1At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
On a Sabbath day, Jesus’ disciples were hungry and ate grain straight out of a field. Deuteronomy 23:25 says that it is OK for someone to pick grain with their hand from someone else’s field so long as they don’t take more than that. The Pharisees did not criticize the disciples about taking the grain. The Pharisees said that the disciples were wrong to do it on a Sabbath day. They meant that picking grain was work and that working on a Sabbath day was a violation of the Mosaic Law.
3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
Jesus answered the Pharisees by giving two examples. The first had several parallels with what His disciples were doing. Jesus and His disciples were together. The disciples were hungry and ate grain from a field. In the example that Jesus chose, David and his men were together. They were hungry and ate bread from the tabernacle (see I Samuel 21:1-6). But Leviticus 24:5-9 says that that bread was to be eaten by the priests.
Of course, Jesus didn’t mean that two wrongs make a right. He may have been pointing out to the Pharisees that they didn’t criticize David for what he did – because he was David. Yet they were criticizing Jesus, who is greater than David. But Jesus will explain further in the coming verses.
5Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 7But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
The second example that Jesus chose related to the activity of the priests in the temple on the Sabbath day. In Numbers 28:9-10, God specifically commanded that two lambs, a grain offering, and a drink offering be offered every Sabbath day. Jesus pointed out that the priests who performed this service were working on the Sabbath day and yet were blameless. The Pharisees would never have criticized the priests because they understood that the Sabbath offerings were done in God’s temple.
Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.” Jesus was and is greater than the temple. Colossians 2:9 says, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Thus, He is worthy of the highest service every day, including the Sabbath.
Jesus then quoted Hosea 6:6 : “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice.” Jesus also quoted this verse in 9:13 when the Pharisees criticized Him for eating with tax collectors and sinners. The word for “sacrifice” found in this verse in Hosea is used in Leviticus exclusively of peace offerings, not of sin offerings. The verse from Hosea means that God wanted His people to show loving-kindness to each other more than He wanted religious gifts. The Pharisees criticizing Jesus were looking for fault rather than seeing need.
The word “guiltless” in verse 7 and the word “blameless” in verse 5 are the same Greek word. By using the same word so close together, it seems likely that Jesus was saying that His disciples were like the priests ministering in the temple. Jesus declared that both were innocent.
In these two examples Jesus emphasized the intent of the Mosaic Law. God did not condemn David and his men for eating bread from the tabernacle when they were hungry, and God commanded the priests to offer sacrifices on the Sabbath day.
The intent of the Sabbath Day was twofold: first, to honor God by remembering His work in the first creation and second, to give rest to people and to their animals (see Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:9-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15). It was not the intent of the Sabbath law to keep people from eating when they were in the will of God and were hungry.
The Pharisees failed on two counts. They failed to recognize who Jesus was, and they failed to look with lovingkindness on the needs of His disciples.
8For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Jesus again claimed for Himself the title “Son of man”. This title is a title of the Messiah. It is used in Daniel 7:13-14:
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel described the coming King as “one like the Son of man.” Jesus said, “For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.” Jesus, the Son of man, who is greater than David and greater than the temple, has the authority to judge what is suitable to do on the Sabbath day and what is not. But we know that it is God who gave the Law of the Sabbath (Exodus 20:9-11). Thus, Jesus’ words declare that He, the Son of man, has the authority to judge the true intent of what God commanded. His words are a clear declaration of His Deity.
9And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 10and, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
There was a man with a withered hand in the synagogue that day. The Pharisees started the interaction when they asked Jesus whether or not it was proper according to the Mosiac Law to heal on a Sabbath day. They asked this because they wanted to set Him up so that they could accuse Him of wrongdoing. But in asking this question, they were also affirming that they believed that Jesus could heal the man with the withered hand. Even they who hated Jesus knew that His miracles were real.
11And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
Jesus answered the Pharisees’ question with a question. He knew that most, if not all, of the people would see it as right to lift out a sheep that had fallen into a pit on a Sabbath day. And clearly, the man with the withered hand was more valuable than a fallen sheep. Then Jesus gave His conclusion: “Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.” Jesus’ conclusion was broader than the Pharisees’ question. Not only healing, but other well-doing, too, was right on Sabbath days. By His answer, Jesus again asserted that it is the intent of the Law which is to guide in its application. The law of the Sabbath day was not intended to hinder helping someone in need on that day.
13Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Jesus told the man to extend his hand. The man showed his faith by extending it. The man’s withered hand was immediately restored to wholeness. The Pharisees’ reaction displays the darkness of the heart of people who have chosen a mindset of hostility toward Jesus. They had watched a miracle of compassion and healing on a man who was handicapped in most every task that he might attempt. They had recognized intellectually that Jesus was able to do this miracle and even expected Him to do it. But in their prejudiced decidedness against Him, they turned a deaf ear to His words and determined among themselves to destroy Him.
15But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16and charged them that they should not make him known: 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 18Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 19He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
Jesus withdrew from the place where the Pharisees were plotting to kill Him. It was not yet time for Him to be put to death. Many crowds of people followed Him, and He healed all of them according to their need. But then He warned the people not to make Him known. The reason is given in the next verses.
Matthew said that Jesus’ doing this was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. The prophecy that Matthew cited is from Isaiah 42. The use of this prophecy here first confirms that Jesus is the Servant of the LORD of whom Isaiah spoke. As the Father said at Jesus’ baptism (3:17), Jesus is His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. The Holy Spirit perfectly indwelt and governed the Son in His humanity.
This prophecy from Isaiah then describes the earthly ministry of God’s chosen One in His first coming. He will not wrangle or shout or start an uprising in the streets. Also, He will not break an already bruised reed or snuff out a wick of flax that is just giving off smoke. Probably the bruised reed and smoking flax are references to the dismal spiritual condition of Israel at that time. At His first coming, the Servant of Yahweh, the Messiah, would not quarrel or fight and would not finish off spiritually weak Israel.
Isaiah’s prophecy also twice says that Messiah would bring judgment. God’s chosen One will proclaim judgment to the Gentiles (verse 18), He will “send forth judgment unto victory” (verse 20), and Gentiles will hope in His name (verse 21). At His first coming, Jesus did not quarrel or fight or stir up a rebellion. He even told the crowds that He had healed not to make Him known. But at His second coming, He will bring judgment. He will make things right – in Israel and in all the earth. Matthew’s citation of this double reference to the Gentiles at this point in the book anticipates the opportunity to be given to the other nations after the rejection of Jesus by the Jews.
22Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
The man who was brought to Jesus was blind and mute. In this case, these afflictions were caused by demon possession. Jesus healed the man by casting out the demon. The people who witnessed this miracle questioned whether or not Jesus might be the Messiah. The Pharisees did not deny that Jesus had performed this miracle. But, as they had done previously in 9:34, they accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. This moment is a turning point in the book of Matthew.
25And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Jesus answered the thoughts of the Pharisees. First, He stated the incongruity of their accusations. If Jesus were casting out demons by the power of Satan, that would mean that Satan was working against himself. Satan would not do that because it would result in the destruction of his own usurped dominion.
Next, Jesus turned the question to the Pharisees and their followers. The disciples of the Pharisees claimed to be able to cast out demons. Jesus asked the Pharisees how their disciples were doing it. It seems likely that the disciples of the Pharisees were fakes and could not actually cast out demons at all. By Jesus’ own argument, they could not be doing it by the power of Satan, and according to His words in verses 28-29, they could not be doing it by the Spirit of God.
Jesus’ words in verses 28-29 are the heart of His answer. In John 12:31, when Jesus was nearing the time of His death, He said, Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. The casting out of Satan from this world is the necessary prerequisite to the coming of the kingdom of God. Jesus’ death bore the consequences of the sins of Adam and Adam’s descendants. Sin can no more reign in death in those who are justified by faith in Christ. The end of Satan’s usurped dominion and the future casting out of Satan from this world was determined and settled at the cross of Christ.
In verse 28, Jesus said, “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.” The casting out of demons was a miracle unique to Jesus and to His disciples as He gave them authority. He cast out the demons by the power of the Spirit of God in anticipation of the victory over Satan that He would accomplish at the cross. That victory marks the arrival of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God exists today as a spiritual kingdom. It will be in its full presence at Christ’s second coming.
In verse 29, Jesus said, “Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.” Jesus’ casting out of demons demonstrated that He in His humanity, perfectly controlled by the Spirit of God, was stronger than Satan. His spoiling of Satan’s house anticipated His complete crushing of the head of Satan at the cross.
30He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
In these words, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees as their judge. They may oppose Him for a time, but in the end they wil give account to Him. Jesus’ statement leaves no place for neutrality. Every person is either with Him or against Him. Failure to gather with Him for the kingdom of heaven is to scatter abroad.
31Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
In Matthew 9:34 and in verse 24 of this chapter, the Pharisees said that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Satan. Jesus’ words in response are found in Matthew 12, Mark 3, and Luke 12. Mark adds this explanation: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit (Mark 3:30). The Pharisees were saying that the Holy Spirit in Jesus was the spirit of a demon.
Jesus stated in verse 28 that He was casting out demons by the Sprit of God. By these miracles, the Holy Spirit was bearing witness to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Even the Pharisees did not deny the miracles that He did. But they said that all of the work of God in Jesus was the work of Satan. That sin cannot be forgiven. To say that the Spirit in Jesus was the spirit of a demon was to blaspheme the Holy Spirit of God.
The sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is mentioned in Matthew 12 and in the parallel passages in Mark and Luke, but nowhere else in the New Testament. Today the witness of the Spirit of God concerning the identity and work of Jesus is recorded in the Bible. To esteem that witness as the witness of God is salvation. To deny that that witness is the witness of God is to refuse salvation.
I John 5:9-10 gives a summary:
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
33Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
The fruit that Jesus spoke of in these verses consists of the words that we say. Jesus used an imperative when he said, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt….” It is part of the governance of God to make what is stored in our hearts come out of our mouths. The Pharisees were religious leaders among the Jews, but Jesus said that their words of blasphemy against Him showed that they were evil. He called them vipers.
This is now the fourth time in the book of Matthew that Jesus has spoken of a future day of judgment (see 10:15;11:22,24). He said that people will be justified or condemned by their words. But He made clear that a person’s words are just the expression of what is in their hearts. A person whose heart is right with God will speak right things about the Lord Jesus Christ.
38Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
This verse begins with the word “then.” That means that this is the next event in Matthew’s narrative. It may be that some time had passed since the casting out of the demon in verse 22. As we have read in the previous chapters, Jesus had done many, many miracles of healing. For these scribes and Pharisees to say, “Master, we would see a sign from thee,” was for them to imply that they counted all His miracles as insufficient proof for them to believe in Him. The request itself was a statement of rejection and unbelief.
39But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40For as Jonas 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.
The only sign that Jesus would give to those who had rejected the evidence of the miracles He had done would be His resurrection from the dead. And His words in the following verses show that the people who had rejected Him before would continue to reject Him after His resurrection.
The Greek word “κητος” used in verse 40 does not specifically mean “whale,” but it is used in the Septuagint Greek translation of Jonah 1:17 to translate “fish.” Jonah 1:17 says that the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. We do not know what sort of fish it was. We only know that the LORD, who created all things, prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, Jesus said that He Himself would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. He was foretelling the time period between His death at the cross and His resurrection from the dead. That time period is made clear from Genesis 42:17-18; Esther 4:16-5:1, and Matthew 27:62-66, where in each case a part of a day was counted as a whole. The great fish that God had prepared deposited Jonah alive on dry ground to go to Nineveh to preach as he had been told to do. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead was a much greater sign, but after His resurrection Israel as a nation still did not receive Him as their Messiah, the Son of God.
41The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 42The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
Jonah warned the Ninevites that in forty days their city would be overthrown. The Ninevites repented, and God did not destroy the city (Jonah 3:4-10). The Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD (I Kings 10:1) and traveled from Arabia to Jerusalem with gifts to meet Solomon and to ask him questions (I Kings 10:1-10; II Chr 9:1-12). Jesus said that in the judgment both the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba will stand as witnesses against the Jews who rejected Jesus. Jonah and Solomon were only limited, flawed men, but Jesus was and is the flawless Messiah, the Son of God. Surely the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba will also stand as witnesses against many people of the 21st century who have been warned of God’s coming judgment and have heard about the words and work of the Lord Jesus but have not listened to the warning or come to Him.
43When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Jesus had cast out many demons from individuals during the time of His public ministry, including from the man in verse 22 of this chapter. Now He likens the nation at that time to an individual from whom a demon had been cast. John the Baptist had come and preached and many had professed repentance in anticipation of the coming of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus had preached and done many miracles which confirmed His identity as God’s promised Messiah. Crowds of people had followed Him and been healed by Him. But the unbelief of the scribes and Pharisees was indicative of the underlying unbelief in the people as a whole. In chapter 27, Matthew will tell about the chief priests’ and elders’ persuading the crowds to ask for Jesus to be put to death (27:20). Many people in Israel had been “cleaned up” during Jesus’ public ministry but had not really received Him as the Messiah. Jesus said that Satan’s fallen angels who had been temporarily put away would return in even greater force.
Jesus said that the returning demon found the person in whom he’d dwelt “empty, swept, and garnished.” The person’s life had been temporarily cleaned up, but the person’s life was empty. That’s why the demon could come back. Since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has indwelt every believer (Romans 8:9). Today no believer’s house is empty. A demon cannot enter any believer today. I John 4:4 says plainly, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
But what about before Pentecost? How could those people who didn’t have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit be protected from the return of a demon? Consider the following Scriptures:
The LORD is my strength and my shield…. (Psalm 28:7)
…his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:4)
But the LORD is my defence…. (Psalm 94:22)
Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. (Psalm 119:114)
If the people who heard Jesus’ words and saw His miracles had believed in Him, God would have protected them. An example is Mary Magdalene, from whom seven demons were cast (Luke 8:2).
46While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Jesus was surrounded by a crowd of people, so much so that his family members could not get close enough to talk to Him (Luke 8:19). His mother and brethren sent word to Him that they were there (Mark 3:31). But instead of leaving those sitting around Him to hear His word and going out to His family, Jesus looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! (Mark 3:34)
Matthew says twice that Mary and the brethren of Jesus were standing “without.” That is, they were standing outside the crowd of people sitting to hear Jesus’ words. Mary and His brethren ought to have sat down and listened, too. John tells us that Jesus’ own brothers did not believe in Him (John 7:5).
The timing of this interaction in the book of Matthew is significant. The Pharisees had just accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. That accusation was the epitome of rejection of the testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning Jesus’ identity. Also, Jesus had just compared that generation in Israel to a man who is only temporarily freed from demon possession. Jesus is about to turn away from this nation to which He physically belonged. It is significant that He declared at that same time that His first loyalty will not be to His physical relatives but to those who do the will of His Father in heaven. At the end of the next chapter, He will state plainly, “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house” (13:57).
Note: All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.