Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Matthew 12

Mat 12:1 At 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.

sabbath

1. The sabbath ("cessation") appears in Scripture as the day of God's rest in the finished work of creation (Gen 2:2, 3). For 2500 years of human life absolutely no mention is made of it. Then the sabbath was revealed (Exo 16:23; Neh 9:13, 14); made a part of the law (Exo 20:8-11); and invested with the character of a "sign" between Jehovah and Israel, and a perpetual reminder to Israel of their separation to God (Exo 31:13-17). It was observed by complete rest (Exo 35:2, 3), and by Jehovah's express order a man was put to death for gathering sticks on the sabbath day (Num 15:32-36). Apart from maintaining the continued burnt-offering (Num 28:9), and its connection with the annual feasts (Exo 12:16; Lev 23:3, 8; Num 28:25), the seventh day sabbath was never made a day of sacrifice, worship, or any manner of religious service. It was simply and only a day of complete rest for man and beast, a humane provision for man's needs. In Christ's words, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (Mar 2:27).
2. Our Lord found the observance of the day encrusted with rabbinical evasions (Mat 12:2) and restrictions, wholly unknown to the law, so that He was Himself held to be a sabbath breaker by the religious authorities of the time. The sabbath will be again observed during the kingdom age (Isa 66:23).
3. The Christian first day perpetuates in the dispensation of grace the principle that one-seventh of the time is especially sacred, but in all other respects is in contrast with the sabbath. One is the seventh day, the other the first. The sabbath commemorates God's creation rest, the first day Christ's resurrection. On the seventh day God rested, on the first day Christ was ceaselessly active. The sabbath commemorates a finished creation, the first day a finished redemption. The sabbath was a day of legal obligation, the first day one of voluntary worship and service. The sabbath is mentioned in the Acts only in connection with the Jews, and in the rest of the N.T. but twice (Col 2:16; Heb 4:4). In these passages the seventh day sabbath is explained to be to the Christian not a day to be observed, but a type of the present rest into which he enters when "he also ceases from his own works" and trusts Christ.

Sabbath. (Gen 2:3.)

Mat 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

read

Inspiration. Mat 12:3-5, 40. (Exo 4:15; Rev 22:19.)

what David did

Jesus' action (Mat 12:1-7) is highly significant. "What David did" refers to the time of his rejection and persecution by Saul (1Sa 21:6). Jesus here is not so much the rejected Saviour as the rejected King; hence the reference to David.

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 12:38-45. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).

Mat 12:4 How 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?

shewbread

Scofield Exodus 25:30, note.

Mat 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

priests in the temple profane the sabbath

Num 28:9, 10.

Mat 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

one greater than the temple

2Ch 6:18; Isa 66:1, 2.

Mat 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

I will have mercy, and not sacrifice

1Sa 15:22; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:6-8.

Mat 12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Son of man

See Scofield Matthew 8:20.

Mat 12:13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

it was restored whole

Miracles (N.T.). Mat 12:10-13, 22; Mat 14:19-21. (Mat 8:2-3; Act 28:8-9.)

Mat 12:14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

how they might destroy him

Psa 2:2.

Mat 12:18 Behold 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.

Behold my servant

Mat 12:18-21; Isa 42:1-4.

spirit

Holy Spirit (N.T.). Mat 12:18, 28, 32; Mat 22:43. (Mat 1:18; Act 2:4.)

Gentiles

This too is most significant. The rejected King of Israel will turn to the Gentiles (cf. Mat 10:5, 6). In fulfilment this awaited the official rejection, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, and the final rejection of the risen Christ (Luk 24:46, 47; Act 9:15; 13:46; 28:25-28; Rom 11:11).

Christ (First Advent). Mat 21:1-5. (Gen 3:15; Acts 1:9.)

Mat 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

trust

i.e. hope.

Mat 12:22 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.

possessed

Greek daimonizomai, demonized. Scofield Matthew 7:22, note.

Mat 12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

son of David

Mat 9:27; 21:9.

Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

devils

demons. Scofield Matthew 7:22, note.

Beelzebub

Mat 9:34; Mar 3:22, 30; Luk 11:14, 20.

Mat 12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Satan

Satan. Mat 12:26, 27; Mat 13:39. (Gen 3:1; Rev 20:10.)

Mat 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

by whom do your children cast them out?

Luk 9:49-50; 10:17; Act 19:13-16.

Mat 12:31 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.

sin

Sin. Scofield Romans 3:23, note.

forgiven [See also Mat 12:32.]

Forgiveness. Mat 12:31-32; 18:21, 27, 32, 35. (Lev 4:20; Mat 26:28.)

blasphemy

Ascribing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit. Cf. Mat 12:24, 32, 40.

Mat 12:32 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.

world

i.e. age.

Mat 12:33 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.

tree good

Mat 7:17, 18.

the tree is known by his fruit

Jas 3:12.

Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

generation

Progeny. Mat 3:7; 23:33.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

day of judgment

Day of Judgment. Mat 12:36, 41-42. (Mat 10:15; Rev 20:11).

Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

a sign

Mat 16:1-4; Mar 8:11; cf. Jhn 2:18-22.

Mat 12:39 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:

generation

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 12:46-50. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).

Mat 12:40 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.

Jonas

Jon 1:17.

Mat 12:41 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.

The men of Nineveh

Again the rejected King announces judgment (cf. Mat 10:20-24). Israel, in the midst of the Pharisaic revival of outward religious strictness, was like a man out of whom a demon had "gone," i.e, of his own volition. He would come back and find an empty house, etc. The personal application is to a mere self-cleansed moralist.

Jonah 3:5-9; Luke 11:32; see Scofield Nahum 1:1, note.

repented

Repentance. Mar 1:4. (Mat 3:2; Act 17:30.)

Mat 12:42 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.

The queen of the south

2Ch 9:1-12.

Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man

Luk 11:24-26.

Mat 12:45 Then 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.

generation

Cf. Scofield Matthew 24:34, note.

Mat 12:46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

his mother and his brethren stood without

Rejected by Israel, His "kinsmen according to the flesh" (cf. Rom 9:3), our Lord intimates the formation of the new family of faith which, overstepping mere racial claims, receives "whosoever" will be His disciple (Mat 12:49, 50. Cf. Jhn 6:28, 29).

Mat 12:47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

thy mother and thy brethren stand without

Mar 3:31-35; Luk 8:19-21.

Mat 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

whosoever shall do the will of my Father

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 13:1-50. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).