Matthew

Chapter 12
{The Rejection of the King}
{The Unpardonable Sin is really an Unpardonable ACT - Rejection of Christ}
{Background of the Unpardonable Sin - verses 1-23}
12:1~~At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick the ears and kept on eating {a religious taboo-legalism}.

{Note: Fields for the poor, who would wait at the edge of the field until the Sabbath was over.}

12:2~~When the Pharisees saw this they said to Him {Jesus}, "Look, your disciples are doing something illegal on the Sabbath."

{Note: According to the laws THEY had made not in the Mosaic Law itself.}

{Biblical Defense - Verses 3-7}
12:3~~He {Jesus} said to them, "Haven't you read what David did {I Samuel 21} when he and those with him were hungry . . ." 12:4~~how he went into the house of God and they ate the bread of presentation, which was not lawful for him or those with him to eat, but only for the priests?"

12:5~~"Or have you not read in the law {Numbers 28: 9-10} that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty?"

12:6~~"I {Jesus} tell you that something greater than the temple is here."

{Note: Jesus is greater than the temple and all that was in it. All the items in the temple pointed to the Messiah and His person and work.}

12:7~~"But if you had known what this means -and you don't - 'I want mercy and not sacrifice,' {Hosea 6:6} you would not have condemned the innocent."

{Note: Jesus is pointing out that the Sabbath has been misunderstood and religion is out of line. Ok to do anything on any day! Live every day as unto the Lord!}

12:8~~"For the Son of Man is Deity/Lord of the Sabbath."

{Note: The Sabbath was a day set aside to demonstrate the grace of God in all creation. It was not an excuse for legalism.}

12:9~~Then Jesus left that place and went into their synagogue.

12:10~~A man was there with a withered hand. And they asked Him {Jesus}, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they could accuse Him.

{Note: The Talmud was filled with legalism that did not come from the Mosaic Law. There were almost 2500 things prohibited to do on the Sabbath. One was if you were cut, you were prohibited from 'working' to stop the bleeding! How much more to heal is the point here! The religious Jews confused the tabooism of the Talmud with the Mosaic Law.}

12:11~~He {Jesus} said to them, "Would not anyone of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out?"

{Note: Jesus hit them where it hurt! MONEY! Religion always depends on MONEY! Every one of these religious leaders/Pharisees would save part of their fortune even on the Sabbath!}

12:12~~"How much more valuable is a person than a sheep?!? Therefore, it is lawful to do right/good on the Sabbath."

{Credit Card Defense - He IS God - Miracles were used to prove who and what He is}
12:13~~Then He {Jesus} said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other.

12:14~~But the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him {Jesus}, as to how they could assassinate Him {they could not refute His logic so now the big plot}.

12:15~~Now when Jesus learned of this, He went away from there. Great crowds followed Him, and He healed them all.

12:16~~But He sternly commanded/warned them not to make Him known.

{Note: Why? Because Jesus Christ Himself had to present His credit card per the Old Testament scriptures.}

12:17-21~~For the purpose that it might be fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet {Isaiah 42: 1-4}: 12:18~~
  "Here is My Servant Whom I have chosen,

  My Beloved One, in Whom I am well pleased {take great delight}.

  I will put My Spirit {God the Holy Spirit} in Him {prototype divine dynasphere - God the Holy Spirit sustains Him as He sustains all believers in the Church Age},

  and He will proclaim justice to the nations. 12:19~~

  He will not quarrel or cry out {Jesus was NOT a cry baby},

  nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 12:20~~

  He will not break - a blade of grass being stepped on {goes down and back up - resurrection}

  or extinguish/quench a candle's smoldering wick {the cross},

  until He brings justice to victory { all sins required judgment - and were - the cross}. 12:21~~

  And the Gentiles will trust {elpizo - absolute confidence - have faith} in His Name."

12:22~~Then they brought to Him {Jesus} a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus removed the demon so that he kept on speaking and speaking and looking and looking.

{Note: Present Active Infinitives - The man kept on speaking and speaking and looking around and looking around as long as he could stay awake!}

12:23~~All the crowds kept on being amazed and kept on saying, "Could this One be the Son of David?

{Note: This was a rhetorical question. The different people in the crowd caught on at different times that Jesus is the Messiah. But, the religious crowd rejects the idea that Jesus is the Messiah and will slander the Lord, thereby committing the unpardonable sin - rejection of Christ.}

{The Unpardonable Sin - See John 3:18 - rejection of Christ in all dispensations is unpardonable - takes different forms in different ages}

12:24~~But when the Pharisees heard this they said {said to themselves - thought it - per the next verse}, "This One does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub {Beelzeboul}, the prince of demons!"

{Note: The reaction of the religious people is exactly the opposite of the people. They can not claim the miracles did not happen! They deny the source of the power! They try to explain away the credit card of the Messiah/Christ.}

{Note: Beelzeboul is a title of derision for Satan and means 'prince of dung' in Philistine transliteration.}

12:25~~And being aware of what they thought {perfect tense - He knew it in the past and still knew what they were thinking - omniscience}, He {Jesus} said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no city or house divided against itself will stand."

{Note: Jesus is pointing out how stupid their thoughts were. If he were associated with Satan, then he would NOT cast out demons. This was a well-known axiom of the day. And, He uses it in 26-28 in irrefutable logic.}

{Debater's technique - assuming what is false to be true to prove that this is illogical}
12:26~~"And, if {let's assume it is true - for the sake of argument} Satan casts out Satan-he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?"

{Jesus gives the logic and twist and completely disarms them}
12:27~~"And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons {great prophets of the past} cast them out? Therefore they {Old Testament Prophets} will be your judges."

{Note: They had documented and taught that all the miracles performed in the past were by God. Jesus is now hitting them with, 'Were the prophets of the past, servants of Satan?' These Pharisees and Scribes are on record as saying the miracles were of God! Are they now going to deny it?}

12:28~~"But if I keep on casting out demons by the Spirit of God - and I do (!)- then {logical conclusion} the kingdom of God {Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the King has come!} has come upon you."

12:29~~"Or else, how can someone enter a strong man's house {the devil's world} and carry off his property, unless He first ties up the strong man? Then He can thoroughly plunder the house.

{Note: Christ is saying He is in constant battle with Satan and His demons. The demons were armed and waiting and ready for Him. But His power was greater then Satan and all demons.}

{Note: The 'strong' here doesn't refer to physical strength, rather someone who is prepared for your attack - well fortified and waiting for the attack.}

12:30~~"Whoever is not with Me is against Me {the Pharisees}, and whoever does not gather {through evangelism} with Me scatters {idiom for Judgment - no salvation without Christ}."

{Second Statement of the Unpardonable Sin}
12:31~~"For this reason I keep telling you, all manner/categories of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven with reference to mankind, but the blasphemy of the {Holy} Spirit {rejection of Christ} will not be forgiven with reference to men."

{Note: Jesus is performing miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit's ministry to present to mankind the real issue - salvation is Faith in Christ. Rejection of the gospel is to slander or blaspheme the convincing work of the Holy Spirit. So while the penalty for all their sins will be paid, the 'sin' of disbelief of these people will not be judged on the cross. So, they will have to stand on their own works on the Day of Judgment.}

12:32~~"Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him {Saul of Tarsus - Paul - is a good example - he spoke against Jesus}. But anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this age {age of Israel - Jewish Age} nor the age to come {Church Age - began 10 days after Jesus' Ascension}."

{Jesus' Salvation message to the Pharisees}
12:33~~"Either make the Tree good {recognize Me for what I am} and its fruit good {Ministry/Work of Christ}, or else make a tree corrupt/putrid/rotten {by rejecting Christ} and its fruit rotten . . . for a tree is known by its fruit."

{Note: This is a salvation verse. Jesus is saying they can change their status at any time - just recognize Who He is and put their Faith in Him - repent! Change their mind about Christ.}

{Verses 34-37}
{Verse 34 - the Principal/Application}
12:34~~"Generation of vipers! Since you are always evil, how are you able to say anything good? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the frontal lobe {what you say overflows from what you think - thinking and saying evil about Jesus}."

{Note: When this religious crowd opens their mouth they spew poison.}

{Verse 35 -the Parable}
12:35~~ "The Good Man {Jesus} brings out good things from the good treasure {Bible doctrine in His frontal lobe}, and the evil man brings evil things out of an evil treasure {human viewpoint - salvation by works}."

{Note: Jesus is telling the Pharisees that they are the evil ones representing Satan.}

{Verse 36 - the Explanation}
12:36~~"I {Jesus} tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every idle word {their works and their statements about salvation by works - which is the rejection of the salvation work of Christ and therefore is blaspheming the convicting ministry of God the Holy Spirit} they speak. "

{Note: Any rejection of Jesus Christ, or legalistic working for salvation. Works or human good will be what is judged.}

12:37~~"For by your words {that reflect your faith} you will be justified {justification by Faith} and by your words {expressing salvation by works} you will be condemned."

Continued

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