Matthew 12 - Where Does Good Fruit Come From?
Matthew 12 - Enduring Word Commentary
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
One the biggest fights Jesus will have with the Pharisees is how they used Law. There was the "letter of the Law" and the "Spirit of the Law". The Pharisees were about the letter of the Law and Jesus came to fulfill the Spirit of the Law. We studied this in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, when Jesus re-interpreted the Ten Commandments with the Spirit of the Law.
There was nothing wrong with what they did, because their gleaning was not considered stealing according to Deuteronomy 23:25. The issue was only the day on which they did it. The rabbis made an elaborate list of “do” and “don’t” items relevant to the Sabbath, and this violated several items on this list. (Guzik)
3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Jesus used scripture to point out the flaw in the Pharisees' way of thinking. He cited the example of David, who ate the consecrated bread in the temple with his troops when they were hungry. The context of this story was from 1 Samuel 21 when David was on the run from the contempuous King Saul, wbo was looking to kill him.
The first principle Jesus presented is simple and illustrated by David’s experience with the priests and the showbread (1 Samuel 21). Jesus reminded them that human need is more important than observing ceremonial rituals. i. The incident with David was a valid defense, because: · It was a case of eating. · It probably happened on the Sabbath (1 Samuel 21:6). · It concerned not only David, but also his followers.
9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
The next story illustrates how much the Pharisees had misinterpreted the Law. Jesus went into the synagogue and there was a man with a diseased hand. The Pharisees were trying to trip Jesus up by hoping he would say it was okay to heal the man on the Sabbath. They interpreted the Sabbath law to even mean healing a man would be forbidden.
Rather than answering the question, Jesus gave them another scenario where a man's sheep fell into a pit. Jesus knew the hearts of these men, and knew they would not have hestitated to pull the sheep out from danger. Therefore, he reasoned if they would pull out an animal, how much more important would it be for them to heal this man. He concludes by saying, "It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath!"
In another passage Jesus says, "Man is not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath is made for man." The Sabbath was made to be a gift for us, not a rigid law which restricted good being done to people in need. Jesus had the man stretch out his hand, and he healed him completely. Jesus restored the man's hand to its original condition.
The Pharisees were furious that Jesus had beat them at their own game. It's pretty sad they really didn't care about the man whose hand was healed that day. The Sabbath is made for restoration of our bodies and our souls! They were so mad, they plotted to kill Jesus. Now that is some hostility. The crime does not meet the punishment. Not even close
God’s Chosen Servant
15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16 He warned them not to tell others about him. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 19 He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. 21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”[b]
Jesus had a knack for knowing when he was in danger. He often withdrew from a place when he sensed that through the Holy Spirit. But he could not keep the crowds from following him. And, he healed the people who came to him. However, he warned them not to say anything because he knew he had much work to do and the hostility toward him would only be on the rise.
Matthew points out this is yet another instance of fuflillment of prophecy from Isaiah 42, for his Jewish audience. This is one of the "servant" passages from Isaiah. Interestingly the language is remarkably similar Jesus' baptism. I.e. "My servant in whom I delight"="This is my son in whom I am well pleased". "I will put my Spirit on him"="And the Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove."
The "servant" passages from Isaiah gives us a glimpse that Jesus will not forcibly bring in God's kingdom. He will not "break the bruised reed", or "snuff out the smoldering wick". Jesus was about building up not tearing down unlike his enemies.
Jesus the Servant is an example to us as servants, but He is so much more than that. He is our Servant. He serves us; not only in what He did in the past, but also He serves us every day through His constant love, care, guidance, and intercession. Jesus did not stop serving when He went to heaven; He serves all His people more effectively than ever from heaven. (Guzik)
Jesus and Beelzebul
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
The Pharisees were desperate to discredit Jesus, so when Jesus healed a demon-possessed man, they accused him of using "Beelzebul", which another name for Satan. Meanwhile the people wondered if Jesus were the Son of David. A son of the King. A king who reigned with power and authority.
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Jesus calls them on their lame argument. Why would Satan cast one of his demons out? The word "Satan" has to do with being an accuser and obstructer. He is "anti-Christ". Why would he be "anti-Satan." But Jesus points to the fact that if it is only by the power that comes from God that he delivered this man. It could only be a sign of the kingdom coming. "Kingdom" means "rule or reign". When the man was possessed by a demon, the demon ruled him to the point where he could not see or speak. But Jesus healed him through a great power that restored him to man God created him to be.
Jesus also acknowledges that it is the Spirit of God working through him which gave him this power.
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Jesus then makes it clear that you either are for him or against him. There is no being "mildly for Jesus". Though every sin will be forgiven, the blasphemy of the Spirit will not tolerated. Many have tried to figure out what He meant by this. We know blasphemy is taking God's name in vain. Anybody who tried to use the Holy Spirit for their own selfish desires is using the Holy Spirit wrongfully. Because the Spirit is God, blasphemy against the Spirit is blasphemy against God.
Jesus goes as far to say that if someone says something against him, it will be forgiven but against the Holy Spirit it will not. What does he mean by this?
Yet true blasphemy against the Spirit is more than a formula of words; it is a settled disposition of life that rejects the testimony of the Holy Spirit regarding Jesus. Even if someone has intentionally said such things, they can still repent and prevent a settled rejection of Jesus. - Guzik
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Jesus gives the formula for a godly person, someone who bears good fruit. Jesus says it is an "inside job". If you are good on the inside, it will manifest on the outside. Just like if a tree is healthy, it will bear fruit. Jesus will pick up on this in John 15 when he describes the relationship with him at the Vine and its branches. In order to bear fruit you merely have to remain in the Vine.
You might say, "the fruits reveals the roots". The Pharisees' hearts were unredeemed. They were black as coal. That is why their words were so full of vile and vitriol. In another passage Jesus called them "whitewashed tombs". They looked clean on the outside but they were a rotting corpse inside.
Jesus relates this to the words we use. The words that come out of our mouth show what is going on in the inside. It someone is very critical and always judging and cutting others down, it shows who they are on the inside. Their inner anger is transferred to others. Jesus warned them about the careless use of their words. They would be accountable for their empty words.
The Sign of Jonah
38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
As we have seen, Jesus was certainly about doing signs and miracles, but he did them in his own time, in his own way, and with certain groups of people. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to prove himself by doing signs. Jesus knew that even if he did a sign (as he had already done some in front of them) they hearts would remain hardened like Pharaoh in the book of Exodus.
Jesus quotes the story of Jonah in the belly of the whale for three days in three nights to foreshadow his resurrection after 3 days in the tomb. The men of Nineveh repented when Jonah came to them,which actually made Jonah mad. The queen of Sheba, a foreigner, came to listen to King Solomon, when many of his own people rejected him. These foreigners would judge the Pharisees who had the Son of God right in front of them and rejected him.
43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
This is a somewhat confusing passage. What does it mean?
A demon can only inhabit someone if he finds it empty – that is, without the indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ. If it is empty, it does not matter to the demon if it is also swept, and put in order. “The devil has no objection to his house being swept and garnished; for a moralist may be as truly his slave as the man of debauched habits. So long as the heart is not occupied by his great foe, and he can use the man for his own purposes, the adversary of souls will let him reform as much as he pleases.” (Spurgeon)
If we are filled with Jesus – being born again by the Spirit of God – then we cannot be empty and therefore inhabited by demons. “Though he shake his chain at us, he cannot fasten his fangs in us.” (Trapp)
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers
46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to 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.”
Though Jesus honored family, he used this moment to teach that there is a bigger family we all belong to, the family of God.
Considering the general context of opposition to Jesus, it may well be that the family of Jesus wanted to appeal to Him to not be so controversial in His ministry. (Guzik)
“The members of his family had come to take him, because they thought him beside himself. No doubt the Pharisees had so represented his ministry to his relatives that they thought they had better restrain him.” (Spurgeon)
Whether it was the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law, who tought they deserved to be the authorities. Or, the authority the Israelites claimed by being as children of Abraham, Jesus did not give any special privileges based on race or earthly positions of power.
Jesus made himself available to any one who was willing to come to him and follow him by repenting and being baptized. This didn't mean he loved these other people any less, but as Galatians 3:28 says,
"In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male or female, but all are on in Christ Jesus!"
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