Time and again the religious came with accusations, with questions to trap Jesus and somehow catch him breaking the law of Moses. But Jesus was operating under the unction of the Holy Spirit, the same spirit that crafted that law. Their problem was that they had not recognized that Jesus was operating out of love and compassion and there is no law against love. So, Jesus cautions them in Matthew 12:32 “And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him either in this age or in the coming one!” but unlike those hearing Jonah in Ninevah, these do not repent. They cannot be saved. But, today, this same Holy Spirit is at work, “the Advocate” in John 16:7. It is the same Holy Spirit poured out on believers in Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message.
I Want Mercy and Not Sacrifice
Is It Permitted to Heal on the Sabbath?
Matthew 12:9–14
There are always those religious people, looking to accuse, trying to expose someone for doing wrong. Here, without any compassion for this man and knowing that it isn’t permitted to do any work on the Sabbath, they ask is it permitted to heal, not because they want an answer to that question, but to catch Jesus breaking the Sabbath law in
Matthew 12:10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?” in order that they could accuse him.
Jesus knew that it was permitted to help an injured animal at any time and any one of them would, even on the Sabbath so responds in
Matthew 12:11–12 But he said to them, “What man will there be among you who will have one sheep and if this one fell into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Then to what degree is a man worth more than a sheep? So then, it is permitted to do good on the Sabbath.”
and Jesus healed him in Matthew 12:13.
He Healed Them All
The Kingdom of God Has Come Upon You
Matthew 12:22–32
Jesus continued going around and doing good and healing and in
Matthew 12:22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to him. And he healed him so that the man who was mute could speak and see.
All of the crowds recognized the power of God at work in
Matthew 12:23 And all the crowds were amazed and began saying, “Perhaps this one is the Son of David!”
But the religious, the Pharisees, again came judging Jesus actions. He isn’t from their group so they think he must be working evil in
Matthew 12:24 But the Pharisees, when they heard it, said, “This man does not expel demons except by Beelzebul the ruler of demons!”
Jesus responds in
Matthew 12:27–28 And if I expel demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons expel them? For this reason they will be your judges! 28 But if I expel demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you!
What Jesus is saying is, “I expel demons by the Spirit of God”. Jesus did not expel demons before the Holy Spirit descended on him. Then Jesus clarifies that their accusation was not against him, “the Son of Man” but it was against the Holy Spirit in
Matthew 12:32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him either in this age or in the coming one!
This is the same Spirit that Jesus said would come in
John 16:7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
This is the same Holy Spirit Jesus told his apostles to wait for in
Acts 1:4–5 And while he was with them, he commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for what was promised by the Father, which you heard about from me. 5 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
By Your Words You Will Be Vindicated
They Repented At the Proclamation
Matthew 12:38–42
After all of their accusations, after witnessing healings, miracles at Jesus hands, these same religious people come in
Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you!”
Contrary to what some believe, Jesus didn’t always give a soft and gentle, what we would call loving, response. He calls them evil and adulterous in
Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation desires a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah!
Even the apostles missed the meaning of this “sign of the prophet Jonah”. Jesus told them he was going away but even his disciples didn’t understand until after his resurrection. But his message is clear to us now, He, Jesus died on the cross, His blood, His life for ours and after three days, he rose to take His place at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Jesus tells them, some of the wisest people that ever lived will testify against them in
Matthew 12:42 The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here!
Solomon was a great king, wise, wealthy, blessed, but something greater was right in front of them and they didn’t know it, they couldn’t see it and because they couldn’t, they did not repent and there was no salvation for them.
Whenever An Unclean Spirit Has Gone
Matthew 12:43–45
Study Verses
- Matthew 12:9–14 Is It Permitted to Heal on the Sabbath?
- Matthew 12:22–32 The Kingdom of God Has Come Upon You
- Matthew 12:38–42 They Repented At the Proclamation
Today’s Reading
- Matthew 12:1-45