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matthew 12:22-42

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Matthew 12:22-42

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”

— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

22. Then 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. 23. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24. But when the Pharisees heard [it], they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25. And 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: 26. And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast [them] out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29. 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. 30. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 31. Wherefore 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. 32. And 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. 33. Either 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. 34. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35. A 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. 36. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. 38. Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39. But 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: 40. For 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. 41. The 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. 42. The 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.

Matthew 12:22-42 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Matthew 12:22

Theological / Devotional

Then. [A Blind and Dumb Demoniac; The Unpardonable Sin, Matt. 12:22-45 = Mark 3:20-30 = Luke 11:14-32. Major comment: Matthew. See Middle Galilean Ministry; The Ministry of Our Lord.] The remainder of this chapter (vs. 22-50) is one of the more difficult passages to locate in the sequence of events in Christ’s ministry. There seem to be good reasons to believe that vs. 22-50 are a record of a single incident and the subsequent controversy that grew out of it: (1) There is apparently little time lapse between the healing of the blind and dumb demoniac and the charge brought by the Pharisees (see v. 24). (2) The demand for a sign was repeated at least twice during Christ’s ministry, and the incident noted here seems to be the first (the second on record occurred at Magdala, as stated in chs. 15:39 to 16:5, probably during the summer of A.D. 30). It should be noted that this request (ch. 12:38) for a sign came in response to Christ’s denial of casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub. (3) The discussion concerning the “unclean spirit” and the “seven other spirits” in vs. 43-45 no doubt followed the teachings of vs. 22-42 without any appreciable interruption, as appears from DA 323. (4) The visit of Christ’s mother and brethren, mentioned in vs. 46-50 came “while he yet talked” (v. 46; cf. DA 325).

According to ch. 13:1 it was the same day on which the instruction of ch. 12:22-50 was given that Christ spoke the parables of the Sermon by the Sea, recorded in ch. 13.

For evidence of the close chronological relationship between chs. 12:22-50 and 13:1-58 see on ch. 13:1. This would place the discussion of ch. 12:22-50 in the autumn of A.D. 29 (see on Matt. 13:1; Mark 3:13).

One possessed. There were at least two instances in which Christ healed a blind and dumb demoniac (see DA 321; ch. 9:32-35). For a study of demon possession, see Additional Note on Mark 1.

By SdaBc

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