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Matthew Chapter 12

New Testament Gospel 50 Verses

What is Matthew 12 about?

The Gospel for a Jewish audience — Jesus as Messiah-King, fulfillment of OT prophecy, and teacher of the Sermon on the Mount. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1At that season Jesus went on the sabbath day through the grainfields; and his disciples were hungry and began to pluck ears and to eat.
2But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do upon the sabbath.
3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him;
4how he entered into the house of God, and ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the priests?
5Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless?
6But I say unto you, that one greater than the temple is here.
7But if ye had known what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath.
9And he departed thence, and went into their synagogue:
10and behold, a man having a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? that they might accuse him.
11And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this 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 of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.
13Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, as the other.
14But the Pharisees went out, and took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.
15And Jesus perceiving [it] withdrew from thence: and many 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 through Isaiah 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 declare judgment to the Gentiles.
19He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; Neither shall any one 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 hope.
22Then was brought unto him one possessed with a demon, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the dumb man spake and saw.
23And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Can this be the son of David?
24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons.
25And knowing their thoughts he 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 casteth out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?
27And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
28But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
29Or how can one enter into the house of the strong [man,] and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong [man]? and then he will spoil his house.
30He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
31Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
32And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come.
33Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit.
34Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36And 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.
38Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee.
39But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet:
40for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah 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 ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not.
44Then he saith, I will return into my house 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 evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation.
46While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.
47And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to 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 towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren!
50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.
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What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn, etc.] That is, the corn fields, as the other evangelists express it. It being on a sabbath day, it is very probable, that Christ and his disciples were going to some public place of worship, the way to which lay through some fields of corn, which were now ripe: for Luke says, it was on the “second sabbath after the first”, or rather “the first sabbath after the second”; that is, the first sabbath after the second day of the passover, when the sheaf of the first fruit was offered, and harvest was begun. And his disciples were an hungered; it being in the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“PLUCKING CORN EARS ON THE SABBATH DAY. ( = Mar 2:23-28; Luk 6:1-5). (Mat 12:1-8) At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn--"the cornfields" (Mar 2:23; Luk 6:1). and his disciples were an hungered--not as one may be before his regular meals; but evidently from shortness of provisions: for Jesus defends their plucking the corn-ears and eating them on the plea of necessity. and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat--"rubbing them in their hands" (Luk 6:1).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“Matthew 12:1-8. The account contained in these verses is also recorded in Mark 2:23-28, and Luke 6:1-5. At that time - Luke Luke 6:1 fixes the time more particularly. He says that it was “the second Sabbath after the first.” To understand this, it is proper to remark that the “Passover” was observed during the month “Abib,” or Nisan, answering to the latter part of March and the first of April. The feast was held seven days, commencing on the fourteenth day of the month Exodus 12:1-28; Exodus 23:15, on the “second” day of the paschal week. The law required that a sheaf of “barley” should be offered up as the…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“His disciples plucked the ears of corn, and ate - Just what sufficed for present necessity: dried corn was a common food among the Jews. Mar 2:23; Luk 6:1. Matthew 12:3”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“12:1-14 Matthew places Jesus’ offer of rest (11:28-30) in close connection with a discussion of the Sabbath. Jesus’ rest liberates people from human traditions concerning the Sabbath (cp. Heb 4:1-11). The Pharisees rejected Jesus because of their commitment to tradition. 12:1-8 This exchange highlights the Pharisees’ lack of compassion as they imposed a burdensome yoke (11:29-30). 12:1 The Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, was to be a day of complete rest according to Old Testament laws (Gen 2:2-3; Exod 20:8-11). The Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ (cp. Heb 4:1-11).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“went: Mar 2:23-28; Luk 6:1-5 to pluck: Deu 23:25 Matthew 12:2”
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