March through Matthew in a Month

Matthew 12

We continue our march through Matthew’s Gospel. May God strengthen our faith on this spiritual journey in His Holy and living Word.

Some Points to Ponder as we read Matthew 12:

1. Matthew 12:1-14 addresses the Sabbath. Jesus redefines the meaning of the Sabbath (“Day of Rest”). The Jews religiously observe the Sabbath—a day of rest—every Saturday. This day of rest connects us back to Genesis when God rested on the seventh day after creating everything. Jesus emphasizes that the Divine idea of Sabbath is now much more than human rest or the absence of work and observing many human traditions and rules.

+Jesus embodies and fulfills the Sabbath (Mt. 12:6 & 8)! He provides us with our ultimate earthly and eternal rest and perfect peace.

2. Matthew 12:18-21 quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 to show once again that Jesus is God’s chosen One (the Messiah) and the Fulfiller of prophecy.

3. After Jesus permits His disciples to pick grain and eat it and then heals a man on the Sabbath, the Pharisees are outraged and oppose Him strongly and accuse Him of performing His mighty acts by the power of Beelzebul (the prince of demons). Jesus responds to the Pharisees with four arguements to point out their errors (Mt. 12:22-30). As true man AND true God, Jesus knew their thoughts (verse 25).

4. In Matthew 12: Jesus says: 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Blasphemy is to slander, curse and reject God. This is also known as the sin against the Holy Spirit, the ONLY unforgiveable sin. This is when a person renounces faith and rejects the power, presence of God the Holy Spirit.

Our faith in Christ needs to be nourished and strengthened regularly with God’s saving Word and sacraments in order to remain strong and growing.

5. In Matthew 12:33-37 Jesus again uses the analogy of the fruit tree to help us understand the nature of living faith. What comes out of mouth reveals what is in our heart and mind.

6. In Matthew 12:38-42 Jesus directly compares Himself to Jonah and says the only sign we need is the sign of Jonah--who was in the stomach of the great fish, which is a preview of Christ’s own death, burial and Resurrection on the third day.

7. Matthew 12:46-50 says the mother and brothers of Jesus showed up wanting to speak to Him. Jesus gently rebuffs them to magnify that through the gift of Faith in Him He is our most important relationship and we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

We now read Matthew 12…    

Matthew 12 (ESV)

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” 3 He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

A Man with a Withered Hand

9 He went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

God's Chosen Servant

15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,

    my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.

I will put my Spirit upon him,

    and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,

    nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;

20 a bruised reed he will not break,

    and a smoldering wick he will not quench,

until he brings justice to victory;

21     and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

Return of an Unclean Spirit

43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Conclusion: The Lutheran Study Bible provides some beautiful, brief prayers in the lower explanatory notes for Matthew 12. We finish today with some of these powerful mini-prayers:

+Prayer+ Loving Savior, keep me from quibbling about trivial things and from neglecting Your Word.

Amen.

+Prayer+ Dearest Jesus, forgive me for the times I unlovingly find fault with others. Move me to do good as You have done good for me.

Amen.

+Prayer+ Lord Jesus Christ, continue to send Your Holy Spirit through Word and Sacrament to strengthen my faith in You as my only Savior.

Amen.

+Prayer+ Come Holy Spirit and make my heart Your dwelling place.

Amen.    

(All of these simple yet powerful prayers are from The Lutheran Study Bible, p.1604-1606; www.CPH.org)

Pastor Scott Schmieding

Senior Pastor

Immanuel Lutheran Church and School

115 S. Sixth Street

Saint Charles, MO 63301

636.946.2656