) seven other (♠) spirits worse than himself, and they enter in, and dwell there; (*) and the end of that man is worse than the beginning. Even so shall it be with this wicked generation.

 

(♣) Meaning an infinite number.

(♠) If Satan be cast out, we must watch still, that he enter not again; for since he was once man’s old guest, he knoweth every hole and corner of our house.

(*) Hebrews 6:4-8; Hebrews 10:26; 2 Peter 2:20 . 

 

 46  ¶ (10) (*) While he yet spake to the multitude, behold, his mother, and his (♣) brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

 

(10) Christ teacheth by his own example, that all things ought to be set apart in respect of God's glory.

(*) Mark 3:31; Luke 8:20 .

(♣) This word in the Scriptures signifieth oft times every kinsman.

 

 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

 

 48 But he answered, and said to him that told him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?

 

 49  (11) And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said, Behold my (*) mother, and my brethren.

 

(11) None are more near unto us, than they that are of the household of faith.

(*) Christ preferreth the spiritual kindred to the carnal.

 

 50 For whosoever shall do my Father’s will which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.

 

Steve

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