1AtG1722 thatG1565 timeG2540 JesusG2424 wentG4198 on the sabbathG4521 throughG1223 the grain fieldsG4702; andG1161 hisG846 disciplesG3101 were hungryG3983, andG2532 beganG756 to pluckG5089 the heads of grainG4719, andG2532 to eatG2068. 2ButG1161 when the PhariseesG5330 sawG1492 it, they saidG2036 to himG846, BeholdG2400, thyG4675 disciplesG3101 doG4160 that whichG3739 it isG1832 notG3756 lawfulG1832 to doG4160 onG1722 the sabbathG4521. 3ButG1161 he saidG2036 to themG846, Have yeG314 notG3756 readG314 whatG5101 DavidG1138 didG4160, whenG3753 heG846 was hungryG3983, andG2532 theyG3326 that were with himG846; 4HowG4459 he entered intoG1525 G1519 the houseG3624 of GodG2316, andG2532 ateG5315 the showbreadG740 G4286, whichG3739 it wasG2258 notG3756 lawfulG1832 for himG846 to eatG5315, neither forG3761 them whoG3326 were with himG846, butG1508 onlyG3441 for the priestsG2409? 5OrG2228 have yeG314 notG3756 readG314 inG1722 the lawG3551, thatG3754 on the sabbathG4521 the priestsG2409 inG1722 the templeG2411 profaneG953 the sabbathG4521, andG2532 areG1526 blamelessG338? 6ButG1161 I sayG3004 to youG5213, ThatG3754 in this placeG5602 is oneG2076 greater thanG3187 the templeG2411. 7ButG1161 ifG1487 ye had knownG1097 whatG5101 this meanethG2076, I will haveG2309 mercyG1656, andG2532 notG3756 sacrificeG2378, ye wouldG302 notG3756 have condemnedG2613 the guiltlessG338. 8ForG1063 the SonG5207 of manG444 isG2076 LordG2962 evenG2532 of the sabbathG4521. 9AndG2532 when he had departedG3327 from thereG1564, he wentG2064 intoG1519 theirG846 synagogueG4864: 10AndG2532, beholdG2400, there wasG2258 a manG444 who hadG2192 his handG5495 witheredG3584. AndG2532 they askedG1905 himG846, sayingG3004, Is it lawfulG1487 G1832 to healG2323 on the sabbathG4521? thatG2443 they might accuseG2723 himG846. 11AndG1161 he saidG2036 to themG846, WhatG5101 manG444 shall there beG2071 amongG1537 youG5216, thatG3739 shall haveG2192 oneG1520 sheepG4263, andG2532 ifG1437 itG5124 shall fallG1706 intoG1519 a pitG999 on the sabbathG4521, will heG2902 notG3780 lay holdG2902 on itG846, andG2532 lift it outG1453? 12How muchG4214 thenG3767 is a manG444 better thanG1308 a sheepG4263? ThereforeG5620 it is lawfulG1832 to doG4160 goodG2573 on the sabbath daysG4521. 13ThenG5119 saithG3004 he to the manG444, Stretch outG1614 thyG4675 handG5495. AndG2532 he stretched it outG1614; andG2532 it was restoredG600 as wholeG5199, asG5613 the otherG243. 14ThenG1161 the PhariseesG5330 went outG1831, and heldG2983 a councilG4824 againstG2596 himG846, howG3704 they might destroyG622 himG846. 15ButG1161 when JesusG2424 knewG1097 it, he withdrew himselfG402 from thereG1564: andG2532 greatG4183 multitudesG3793 followedG190 himG846, andG2532 he healedG2323 themG846 allG3956; 16AndG2532 chargedG2008 themG846 thatG3363 they shouldG4160 notG3363 makeG4160 himG846 knownG5318: 17ThatG3704 it might be fulfilledG4137 whichG3588 was spokenG4483 byG1223 IsaiahG2268 the prophetG4396, sayingG3004, 18BeholdG2400 myG3450 servantG3816, whomG3739 I have chosenG140; myG3450 belovedG27, inG1519 whomG3739 myG3450 soulG5590 is well pleasedG2106: I will putG5087 myG3450 spiritG4151 uponG1909 himG846, andG2532 he shall showG518 justiceG2920 to the GentilesG1484. 19He shallG2051 notG3756 quarrelG2051, norG3761 cryG2905; neitherG3761 shall any manG5100 hearG191 hisG846 voiceG5456 inG1722 the streetsG4113. 20A bruisedG4937 reedG2563 shall heG2608 notG3756 breakG2608, andG2532 smokingG5188 flaxG3043 shall heG4570 notG3756 quenchG4570, tillG2193 G302 he shall send forthG1544 justiceG2920 toG1519 victoryG3534. 21AndG2532 inG1722 hisG846 nameG3686 shallG1679 the GentilesG1484 trustG1679. 22ThenG5119 was broughtG4374 to himG846 one possessed with a demonG1139, blindG5185, andG2532 dumbG2974: andG2532 he healedG2323 himG846, so thatG5620 the blindG5185 andG2532 dumbG2974 bothG2532 spokeG2980 andG2532 sawG991. 23AndG2532 allG3956 the peopleG3793 were amazedG1839, andG2532 saidG3004, IsG2076 notG3385 thisG3778 the sonG5207 of DavidG1138? 24ButG1161 when the PhariseesG5330 heardG191 it, they saidG2036, ThisG3778 man dothG1544 notG3756 cast outG1544 demonsG1140, butG1508 byG1722 BeelzebubG954 the princeG758 of the demonsG1140. 25AndG1161 JesusG2424 knewG1492 theirG846 thoughtsG1761, and saidG2036 to themG846, EveryG3956 kingdomG932 dividedG3307 againstG2596 itselfG1438 is brought to desolationG2049; andG2532 everyG3956 cityG4172 orG2228 houseG3614 dividedG3307 againstG2596 itselfG1438 shallG2476 notG3756 standG2476: 26AndG2532 ifG1487 SatanG4567 casteth outG1544 SatanG4567, he is dividedG3307 againstG1909 himselfG1438; howG4459 thenG3767 shallG2476 hisG846 kingdomG932 standG2476? 27AndG2532 ifG1487 IG1473 byG1722 BeelzebubG954 cast outG1544 demonsG1140, byG1722 whomG5101 do yourG5216 childrenG5207 cast them outG1544? thereforeG5124 G1223 theyG846 shall beG2071 yourG5216 judgesG2923. 28ButG1161 ifG1487 IG1473 cast outG1544 demonsG1140 byG1722 the SpiritG4151 of GodG2316, thenG686 the kingdomG932 of GodG2316 is comeG5348 toG1909 youG5209. 29OrG2228 else howG4459 canG1410 oneG5100 enterG1525 intoG1519 a strong man’sG2478 houseG3614, andG2532 seizeG1283 hisG846 goodsG4632, exceptG3362 he shall firstG4412 bindG1210 the strong manG2478? andG2532 thenG5119 he will plunderG1283 hisG846 houseG3614. 30He that isG5607 notG3361 withG3326 meG1700 isG2076 againstG2596 meG1700; andG2532 he that gatherethG4863 notG3361 withG3326 meG1700 scattereth abroadG4650. 31ThereforeG1223 G5124 I sayG3004 to youG5213, All manner ofG3956 sinG266 andG2532 blasphemyG988 shall be forgivenG863 to menG444: butG1161 the blasphemyG988 against the Holy SpiritG4151 shallG863 notG3756 be forgivenG863 to menG444. 32AndG2532 whoeverG3739 G302 speakethG2036 a wordG3056 againstG2596 the SonG5207 of manG444, it shall be forgivenG863 himG846: butG3739 whoeverG1161 G302 speakethG2036 againstG2596 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151, it shallG863 notG3756 be forgivenG863 himG846, neitherG3777 inG1722 thisG5129 worldG165, neitherG3777 inG1722 the world to comeG3195. 33EitherG2228 makeG4160 the treeG1186 goodG2570, andG2532 itsG846 fruitG2590 goodG2570; or elseG2228 makeG4160 the treeG1186 corruptG4550, andG2532 itsG846 fruitG2590 corruptG4550: forG1063 the treeG1186 is knownG1097 byG1537 its fruitG2590. 34O generationG1081 of vipersG2191, howG4459 can yeG1410, beingG5607 evilG4190, speakG2980 good thingsG18? forG1063 out ofG1537 the abundanceG4051 of the heartG2588 the mouthG4750 speakethG2980. 35A goodG18 manG444 out ofG1537 the goodG18 treasureG2344 of the heartG2588 bringeth forthG1544 good thingsG18: andG2532 an evilG4190 manG444 out ofG1537 the evilG4190 treasureG2344 bringeth forthG1544 evil thingsG4190. 36ButG1161 I sayG3004 to youG5213, ThatG3754 for everyG3956 idleG692 wordG4487 thatG3739 G1437 menG444 shall speakG2980, they shall giveG591 accountG3056 forG4012 itG846 inG1722 the dayG2250 of judgmentG2920. 37ForG1063 byG1537 thyG4675 wordsG3056 thou shalt be justifiedG1344, andG2532 byG1537 thyG4675 wordsG3056 thou shalt be condemnedG2613. 38ThenG5119 certainG5100 of the scribesG1122 andG2532 of the PhariseesG5330 answeredG611, sayingG3004, MasterG1320, we wouldG2309 seeG1492 a signG4592 fromG575 theeG4675. 39ButG1161 he answeredG611 and saidG2036 to themG846, An evilG4190 andG2532 adulterousG3428 generationG1074 seeketh forG1934 a signG4592; andG2532 there shall noG3756 signG4592 be givenG1325 to itG846, butG1508 the signG4592 of the prophetG4396 JonahG2495: 40ForG1063 asG5618 JonahG2495 wasG2258 threeG5140 daysG2250 andG2532 threeG5140 nightsG3571 inG1722 the bellyG2836 of the great fishG2785 soG3779 shall the SonG5207 of manG444 beG2071 threeG5140 daysG2250 andG2532 threeG5140 nightsG3571 inG1722 the heartG2588 of the earthG1093. 41The menG435 of NinevehG3536 shall riseG450 inG1722 judgmentG2920 withG3326 thisG5026 generationG1074, andG2532 shall condemnG2632 itG846: becauseG3754 they repentedG3340 atG1519 the preachingG2782 of JonahG2495; andG2532, beholdG2400, a greater thanG4119 JonahG2495 is hereG5602. 42The queenG938 of the southG3558 shall rise upG1453 inG1722 the judgmentG2920 withG3326 thisG5026 generationG1074, andG2532 shall condemnG2632 itG846: forG3754 she cameG2064 fromG1537 the endsG4009 of the earthG1093 to hearG191 the wisdomG4678 of SolomonG4672; andG2532, beholdG2400, a greater thanG4119 SolomonG4672 is hereG5602. 43WhenG3752 the uncleanG169 spiritG4151 is goneG1831 out ofG575 a manG444, he walkethG1330 throughG1223 dryG504 placesG5117, seekingG2212 restG372, andG2532 he findethG2147 noneG3756. 44ThenG5119 he saithG3004, I will returnG1994 intoG1519 myG3450 houseG3624 from whichG3606 I came outG1831; andG2532 when he is comeG2064, he findethG2147 it emptyG4980, sweptG4563, andG2532 garnishedG2885. 45ThenG5119 goeth heG4198, andG2532 takethG3880 withG3326 himselfG1438 sevenG2033 otherG2087 spiritsG4151 more wickedG4191 than himselfG1438, andG2532 they enter inG1525 and dwellG2730 thereG1563: andG2532 the lastG2078 state of thatG1565 manG444 isG1096 worse thanG5501 the firstG4413. Even soG3779 shall it beG2071 alsoG2532 to thisG5026 wickedG4190 generationG1074. 46WhileG2089 heG846 was yetG1161 speakingG2980 to the peopleG3793, beholdG2400, his motherG3384 andG2532 hisG846 brethrenG80 stoodG2476 outsideG1854, desiringG2212 to speakG2980 with himG846. 47ThenG1161 oneG5100 saidG2036 to himG846, BeholdG2400, thyG4675 motherG3384 andG2532 thyG4675 brethrenG80 standG2476 outsideG1854, desiringG2212 to speakG2980 with theeG4671. 48ButG1161 he answeredG611 and saidG2036 to him that toldG2036 himG846, WhoG5101 isG2076 myG3450 motherG3384? andG2532 whoG5101 areG1526 myG3450 brethrenG80? 49AndG2532 he stretched forthG1614 hisG846 handG5495 towardG1909 hisG846 disciplesG3101, and saidG2036, BeholdG2400 myG3450 motherG3384 andG2532 myG3450 brethrenG80! 50ForG1063 whoeverG3748 G302 shall doG4160 the willG2307 of myG3450 FatherG3962 whoG3588 is inG1722 heavenG3772, the sameG846 isG2076 myG3450 brotherG80, andG2532 sisterG79, andG2532 motherG3384.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 PLUCKING CORN EARS ON THE SABBATH DAY. ( =
Mark 2:23-
Mark 2:28;
Luke 6:1-
Luke 6:5). (
Matt 12:1-
Matt 12:8)
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn--"the cornfields" (
Mark 2:23;
Luke 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" (
Luke 6:1).
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day--The act itself was expressly permitted (
Deut 23:25). But as being "servile work," which was prohibited on the sabbath day, it was regarded as sinful.
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read--or, as Mark (
Mark 2:25) has it, "Have ye never read."
what David did when he was an hungered, and they that were with him-- (
1Sam 21:1-6)
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?--No example could be more apposite than this. The man after God's own heart, of whom the Jews ever boasted, when suffering in God's cause and straitened for provisions, asked and obtained from the high priest what, according to the law, it was illegal for anyone save the priests to touch. Mark (
Mark 2:26) says this occurred "in the days of Abiathar the high priest." But this means not during his high priesthood--for it was under that of his father Ahimelech--but simply, in his time. Ahimelech was soon succeeded by Abiathar, whose connection with David, and prominence during his reign, may account for his name, rather than his father's, being here introduced. Yet there is not a little confusion in what is said of these priests in different parts of the Old Testament. Thus he is called both the son of the father of Ahimelech (
1Sam 22:20;
2Sam 8:17); and Ahimelech is called Ahiah (
1Sam 14:3), and Abimelech (
1Chr 18:16).
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath--by doing "servile work."
and are blameless?--The double offerings required on the sabbath day (
Num 28:9) could not be presented, and the new-baked showbread (
Lev 24:5;
1Chr 9:32) could not be prepared and presented every sabbath morning, without a good deal of servile work on the part of the priests; not to speak of circumcision, which, when the child's eighth day happened to fall on a sabbath, had to be performed by the priests on that day. (See on
John 7:22-
John 7:23).
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple--or rather, according to the reading which is best supported, "something greater." The argument stands thus: "The ordinary rules for the observance of the sabbath give way before the requirements of the temple; but there are rights here before which the temple itself must give way." Thus indirectly, but not the less decidedly, does our Lord put in His own claims to consideration in this question--claims to be presently put in even more nakedly.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice-- (
Hos 6:6;
Mic 6:6-
Mic 6:8, &c.). See on
Matt 9:13.
ye would not have condemned the guiltless--that is, Had ye understood the great principle of all religion, which the Scripture everywhere recognizes--that ceremonial observances must give way before moral duties, and particularly the necessities of nature--ye would have refrained from these captious complaints against men who in this matter are blameless. But our Lord added a specific application of this great principle to the law of the sabbath, preserved only in Mark: "And he said unto them, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (
Mark 2:27). A glorious and far-reaching maxim, alike for the permanent establishment of the sabbath and the true freedom of its observance.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day--In what sense now is the Son of man Lord of the sabbath day? Not surely to abolish it--that surely were a strange lordship, especially just after saying that it was made or instituted for MAN--but to own it, to interpret it, to preside over it, and to ennoble it, by merging it in the "Lord's Day" (
Rev 1:10), breathing into it an air of liberty and love necessarily unknown before, and thus making it the nearest resemblance to the eternal sabbatism.
9 THE HEALING OF A WITHERED HAND ON THE SABBATH DAY AND RETIREMENT OF JESUS TO AVOID DANGER. ( =
Mark 3:1-
Mark 3:12;
Luke 6:6-
Luke 6:11). (
Matt 12:9-
Matt 12:21)
And when he was departed thence--but "on another sabbath" (
Luke 6:6).
he went into their synagogue--and taught," He had now, no doubt, arrived in Galilee; but this, it would appear, did not occur at Capernaum, for after it was over, He "withdrew Himelf," it is said "to the sea" (
Mark 3:7), whereas Capernaum was at the sea.
And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered--disabled by paralysis (as in
1Kgs 13:4). It was his right hand, as Luke (
Luke 6:6) graphically notes. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him--Mark and Luke (
Mark 3:2;
Luke 6:7) say they "watched Him whether He would heal on the sabbath day." They were now come to the length of dogging His steps, to collect materials for a charge of impiety against Him. It is probable that it was to their thoughts rather than their words that Jesus addressed Himself in what follows.
11 And 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?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep?--Resistless appeal! "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast" (
Pro 12:10), and would instinctively rescue it from death or suffering on the sabbath day; how much more his nobler fellow man! But the reasoning, as given in the other two Gospels, is singularly striking: "But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life or to destroy it?" (
Luke 6:8-
Luke 6:9), or as in Mark (
Mark 3:4), "to kill?" He thus shuts them up to this startling alternative: "Not to do good, when it is in the power of our hand to do it, is to do evil; not to save life, when we can, is to kill"--and must the letter of the sabbath rest be kept at this expense? This unexpected thrust shut their mouths. By this great ethical principle our Lord, we see, held Himself bound, as man. But here we must turn to Mark, whose graphic details make the second Gospel so exceedingly precious. "When He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man" (
Mark 3:5). This is one of the very few passages in the Gospel history which reveal our Lord's feelings. How holy this anger was appears from the "grief" which mingled with it at "the hardness of their hearts."
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth--the power to obey going forth with the word of command.
and it was restored whole, like as the other--The poor man, having faith in this wonderful Healer--which no doubt the whole scene would singularly help to strengthen--disregarded the proud and venomous Pharisees, and thus gloriously put them to shame.
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him--This is the first explicit mention of their murderous designs against our Lord. Luke (
Luke 6:11) says, they were filled with madness, and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus." But their doubt was not, whether to get rid of Him, but how to compass it. Mark (
Mark 3:6), as usual, is more definite: "The Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him." These Herodians were supporters of Herod's dynasty, created by Cćsar--a political rather than religious party. The Pharisees regarded them as untrue to their religion and country. But here we see them combining together against Christ as a common enemy. So on a subsequent occasion (
Matt 22:15-
Matt 22:16).
Jesus Retires to Avoid Danger (
Matt 12:15-
Matt 12:21).
15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence--whither, our Evangelist says not; but Mark (
Mark 3:7) says "it was to the sea"--to some distance, no doubt, from the scene of the miracle, the madness, and the plotting just recorded.
and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all--Mark gives the following interesting details: "A great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things He did, came unto Him. And He spake to His disciples, that a small ship should wait on Him because of the multitude, lest they should throng Him. For He had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon Him for to touch Him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And He straitly charged them that they should not make Him known" (
Mark 3:7-
Mark 3:12). How glorious this extorted homage to the Son of God! But as this was not the time, so neither were they the fitting preachers, as BENGEL says. (See on
Mark 1:25, and compare
Jas 2:19). Coming back now to our Evangelist: after saying, "He healed them all," he continues:
16 And charged them--the healed.
that they should not make him known--(See on
Matt 8:4).
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying-- (
Isa 42:1).
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 show judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not strive nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory--"unto truth," says the Hebrew original, and the Septuagint also. But our Evangelist merely seizes the spirit, instead of the letter of the prediction in this point. The grandeur and completeness of Messiah's victories would prove, it seems, not more wonderful than the unobtrusive noiselessness with which they were to be achieved. And whereas one rough touch will break a bruised reed, and quench the flickering, smoking flax, His it should be, with matchless tenderness, love, and skill, to lift up the meek, to strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees, to comfort all that mourn, to say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not.
21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust--Part of His present audience were Gentiles--from Tyre and Sidon--first-fruits of the great Gentile harvest contemplated in the prophecy.
22 A BLIND AND DUMB DEMONIAC HEALED AND REPLY TO THE MALIGNANT EXPLANATION PUT UPON IT. ( =
Mark 3:20-
Mark 3:30;
Luke 11:14-
Luke 11:23). (Mat. 12:22-37)
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil--"a demonized person."
blind and dumb, and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and the dumb both spake and saw.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?--The form of the interrogative requires this to be rendered, "Is this the Son of David?" And as questions put in this form (in Greek) suppose doubt, and expect rather a negative answer, the meaning is, "Can it possibly be?"--the people thus indicating their secret impression that this must be He; yet saving themselves from the wrath of the ecclesiastics, which a direct assertion of it would have brought upon them. (On a similar question, see on
John 4:29; and on the phrase, "Son of David," see on
Matt 9:27).
24 But when the Pharisees heard it--Mark (
Mark 3:22) says, "the scribes which came down from Jerusalem"; so that this had been a hostile party of the ecclesiastics, who had come all the way from Jerusalem to collect materials for a charge against Him. (See on
Matt 12:14).
they said, This fellow--an expression of contempt.
doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub--rather, "Beelzebul" (see on
Matt 10:25).
the prince of the devils--Two things are here implied--first, that the bitterest enemies of our Lord were unable to deny the reality of His miracles; and next, that they believed in an organized internal kingdom of evil, under one chief. This belief would be of small consequence, had not our Lord set His seal to it; but this He immediately does. Stung by the unsophisticated testimony of "all the people," they had no way of holding out against His claims but the desperate shift of ascribing His miracles to Satan.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts--"called them" (
Mark 3:23).
and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand--"house," that is, "household"
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?--The argument here is irresistible. "No organized society can stand--whether kingdom, city, or household--when turned against itself; such intestine war is suicidal: But the works I do are destructive of Satan's kingdom: That I should be in league with Satan, therefore, is incredible and absurd."
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children--"your sons," meaning here the "disciples" or pupils of the Pharisees, who were so termed after the familiar language of the Old Testament in speaking of the sons of the prophets (
1Kgs 20:35;
2Kgs 2:3, &c.). Our Lord here seems to admit that such works were wrought by them; in which case the Pharisees stood self-condemned, as expressed in Luke (
Luke 11:19), "Therefore shall they be your judges."
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God--In Luke (
Luke 11:20) it is, "with (or 'by') the finger of God." This latter expression is just a figurative way of representing the power of God, while the former tells us the living Personal Agent was made use of by the Lord Jesus in every exercise of that power.
then--"no doubt" (
Luke 11:20).
the kingdom of God is come unto you--rather "upon you," as the same expression is rendered in Luke (
Luke 11:20): --that is, "If this expulsion of Satan is, and can be, by no other than the Spirit of God, then is his Destroyer already in the midst of you, and that kingdom which is destined to supplant his is already rising on its ruins."
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house--or rather, "the 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--On this important parable, in connection with the corresponding one (
Matt 12:43-
Matt 12:45), see on
Luke 11:21-
Luke 11:26.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men--The word "blasphemy" properly signifies "detraction," or "slander." In the New Testament it is applied, as it is here, to vituperation directed against God as well as against men; and in this sense it is to be understood as an aggravated form of sin. Well, says our Lord, all sin--whether in its ordinary or its more aggravated forms--shall find forgiveness with God. Accordingly, in Mark (
Mark 3:28) the language is still stronger: "All sin shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme." There is no sin whatever, it seems, of which it may be said. "That is not a pardonable sin." This glorious assurance is not to be limited by what follows; but, on the contrary, what follows is to be explained by this.
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--In Mark the language is awfully strong, "hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation"--or rather, according to what appears to be the preferable though very unusual reading, "in danger of eternal guilt"--a guilt which he will underlie for ever. Mark has the important addition (
Mark 3:30), "Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit." (See on
Matt 10:25). What, then, is this sin against the Holy Ghost--the unpardonable sin? One thing is clear: Its unpardonableness cannot arise from anything in the nature of sin itself; for that would be a naked contradiction to the emphatic declaration of
Matt 12:31, that all manner of sin is pardonable. And what is this but the fundamental truth of the Gospel? (See
Acts 13:38-
Acts 13:39;
Rom 3:22,
Rom 3:24;
1John 1:7, &c.). Then, again when it is said (
Matt 12:32), that to speak against or blaspheme the Son of man is pardonable, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is not pardonable, it is not to be conceived that this arises from any greater sanctity in the one blessed Person than the other. These remarks so narrow the question that the true sense of our Lord's words seem to disclose themselves at once. It is a contrast between slandering "the Son of man" in His veiled condition and unfinished work--which might be done "ignorantly, in unbelief" (
1Tim 1:13), and slandering the same blessed Person after the blaze of glory which the Holy Ghost was soon to throw around His claims, and in the full knowledge of all that. This would be to slander Him with eyes open, or to do it "presumptuously." To blaspheme Christ in the former condition--when even the apostles stumbled at many things--left them still open to conviction on fuller light: but to blaspheme Him in the latter condition would be to hate the light the clearer it became, and resolutely to shut it out; which, of course, precludes salvation. (See on
Heb 10:26-
Heb 10:29). The Pharisees had not as yet done this; but in charging Jesus with being in league with hell they were displaying beforehand a malignant determination to shut their eyes to all evidence, and so, bordering upon, and in spirit committing, the unpardonable sin.
33 Either make the tree good, &c.
34 O generation of vipers--(See on
Matt 3:7).
how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh--a principle obvious enough, yet of deepest significance and vast application. In
Luke 6:45 we find it uttered as part of the discourse delivered after the choice of the apostles.
35 A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things--or, "putteth forth good things":
and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things--or "putteth forth evil things." The word "putteth " indicates the spontaneity of what comes from the heart; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh. We have here a new application of a former saying (see on
Matt 7:16-
Matt 7:20). Here, the sentiment is, "There are but two kingdoms, interests, parties--with the proper workings of each: If I promote the one, I cannot belong to the other; but they that set themselves in wilful opposition to the kingdom of light openly proclaim to what other kingdom they belong. As for you, in what ye have now uttered, ye have but revealed the venomous malignity of your hearts."
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment--They might say, "It was nothing: we meant no evil; we merely threw out a supposition, as one way of accounting for the miracle we witnessed; if it will not stand, let it go; why make so much of it, and bear down with such severity for it?" Jesus replies, "It was not nothing, and at the great day will not be treated as nothing: Words, as the index of the heart, however idle they may seem, will be taken account of, whether good or bad, in estimating character in the day of judgment."
38 A SIGN DEMANDED AND THE REPLY--HIS MOTHER AND BRETHREN SEEK TO SPEAK WITH HIM, AND THE ANSWER. ( =
Luke 11:16,
Luke 11:24-
Luke 11:36;
Mark 3:31-
Mark 3:35;
Luke 8:19-
Luke 8:21). (
Matt 12:38-
Matt 12:50)
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master--"Teacher," equivalent to "Rabbi."
we would see a sign from thee--"a sign from heaven" (
Luke 11:16); something of an immediate and decisive nature, to show, not that His miracles were real--that they seemed willing to concede--but that they were from above, not from beneath. These were not the same class with those who charged Him with being in league with Satan (as we see from
Luke 11:15-
Luke 11:16); but as the spirit of both was similar, the tone of severe rebuke is continued.
39 But he answered and said unto them--"when the people were gathered thick together" (
Luke 11:29).
An evil and adulterous generation--This latter expression is best explained by
Jer 3:20, "Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord." For this was the relationship in which He stood to the covenant-people--"I am married unto you" (
Jer 3:14).
seeketh after a sign--In the eye of Jesus this class were but the spokesmen of their generation, the exponents of the reigning spirit of unbelief.
and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.
40 For as Jonas was--"a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation" (
Luke 11:30). For as Jonas was
three days and three nights in the whale's belly-- (
Jonah 1:17).
so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth--This was the second public announcement of His resurrection three days after His death. (For the first, see
John 2:19). Jonah's case was analogous to this, as being a signal judgment of God; reversed in three days; and followed by a glorious mission to the Gentiles. The expression "in the heart of the earth," suggested by the expression of Jonah with respect to the sea (
Jonah 2:3, in the Septuagint), means simply the grave, but this considered as the most emphatic expression of real and total entombment. The period during which He was to lie in the grave is here expressed in round numbers, according to the Jewish way of speaking, which was to regard any part of a day, however small, included within a period of days, as a full day. (See
1Sam 30:12-13;
Esth 4:16;
Esth 5:1;
Matt 27:63-
Matt 27:64, &c.).
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, &c.--The Ninevites, though heathens, repented at a man's preaching; while they, God's covenant-people, repented not at the preaching of the Son of God--whose supreme dignity is rather implied here than expressed.
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, &c.--The queen of Sheba (a tract in Arabia, near the shores of the Red Sea) came from a remote country, "south" of Judea, to hear the wisdom of a mere man, though a gifted one, and was transported with wonder at what she saw and heard (
1Kgs 10:1-9). They, when a Greater than Solomon had come to them, despised and rejected, slighted and slandered Him.
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, &c.--On this important parable, in connection with the corresponding one (
Matt 12:29) see on
Luke 11:21-
Luke 11:26.
A charming little incident, given only in
Luke 11:27-
Luke 11:28, seems to have its proper place here.
Luke 11:27 :
And it came to pass, as He spake these things, a certain woman of the company--out of the crowd.
lifted up her voice and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked--With true womanly feeling she envies the mother of such a wonderful Teacher. And a higher and better than she had said as much before her (see on
Luke 1:28). How does our Lord, then, treat it? He is far from condemning it. He only holds up as "blessed rather" another class:
Luke 11:28 :
But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it--in other words, the humblest real saint of God. How utterly alien is this sentiment from the teaching of the Church of Rome, which would doubtless excommunicate any one of its members that dared to talk in such a strain!
His Mother and Brethren Seek to Speak with Hint and the Answer (
Matt 12:46-
Matt 12:50).
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren--(See on
Matt 13:55-
Matt 13:56).
stood without, desiring to speak with him--"and could not come at Him for the press" (
Luke 8:19). For what purpose these came, we learn from
Mark 3:20-
Mark 3:21. In His zeal and ardor He seemed indifferent both to food and repose, and "they went to lay hold of Him" as one "beside Himself." Mark (
Mark 3:32) says graphically, "And the multitude sat about Him"--or "around Him."
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee, &c.--Absorbed in the awful warnings He was pouring forth. He felt this to be an unseasonable interruption, fitted to dissipate the impression made upon the large audience--such an interruption as duty to the nearest relatives did not require Him to give way to. But instead of a direct rebuke, He seizes on the incident to convey a sublime lesson, expressed in a style of inimitable condescension.
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples--How graphic is this! It is the language evidently of an eye-witness.
and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother--that is, "There stand here the members of a family transcending and surviving this of earth: Filial subjection to the will of My Father in heaven is the indissoluble bond of union between Me and all its members; and whosoever enters this hallowed circle becomes to Me brother, and sister, and mother!"
