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John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
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MacArthur points out that "most of the sin-blinded people remained ambivalent about Jesus’ identity and the source of His great power. They knew that miracles would be proof signs of the Messiah; but they also expected Him to come with royal fanfare and with military might. But instead of regal robes, sovereign authority, a throne, trumpets, swords, horses, chariots, and a mighty army, they saw a Man of compassion, gentleness, and humility—with a following of twelve nondescript disciples and a multitude of hangers-on whose loyalty could hardly be counted on. Because Jesus did not appear to be a conqueror or a king by their definition, the people would not accept His being the Messiah. They had chosen to be selective about the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah. His predicted coming in power and glory to defeat the foes of Israel and set His people free was easy for them to be excited about. His predicted coming in meekness and humility was not." (MNTC-Mt)
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MacArthur has an excellent discussion on the endless number of ridiculous Sabbath rules - "The Talmud devotes twenty-four chapters to Sabbath regulations, describing in painfully exhaustive detail what was and was not permitted to be done. The result was a ridiculously complex system of external behavior restraints—so much so that one rabbi spent two and a half years studying just one of the twenty-four chapters! For example, traveling more than 3,000 feet from home was forbidden. But if one had placed food at the 3,000 foot point before the Sabbath, that point would then be considered a home, since there was food there, and allow another 3,000 feet of travel. Similarly, a piece of wood or a rope placed across the end of a narrow street or alley constituted a doorway. That could then be considered the front door of one’s house, and permit the 3,000 feet of travel to begin there. There were also regulations about carrying items. Something lifted up in a public place could only be set down in a private place, and vice versa. An object tossed into the air could be caught with the same hand, but if it was caught with the other hand, it would be a Sabbath violation. If a person had reached out to pick up food when the Sabbath began, the food had to be dropped; to bring the arm back while holding the food would be to carry a burden on the Sabbath. It was forbidden to carry anything heavier than a dried fig (though something weighing half as much could be carried two times). A tailor could not carry his needle, a scribe his pen, or a student his books. Only enough ink to write two letters (of the alphabet) could be carried. A letter could not be sent, not even with a non-Jew. Clothes could not be examined or shaken out before being put on because an insect might be killed in the process, which would be work. No fire could be lit, or put out. Cold water could be poured into warm water, but not warm into cold. An egg could not be cooked, not even by placing it in hot sand during the summer. Nothing could be sold or bought. Bathing was forbidden, lest water be spilled on the floor and wash it. Moving a chair was not allowed, since it might make a rut in a dirt floor, which was too much like plowing. Women were forbidden to look in a mirror, since if they saw a white hair, they might be tempted to pull it out. Other forbidden things included sowing, plowing, reaping, binding sheaves, threshing, winnowing, grinding, kneading, baking, shearing, washing, beating, dyeing, or spinning wool, tying or untying a knot, catching, killing, or skinning a deer, salting its meat, or preparing its skin....It was to people crushed by the unbearable burden (Matt. 23:4; Luke 11:46; Acts 15:10) of manmade, legalistic regulations that the Lord Jesus Christ said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30-note). (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Luke 6-10) Adam
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MacArthur - “He declared Himself to be Lord of the Sabbath.” That is a shocking statement, shocking, beyond comprehension to the Jews. God ordained the Sabbath, Genesis 2:3. God demanded Sabbath observance, Exodus 20:8-11 in the Ten Commandments. If He says He’s Lord of the Sabbath, He’s saying He’s God. And He backed it up by miraculous power over disease, demons and death, and even over sin. Jesus is Lord over the Sabbath, and He abolished the Sabbath. After His death and resurrection, there is no more Sabbath....The seventh day of the week disappears from all religious calendars. We now meet on the first day of the week, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Sabbath was a shadow (Col 2:16,17+). We have the reality in Christ. Hebrews 3 and Hebrews 4 (cf Hebrews 4:9, 10, 11+) says Christ is our Rest. We have entered into the rest the Sabbath portrayed, a rest to come. Christ is that rest. We don’t need the shadow. The substance is here. And so Colossians 2:16-17+ says "Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day– things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ." “Don’t let anybody hold you to a Sabbath.” The Lord of the Sabbath has nullified the Sabbath, it’s gone."" (Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, Part 2) Allen Ross adds Lord of the Sabbath "means that He is the One Who instituted it and He is the One Who rules over it. He of all people would then know what the intent of the Sabbath day was--mercy (ED: This is clearly indicated by Jesus' words in Mt 12:11-12), and not simply a day to avoid work. He never intended it to be subjected to a myriad of legalistic rulings. It was a day for celebration and refreshment and communion with the LORD. But as LORD of the Sabbath Jesus had authority over all creation, including al people. He demonstrated that authority with His claims, and authenticated it with His mighty works, here the healing of the man with the withered hand. They understand His claim; they saw His mighty works. They either had to submit to His authority, or try to get rid of Him. Unfortunately for them they pursued the latter." (See more related discussion by Ross below). Warren Wiersbe reasons that "David and his men ate the loaves, and what Jew would condemn Israel's great king? "He was God's anointed!" they might argue, but that was exactly what Jesus claimed for Himself (Luke 4:18+ = "“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR."). Not only was He God's Anointed, but He was also the Lord of the Sabbath! (Borrow Be Compassionate - Luke 1-13) A T
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MacArthur explains that the rabbis had "overlaid laws upon laws, upon laws, upon laws, upon rituals, routines, rules, restrictions, restraints that made the Sabbath Day anything but rest (see Mt 23:4, Lk 11:46+), it was the most difficult, limiting, wearying day of the week! And in Matthew 11:28+ when Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” He was talking about the weariness under which those people lived in the constraint of a self-righteous system such as manifested itself on the Sabbath. (ED: IRONICALLY) It was the worst day of the week! And Jesus, in order to attack their religious system, had to attack their Sabbath. In order to expose their spiritual bankruptcy and error of that system, He had to assault the corrupted Sabbath, and that is exactly what He does. They hated Him because He shined light on their darkness. And theirs was a religious darkness....These people had seen the light, Jesus is the light that lights every man that comes into the world (Jn 8:12, Jn 9:5, Jn 12:35, 36, cf Lk 1:78, 79+, Lk 2:32+). They had seen the light. The light was manifested in staggering ways through what He said and, of course, the miracles that He did. But they so loved the darkness that they ran from the light because their deeds were evil (Jn 3:19, 20+). Religious people run from the true Gospel. They run from the true light of the glory of the Gospel of God shining in the face of Jesus." ("For God, Who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One Who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2 Cor 4:6) (Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, Part 2) Might accuse (2723)(kategoreo from kata = against + agora = assembly, place of public speaking. Prefix kata- implies animosity!) means to speak against a person before a public tribunal, bring an accusation in court or to bring a charge publicly. The idea is to speak openly against (kata-), and so to accuse and condemn in a legal sense. The cognate word kategoria was a legal technical term that referred to the content of the accusation or charge made against someone. All of the Gospel uses of kategoreo involve accusing Jesus (except Jn 5:45)! All 22 uses - Mt. 12:10; Mt. 27:12; Mk. 3:2; Mk. 15:3; Mk. 15:4; Lk. 6:7; Lk. 23:2; Lk. 23:10; Lk. 23:14; Jn. 5:45; Jn. 8:6; Acts 22:30; Acts 24:2; Acts 24:8; Acts 24:13; Acts 24:19; Acts 25:5; Acts 25:11; Acts 25:16; Acts 28:19; Ro 2:15; Rev. 12:10. As the context shows the Pharisees did not just want to accuse Him but to kill Him, Lk 6:11+ describing them as filled with rage, out of their mind with anger causing them to begin to conspire as to how they might destroy Him! Presumably they were thinking of Ex 31:15 that stated that "whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death." This Greek verb gives us our English categorize which means to place in a particular class, and in our present passage, the Pharisees seek to categorize Jesus as a breaker of Sabbath law! EXAMPLES OF SABBATH REGULATIONS RELATED TO HEALING m. Šabbat 22.6* According to this rabbinic tradition, a person was not even allowed to set a broken bone on the Sabbath. E.… And they do not straighten [the limb of] a child or set a broken limb. m. ʿEduyyot 2.5* This passage from the Mishnah reveals restrictions placed on medical treatment and healing on the Sabbath. See also m. Šabbat 14.4 and 19.2 below. A. Three matters did they say about before R. Ishmael, and he did not rule concerning them either to prohibit or to permit, and R. Joshua b. Matya worked them out. I B. He who cuts open an abscess on the Sabbath— C. if it is to make an opening for it, he is liable. D. But if it is to draw out the pus from it, he is exempt. II E. And concerning him who traps a snake on the Sabbath— F. if he got involved with it so that it would not bite him, he is exempt. G. But if it was for purposes of healing, he is liable.… m. Šabbat 14.4* A. He who is concerned about his teeth may not suck vinegar through them. B. But he dunks [his bread] in the normal way, C. and if he is healed, he is healed. D. He who is concerned about his loins [which give him pain], he may not anoint them with wine or vinegar. E. But he anoints with oil— F. not with rose oil. G. Princes [on the Sabbath], anoint themselves with rose oil on their wounds, since it is their way to do so on ordinary days. H. R. Simeon says, “All Israelites are princes.” m. Šabbat 19.2* For the text of 19.2, see m. Šabbat 19.1–2 in section 13.12 below. t. Šabbat 16.22* According to this passage from the Tosefta, Shammai did not permit prayer for the sick on the Sabbath, but Hillel did allow it. A. And so did Rabban Simeon b. Gamaliel say, “The House of Shammai say, ‘They do not distribute charity to the poor on the Sabbath in the house of assembly— B. “ ‘even funds to marry an orphan boy and an orphan girl. C. “ ‘And they do not make a match between a man and his mate. D. “ ‘And they do not pray for a sick person on the Sabbath.’ E. “And the House of Hillel permit.” Matthew 12:11 And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? NET Matthew 12:11 He said to them, "Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? GNT Matthew 12:11 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Τίς ἔσται ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἕξει πρόβατον ἕν καὶ ἐὰν ἐμπέσῃ τοῦτο τοῖς σάββασιν εἰς βόθυνον, οὐχὶ κρατήσει αὐτὸ καὶ ἐγερεῖ; NLT Matthew 12:11 And he answered, "If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you work to pull it out? Of course you would. KJV Matthew 12:11 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? ESV Matthew 12:11 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? NIV Matthew 12:11 He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? ASV Matthew 12:11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? CSB Matthew 12:11 But He said to them, "What man among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn't take hold of it and lift it out? NKJ Matthew 12:11 Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? NRS Matthew 12:11 He said to them, "Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out? YLT Matthew 12:11 And he said to them, 'What man shall be of you, who shall have one sheep, and if this may fall on the sabbaths into a ditch, will not lay hold on it and raise it? NAB Matthew 12:11 He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the sabbath will not take hold of it and lift it out? NJB Matthew 12:11 But he said to them, 'If any one of you here had only one sheep and it fell down a hole on the Sabbath day, would he not get hold of it and lift it out? GWN Matthew 12:11 Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you has a sheep. If it falls into a pit on a day of worship, wouldn't you take hold of it and lift it out? BBE Matthew 12:11 And he said to them, Which of you, having a sheep, if it gets into a hole on the Sabbath day, will not put out a helping hand and get it back? What man is there among you who has a sheep: This was an {argumentum ad hominem.} The Jews held that such things were lawful on the sabbath day, and our Saviour very properly appealed to their canons in vindication of his intention to heal the distressed man. Lu 13:15-17 14:5 and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath: Ex 23:4,5 De 22:4 Matthew 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages: Mark 3:1-6, Matthew 12:9-14, Luke 6:6-11 Mark 3:4+ And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent (siopao from siope = silence, a hush) Luke 6:8+ But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” And He - Most translation either do not translate the coordinating conjunction (de) or only translate it with the word "and," but some such as CSB and NJB translate it with "But He," which would seem in context to be more accurate as it more clearly sets Jesus over against His opponents as He offers a "counterquestion" of His own. Said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep (probaton), and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of (krateo) it and lift it out? (cf. De. 22:4; Pr 12:10) - The "IF" speaks of a condition which is probable. This is clearly rhetorical for the answer was obvious and assumed. The Greek adverb ouchi (interrogative in questions that expect an affirmative answer = not Mt 5:46; 6:25; 10:29; Lk 6:39; 12:6; 17:8; J 11:9; Ro 3:29) emphatically placed stresses the certainty and expects a positive answer. No man would not rescue his sheep on the Sabbath! As Jesus is illustrating rescuing a man on the Sabbath was an entirely different matter in the eyes of these religious legalists. Lift out (1453)(egeiro) was used literally to raise up or lift up a person either sitting or lying down, in this case a sheep. Mk 1:31 uses it describing when Jesus raised up Peter's mother and her fever left. In Mk 2:9 (Mk 2:11, 12, Lk 5:23) Jesus told the paralytic "Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’?" Leon
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MacArthur has an interesting comment "No Pharisee would have contended that sheep were as valuable as men, who they knew were created in God's image. But in practice, the Pharisees treated other men with less respect than they treated their animals, because in their hearts they did not respect, much less love, their fellow men, including their fellow Jews. They contemptuously subjugated human life and welfare to religious tradition. One of the most obvious tragedies of Hinduism is its disregard for human welfare in the name of human welfare. A beggar is not given food because it would interfere with his karma and prevent him from suffering his way to the next highest level of existence. A fly is not killed because it is the reincarnation of some unfortunate human being of past ages. Rats are not killed for the same reason and are allowed to eat and contaminate food supplies without any interference. Cows are considered sacred and are given what food is available, while human beings are allowed to starve. In a similar way the Pharisees despised other human beings, showing more compassion for a sheep than for a crippled man who was even a fellow Jew." (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 8-15) Matthew 12:12 “How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” GNT Matthew 12:12 πόσῳ οὖν διαφέρει ἄνθρωπος προβάτου. ὥστε ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν καλῶς ποιεῖν. NLT Matthew 12:12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath." KJV Matthew 12:12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. ESV Matthew 12:12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." NIV Matthew 12:12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." ASV Matthew 12:12 How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day. CSB Matthew 12:12 A man is worth far more than a sheep, so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath." NKJ Matthew 12:12 "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." NRS Matthew 12:12 How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath." YLT Matthew 12:12 How much better, therefore, is a man than a sheep? -- so that it is lawful on the sabbaths to do good.' NAB Matthew 12:12 How much more valuable a person is than a sheep. So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath." NJB Matthew 12:12 Now a man is far more important than a sheep, so it follows that it is permitted on the Sabbath day to do good.' GWN Matthew 12:12 Certainly, a human is more valuable than a sheep! So it is right to do good on the day of worship." BBE Matthew 12:12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! For this reason it is right to do good on the Sabbath day. is a: Mt 6:26 Lu 12:24 it is: Mk 3:4 Lu 6:9 Isa 1:17 Matthew 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages: Mark 3:1-6, Matthew 12:9-14, Luke 6:6-11 Mark 3:4+ And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. Luke 6:9+ And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” How much more valuable (diaphero) then is a man than a sheep! - Jesus' point is that if one does good on the Sabbath by rescuing his sheep then surely it is right to help a human being who is much more valuable in the eyes of God than a sheep! Jesus is employing the technique of arguing from the minor to the major (cf. Mt. 6:26–30; Mt 7:11; Mt 10:31), the minor being sheep rescue on the Sabbath which surely makes it permissible to "rescue" a person made in the image of God on the Sabbath. Robertson calls Jesus question an a fortiori argument and adds "“By how much does a human being differ from a sheep? That is the question which Christian civilization has not even yet adequately answered” (Bruce). The poor pettifogging Pharisees are left in the pit." Valuable (worth more) (1308)(diaphero) means literally “carry through,” “carry...through” (as in Mk 11:16), from which it comes to mean “differ” and, since when things differ one is normally better than the other, it comes to mean “excel,” as here. So then - This is a term of conclusion. Based on the value God places on the lives of human beings, it is lawful to help a man in need on the Sabbath. it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath - Jesus' statement is equivalent to His earlier statement when He quoted God's declaration in Hosea 6:6 "I desire compassion and not sacrifice." (Mt 12:7+). The Pharisees definitely had a "compassion deficiency" so to speak! There is never a law from God that negates doing good. You can scan the entire OT and you will find not one statement about not helping people in need on the Sabbath. Yes God's did say do not work, referring to one's normal work. He NEVER said "Don't do anything!" Think about this. They still had to eat on the Sabbath and even if they prepared it the night before, there was still work involved in serving the food, etc. Recall that in Mt 5:17+ He did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it and here He is saying that it is fulfilled by treating others the same way you ant them to treat you (Mt 7:12+). Similarly, to do good on the Sabbath to one in need is to fulfill the second great commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt 22:39 - read Mt 22:40). In sum, Jesus was not a Sabbath breaker in doing good!
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MacArthur notes that "Not all Pharisees were scribes, but the scribes were primarily Pharisees, who were interpreters and teachers of the law of Moses and the traditional rabbinic writings. Their teaching provided the theological framework for the Pharisees’ legalistic system of works-righteousness. The scribes were the dominant force in Judaism, not only theologically, but socially. Their views affected every aspect of life, and they also handled all legal matters, including property, estates, and contracts. They were revered, and given the respectful title of Rabbi (Mt. 23:7). That title was sometimes given to Jesus because He was a teacher (cf. John 1:38, 49+; Jn 3:2, 26+; Jn 6:25). It was commonly believed that Moses received the law, then gave it to Joshua, who gave it to the elders, who gave it to the prophets, who gave it to the scribes. (Luke Commentary) Broadus on the Pharisees (scribes) - These men set about their work very vigorously. They saw that if his miracles were recognized the people would believe that he was sent from God (John 3:2+), and then all his teachings must be received as true, and all his claims admitted as just. They could not question the reality of the healing, nor ascribe it to mere human agency; they therefore resorted to the absurd idea of a league with Satan, though Jesus was really destroying Satan’s work. (Matthew 12 Commentary) Mark interserts a detail not found in Matthew writing " And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?" (Mark 3:23+) Matthew does not mention that Jesus began speaking in parables or His specific question “How can Satan cast out Satan?".
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MacArthur - The religious leaders were no longer merely skeptical and resentful but had become adamantly hostile to Jesus. It would be over a year before Jesus would be crucified, but the irrevocable decision to destroy Him had already been made (Matt. 12:14)." (Ibid) Bruce calls Beelzebul “An opprobrious epithet; exact form of the word and meaning of the name have given more trouble to commentators than it is all worth.” Beelzebul (sometimes "Beelzebub")(954)(beelzeboul, variant reading Beelzebub after an error in the Latin Vulgate. Transliterated from Hebrew Ba'al Zebub) originally referred to a Philistine deity which in Hebrew meant "Baal (lord) of flies" (2 Ki 1:2, 6), the "fly-baal," or "fly-god," whose office was to protect his worshippers from the torment of the gnats and flies with which that region was infested. In Jesus' day this so-called false god is derisively called Beel-zebul (NIV Beelzebub), "lord of dung." In Jesus' reply to the accusation of the Jews in Mt 12:24 that He cast out demons by Beelzebul, He answers in Mt 12:26 substituting the name Satan which clearly identifies the Jewish references to Beelzebul as another name for Satan."The Jews seem to have applied this appellation to Satan, as being the author of all the pollutions and abominations of idol-worship." (Am Tract Society) This Greek word is not in the Septuagint. There are 7 NT uses - Matt. 10:25+ = Jesus accused of being the embodiment of Satan!!!; Matt. 12:24+; Matt. 12:27+; Mk. 3:22+; Lk. 11:15+; Lk. 11:18+; Lk. 11:19+. Jesus, rejecting His accuser's false charges, pointed out that the expulsion of demons was Satan's defeat, heralding the arrival of God's kingdom (see Luke 11:20-22+). (See Got Questions entry below) It is interesting that the name Baalzebul also appears in the Ras Shamra tablets, where it is used of a Canaanite deity and seems to have the meaning “lord of the high place” or “lord of the dwelling.” Baker Evangelical Dictionary Beelzebub Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Beelzebul Fausset Bible Dictionary Beelzebul Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Beelzebub or Beelzebul Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Beelzebul Holman Bible Dictionary Beelzebub International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Beelzebub McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Beelzebub (has a picture of an ancient seal thought to be representation of Beelzebul) The Jewish Encyclopedia Beelzebub Matthew 9:32-34+ records a similar accusation against Jesus As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. 33 After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” In Matthew 10:25+ Jesus declared “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! John
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MacArthur says Satan's "property consists of both the demonic forces and oppressed human beings under his control." (Ibid) Some say it is believers in their unregenerate state were the property of Satan and subjects of his kingdom, until God "rescued (rhuomai) us from the domain (exousia) of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption (apolutrosis) (JESUS PAID THE "RANSOM" PRICE TO SET US FREE - THE BLOOD OF JESUS! SEE 1 Pe 1:18-19+), the forgiveness (aphesis)(SENDING AWAY FOREVER) of sins (PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE)." (Col 1:13-14+) Satan continues to cast accusations and charges at us (cf Rev 12:10+, Eph 6:16+) but they won't "stick" because we have been forever clothed in the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21+, 1 Co 1:30, cf Isa 61:3+). Plunder (1282)(diarpazo from dia = intensifies + harpazo = seize) means to thoroughly plunder. Plunder, seize as plunder, snatch away from, carry off as plunder. In the Septuagint it is used of looting which occurred in connection with battle (1 Sa 14:36, 22:1, 2 Ki 17:20) even if there was not much of a fight (Ge 34:27, 29, 2 Ki 7:16. Robbery of individuals in (Jer 21:12; 22:3; Ezek 22:29; Mic 2:2). In the end of this age God says "For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city." (Zech 14:2+). Only 2 uses in NT - Mt 12:29, Mk 3:27. There are 31 verses in the Septuagint (some have >2 uses per verse) - Gen. 34:27; Gen. 34:29; Deut. 28:29; Jdg. 9:25; Jdg. 21:23; 1 Sam. 14:36; 1 Sam. 23:1; 2 Ki. 7:16; 2 Ki. 17:20; Est. 3:13; Est. 9:10; Est. 9:15; Est. 9:16; Ps. 35:10; Ps. 44:10; Ps. 89:41; Ps. 109:11; Isa. 5:17; Isa. 42:22; Jer. 21:12; Jer. 22:3; Jer. 50:11; Ezek. 7:21; Ezek. 22:29; Dan. 2:5; Amos 3:11; Mic. 2:2; Nah. 2:9; Zeph. 2:4; Zeph. 2:9; Zech. 14:2 QUESTION - What does it mean to bind the strong man? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - The phrase bind the strong man (or strongman) is a reference to a passage in the book of Mark, where Jesus is responding to some Jewish scribes who were accusing Him of being possessed by Beelzebul. Their argument was that “by the prince of demons he is driving out demons” (Mark 3:22+). In other words, the reason the demons listened to Jesus was that they were in league with Him and recognized Him as their commanding officer, so to speak. Jesus refuted their blasphemous argument with plain logic: “How can Satan cast out Satan?” (Mark 3:23+) and then gave them a parable. First, Jesus spoke of the principle of a divided kingdom, which cannot stand (Mk 3:24–26+). Then He told them, “No one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house” (Mark 3:27). Jesus refers to Satan as the “strong man” and to Himself as the One who enters the house and plunders the place. Of course, before Satan allows his domain to be “plundered,” he must be incapacitated. Jesus was not in league with Satan, as the scribes suggested, but had come to the earth, to what is essentially Satan’s “house” (1 John 5:19), in order to bind Satan and plunder his “goods,” which are the souls of men (John 17:15; Luke 4:18; Ephesians 4:8). A parallel passage says this: “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder” (Luke 11:21–22). Satan is strong, and he holds possessions that he guards jealously. But Jesus is the One who was and is stronger than the strong man. He is the only One who can bind the strong man and rescue us from his clutches (see John 12:31+). Some Christians, usually in the Charismatic or Pentecostal movements, apply Jesus’ parable to the spiritual warfare that believers must wage. They teach that Christians are the ones who must “bind the strong man” in their lives or in their cities and then win the victory in Jesus’ name. Some Charismatic preachers even name the “strong men” and attempt to identify the cities or geographical areas over which they hold power. Such doctrines go far beyond what Jesus said. The Lord’s parable was simply to impress upon the scribes that He was not in league with Satan. Never does Jesus instruct us to “bind the strong man” or tell us how to do it. We do not have warrant to interpret the parable as a spiritual reality over geographical regions. Related Resources from Gotquestions.org: What does the Bible mean by binding and loosing? What does it mean that a house divided cannot stand? Who is Beelzebub? Do we need to be aware of the spiritual battle that is taking place around us? Spiritual strongholds - what is the biblical view? Matthew 12:30 “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. NET Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. GNT Matthew 12:30 ὁ μὴ ὢν μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐστιν, καὶ ὁ μὴ συνάγων μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ σκορπίζει. NLT Matthew 12:30 "Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me. KJV Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. ESV Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. NIV Matthew 12:30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. ASV Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. CSB Matthew 12:30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters. NKJ Matthew 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. NRS Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. YLT Matthew 12:30 'He who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me, doth scatter. NAB Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. NJB Matthew 12:30 'Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather in with me throws away. GWN Matthew 12:30 "Whoever isn't with me is against me. Whoever doesn't gather with me scatters. BBE Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me; and he who does not take part with me in getting people together, is driving them away. that is: Mt 6:24 Jos 5:13 24:15 1Ch 12:17,18 Mk 9:40 Lu 9:50 11:23 2Co 6:15,16 1Jn 2:19 Rev 3:15,16 gather: Ge 49:10 Ho 1:11 Joh 11:52 Matthew 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NEUTRALITY NOT AN OPTION IN THIS COSMIC WAR! Similar Passages: Mark 9:40 “For he who is not against us is for us. Luke 9:50+ But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.” Luke 11:23+ “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters. He who is not with Me is against Me - Jesus demands a response! With is the preposition meta which means in company with Jesus. Against is kata which speaks of downward movement and speaks of one who is hostile towards another. There are no "Switzerlands" in this war! The Gospel is of such a nature, as to its offers and its claims, that it cannot tolerate indifference. - Broadus Broadus - Here again, as in the preceding verses, our Lord speaks in apophthegms (Mark 3:23+), each sentence containing a distinct truth, expressed in general terms. It naturally follows that no connection between these is outwardly indicated, and we are left to see for ourselves the internal connection of the thoughts. (Comp. at the beginning of Matthew 7.) The Scribes said that our Lord was in league with Satan, but in reality he is opposing and overthrowing Satan’s power, binding him, as it were, and plundering his house. In this great and deadly struggle, there can be no neutrality. No man can be friends with both sides, nor be indifferent to both. It is probable that many of those present were thinking they would not take sides between Jesus and the blaspheming Scribes. To them, in the first place, this saying would come home; but it is general, and applicable to all times, and all varieties of character and conduct. (Matthew 12 Commentary) And he who does not gather with Me scatters - How are we "with Jesus? How do we gather with Jesus? We aid in gathering people to be His disciples (Prov. 11:30; Dan. 12:3; Matt. 9:37, 38; Luke 19:10; John 4:35, 36; 1 Cor. 9:22).
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MacArthur adds "The eternal sin for them was this, “Jesus is demonic.” They went to hell for that. You say, “Wait a minute. What if I said that? Would I go to hell for that?” Not necessarily if you said that without full information. That’s a blasphemy that’s forgivable. Right? But if that’s your final conclusion with full revelation, if that’s your response to the full understanding of the Gospel, the full revelation of Christ contained on the pages of Scripture, if that’s your final conclusion, you could never be forgiven, because you’ve had full revelation; you’ve had full light. What else is there? You can’t get anymore. If that’s your final conclusion, that’s an eternal sin.....If you were there (IN JESUS' DAY IN PALESTINE), and you saw it, and you heard it, and your final conclusion was, “He’s demonic,” you’re damned; you can’t be saved, because that’s your ultimate conclusion with full revelation. So, this is unique to those people who had that full revelation. What about today? Could somebody commit this? Right, they could. Look, we’ve all been forgiven for rejecting Christ, haven’t we? We’ve all been forgiven for rejecting Christ because we weren’t born saved. So, we’ve all been forgiven for that. But the one that won’t be forgiven is the one called the apostate who gets full exposure to the truth, full exposure to the Gospel, full revelation, and makes the final conclusion, “It’s not true; I reject Christ. It’s a deception.” That’s where you end up after full exposure; that’s what’s called apostasy. That’s unforgivable. (The Unforgivable Sin) Sin (266)(hamartia) literally conveys the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow (in Homer some hundred times of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe). Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His will) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." John MacArthur comments on sin and blasphemy in Matthew 12:31+ - "Sin here represents the full gamut of immoral and ungodly thoughts and actions, whereas blasphemy represents conscious denouncing and rejection of God. Blasphemy is defiant irreverence, the uniquely terrible sin of intentionally and openly speaking evil against holy God or defaming or mocking Him (cf. Mark 2:7+). The Old Testament penalty for such blasphemy was death by stoning (Leviticus 24:16+). In the last days blasphemy will be an outstanding characteristic of those who rebelliously and insolently oppose God (Revelation 13:5–6+ [ED: SEE ALSO ANTICHRIST IN Da 11:36+]; Rev 16:9+; Rev 17:3+)." (MNTC-Mt) Tony Garland has some interesting comments that relate to the "unpardonable sin" in his discussion of a group of people known as the earth dwellers in the end times who will not be able to repent (aka "the unpardonable sin"). John records that these "Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory." (Rev 16:9+)
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MacArthur says it this way - "And so the Lord is saying, “How can you say, when I cast out demons – which your own disciples also do – how can you say that I am evil, when you acknowledge that that is a good thing to do. If that which I do is good, then the tree is good; but if I am evil, then doing that is evil. And if doing that is evil, then your own disciples are doing evil.” So they were trapped....they (PHARISEES) had just reversed that, you see. They (CONSIDERED THAT THEIR SONS) were good and Jesus was evil." In sum, the Pharisees were inconsistent in their conclusions, in what they said, IN THEIR WORDS. And so Jesus will now expound on the importance of one's WORDS! For the tree is known by its fruit - This is a straightforward statement that one can know what kind of tree they are looking at by examining its fruit. If you see peaches on the tree, you know it is a preach tree. Of course Jesus is speaking not of peaches but people, in context especially Pharisees. He is teaching that you can tell what kind of people they are by the words they speak. THOUGHT - Is this not convicting? We all speak words, but do we really pay attention to what we say? Do we really comprehend that what we say "speaks volumes" (pun intended) about who we really are? I fear too often I do not think about this axiomatic truth! I was in church today with a man I had invited to come several months ago. I don't know if he could see me grimace as I heard him use 2-3 (small) curse words in our short conversation before the service began. I do not know his heart, but can assure you I will begin to pray for a sure salvation (whereas before I had been praying more for progressive sanctification). In writing these notes on the "weight of words" I began to have some concerns about the state of his heart. H A
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MacArthur says "an unregenerate person can say no good thing, can do no truly good thing. That is, nothing which advances the kingdom of God and ultimately glorifies Him." The Expositor's Greek Testament – In Matthew 12:34 the heart is conceived as a fountain, of which speech is the overflow, here as a treasure whose stores of thought and feeling the mouth freely distributes....(The Pharisees) hissed out their malevolent words at Him, being not heartless but bad-hearted Brings out (1544)(ekbállō from ek = out + bállō = to cast, throw, drive) means to cast, throw out often with the idea of force (Mt. 8:12; 15:17; 25:30; Acts 16:37, 27:38; Lxx - Lev. 14:40). The use of the strong verb ekballo (used for casting out demons!) suggest speech that is characterized by energy and passion (respectively, good and evil!). Treasure (2344)(thesauros from títhemi = put, set) refers to the place where goods and precious things are stored for safekeeping and thus a repository (place, room, or container where something is deposited or stored), a treasure chest, a storehouse, a treasury. The second sense of thesauros refers to that which is stored up in the treasury or repository (Mt 2:11+ of the wise men " opening their treasures" Mt 6:19-21+ = " where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Our HEART follows our TREASURE! So Col 3:2+ should be our daily goal and prayer! Lk 12:33+ = "an unfailing treasure in heaven,"). Thesauros is used in its figurative sense in the this passage in Matthew 12 to describe the heart as the repository of thoughts, feelings, purposes, etc (also used this way in Lk 6:45+). Zodhiates on treasure - Those who are good have good hearts filled with good treasure and consequently produce good things. Evil people, on the other hand, have evil hearts filled with evil treasure. Jesus used the word "treasure" (thēsaurós) because people value good or evil. We find it difficult to believe that by nature we actually "treasure" evil, but we do until the Lord supernaturally changes our value systems by changing our natures. Apart from regeneration, evil persons cannot produce any good. They do not even want the freedom to do good; instead, they want freedom from God's righteousness: "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness" (Ro 6:20). Their treasured evil choice, the necessary product of evil natures—"you being evil" (Mt. 12:34)—is to be free from Christ. This was the Pharisees' choice. Legalism has no place for grace. (Exegetical Commentary on Matthew) Character the Spring of Life (The Expositor's Dictionary of Texts) Matthew 12:35 This is the compact statement of a truth upon which Jesus laid the last emphasis—that everything depends on character. The word has two meanings. And according to its original sense character is the mark made upon a stone by engraving. It is therefore the stamp of the soul and the expression of a man's being. Character has also come to acquire a secondary meaning. It is not now what the man is, and will continue to be, but what he says he is or appears to be. It is the outer show of the man: it is his reputation. I. One profound difference between our Master and the Pharisees turned upon the reading of this word. With the Pharisees, character was reputation, and their whole strength was given to performing a religious play. With Jesus character was nature, and He was ever insisting that a man must be judged not by appearance but by the heart; not by what he says, or even by what he does, but by what he is. II. Common speech betrays our implicit conviction, and every day we ourselves acknowledge the supremacy of character. One man may use the most persuasive words, but no one gives heed because they are not the outcome of a true soul; another may speak with rough simplicity, and his neighbours respond because every word bears the stamp of a brave heart. III. If character be the spring of life then two things follow. 1. That every man's work is the expression of himself. Just as the Almighty is ever creating under a Divine necessity, because He must express Himself, and just as His character can be discovered by those who have eyes to see in the parable of creation, so every man works under the same compulsion, and reveals himself by the fruit of his hands. According as a man is true, so is his work; in proportion as he is false, so is his work. One of the secrets of great art is sincerity, but if the soul be crooked the work will be a makeshift. 2. Conduct as much as work springs from the heart, and by the heart must be judged. Both God and man try conduct by subtler tests than the outward appearance, and two actions of the same kind may have a different moral complexion. Is calculating prudence on the same level as devout consecration, and do they prove an equal quality in the soul? We ourselves pass behind acts to motives; we also trace the life up to its birthplace. Men are loved who have been able to give but little because they gave it brotherly, fragrant with love; men are hated who have given largely because they gave ostentatiously and inhumanly with cold and careless hand.—J. Watson (Ian Maclaren), The Inspiration of Our Faith, p. 157. Matthew 12:36 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. NET Matthew 12:36 I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. GNT Matthew 12:36 λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργὸν ὃ λαλήσουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποδώσουσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως· NLT Matthew 12:36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. KJV Matthew 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. ESV Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, NIV Matthew 12:36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. ASV Matthew 12:36 And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. CSB Matthew 12:36 I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. NKJ Matthew 12:36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. NRS Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; YLT Matthew 12:36 'And I say to you, that every idle word that men may speak, they shall give for it a reckoning in a day of judgment; NAB Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. NJB Matthew 12:36 So I tell you this, that for every unfounded word people utter they will answer on Judgement Day, GWN Matthew 12:36 "I can guarantee that on judgment day people will have to give an account of every careless word they say. BBE Matthew 12:36 And I say to you that in the day when they are judged, men will have to give an account of every foolish word they have said. every careless word: Ec 12:14 Ro 2:16 Eph 6:4-6 Jude 1:14,15 Rev 20:12 Matthew 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A VERY SOLEMN WARNING! Keep the context in mind as you interpret this (and any) verse. Jesus has just warned about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mt 12:32), that a “tree” (a person) is known by its “fruit” (speech and actions) (Mt 12:33), the reality that words reveal the state of the heart (Mt 12:34). So when He speaks of condemnation by words, He is not teaching salvation by verbal performance. He is teaching that our speech is evidence of our inner spiritual reality, and whether or not we have a "circumcised heart," a new heart energized by the Holy Spirit. (Ezekiel 36:26, 27) 🙏 THOUGHT -Following up on the statement "He is not teaching salvation by verbal performance" it is critically important to understand that a profession "I believe in Jesus" does not guarantee salvation IF these words express simply an intellectual belief in Jesus and are unaccompanied by works. In other words, we are saved ONLY by faith in Jesus Christ. However the faith that genuinely saves is shown to be genuine by one's fruit or works. Read James 2:14-26+ which describes genuine saving faith. Don't be misled by so-called "easy believism." Listen to Jesus' solemn warning "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ (aka a "profession" of belief in Jesus) will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does (present tense - habitually - this does not earn salvation but shows salvation has made a true change in one's life) the will of My Father Who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many (Read that adjective again and weep!) will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ (These sound like "works" but read on) 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE (present tense - continually - speaks of the general direction of their life, not of perfection which is glorification!) LAWLESSNESS (which is sin - 1Jn 3:4)." (Mt 7:21-23+) But - Term of contrast (not every translation renders the Greek "de" with English "but"). Jesus is contrasting what people assume about their words with the reality of divine judgment. Jesus’ “but” introduces a sobering correction. His opponents assumed their words were harmless weapons in debate. “But I tell you” shifts the focus from earthly argument to eternal reckoning. Humans may justify their speech in the moment, yet God will weigh every word as fruit revealing their heart. I tell you - This adds weight to what follows! That every careless (argos) word that people speak - Now Jesus does not restrict His comment to the Pharisees but here generalizes it with phrase that people speak. That opens the application not just to unbelievers but believers and helps understand why this is such a solemn warning! A careless word is a spoken without any thought being given to what was said. Every careless word we speak will be like "verbal boomerangs" which will meet us again at the judgment, either at the Bema Seat (Believers) or Great White Throne (Unbelievers)! Expositor's Greek Testament - speech being the outcome of the heart, no word is insignificant, not even that which is argos, ineffectual , insipid, "idle". It is an index of thoughtlessness if not of malice. This verse contains an important warning, Light words weigh heavy in God's balance. -- Thomas Manton Glen Spencer - Because our words give such a true evaluation of our hearts, it is our words that we answer for. This ought to help us control our tongues. There is no faster way to destroy our lives or the lives of others, than with words. (Ibid) Henry
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MacArthur comments - Again it’s a comparison of opportunity and response. The Ninevites had so little. One prophet and a self-confessed sinful foolish rebellious prophet, one prophet with one miraculous experience and the whole city repents, hundreds of thousands of people. They had none of the privileges, none of the advantages the Jews who heard the sinless Son of God and saw miracle after miracle had. Ah, but then Jesus said in Luke 16, “If they don’t believe Moses and the prophets, they won’t believe though one is raised from the dead.” The Ninevites repented and God’s judgment was prevented for 150 years, through really three generations (See Why Was Nineveh Destroyed?). The Jews rejected the truth in their midst and that generation was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Roman holocaust. The Jews had the living God in their midst, perfect holiness, perfect wisdom, perfect clarity, perfect love, perfect grace, wielding astonishing power unmistakably proving He was Israel’s God and they hated Him. And so at the judgment the Gentile Ninevites who believed stand as symbols of condemnation over a greater privileged Israel because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And behold indeed, something greater than Jonah is here. Jesus saying, “It’s Me … It’s My message, it’s My Kingdom.” (The Last Sign) Judgment (2920)(krisis from krino = to judge, decide) means a decision or judgment, verdict, justice, court (tribunal). Mt 10:15, 11:22, 24 all describe Jesus' sobering warning to the Jews of a specific future and frightening "day of judgment." (cp "sentence of hell" Mt 23:33, see also 2 Peter 2:9, 11, 3:7, 1 John 4:17) Condemn(2632)(katakrino from kata = down, against + krino = to assess, then to separate or distinguish, then to give an opinion upon, judge, then to decide or determine and finally to judge (to judge one down [kata = down]), pronounce judgment or to condemn) means to give judgment against, pass sentence upon, pass judgment against and hence to condemn, this latter action implying there has been a crime. It means to pronounce sentence against or to adjudge guilty and always denotes an adverse sentence (to sentence to punishment). Behold (2400) idou is the second person singular aorist middle imperative of eidon which means to see, perceive, look at. In the NT idou is used as a demonstrative particle that draws attention to what follows. Idou in the middle voice means "you yourself look, see, perceive!" The aorist imperative is a command emphasizing "Do it now! Don't delay!"
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MacArthur - Some day in the judgment, in the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11-15+) when the final verdicts are made and the ungodly from all of human history...will be thrown into the Lake of Fire to suffer forever for their rejection of the truth in Jesus Christ. This woman will stand up symbolically to condemn them with much less opportunity, much less personal experience and exposure. She heard the truth and believed. It’s always dangerous to hear it and not believe it. And for them, the severest judgment awaits. (The Last Sign) The same idea is shown in Hebrews 11:7+, when Noah condemned the world. By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
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MacArthur explains that the phrase passes through waterless places seeking rest is a metaphor because "demons are spirit, and they don't need water. It's simply a metaphor for the barrenness of a demon floating around in the nether world, the spirit world. They do their work through people....And here is this demon, who leaves because of some moral change and wanders aimlessly in the spiritual realm with no person through whom to work his diabolical work. To be in that existence outside someone is like being in a barren desert for a demon." (The Danger of Moral Reformation) NIV Study Bible has an interesting thought- Jesus is perhaps referring to the work of Jewish exorcists, who claimed to cast out demons (cf. v. 19 and note) but who rejected the kingdom of God as represented by Jesus and whose exorcisms were therefore ineffective. (Borrow NIV Study Bible) ESV Study note is more generic - Cleansing from sin must be followed by obedience to God’s word, not complacency. (Borrow ESV Study Bible) Holman Study Bible: NKJV Edition - These verses warn that the exorcism of a demon is incomplete unless Christ enters by faith and indwells the person who is healed. Otherwise, there is nothing to prevent the demon from reentering the person or even making things worse. Unclean (169)(akathartos from a = without + kathaíro = cleanse from katharos = clean, pure, free from the adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, corrupts, in an ethical sense, free from corrupt desire, sin, and guilt) (See study of related word akatharsia) in a moral sense refers to that which is unclean in thought, word, and deed. It can describe a state of moral impurity, especially sexual sin and the word foul is an excellent rendering. The idea is that which morally indecent or filthy. It is not surprising that as noted below this word is repeatedly applied to filthy demonic spirits in the Gospels. The related term akatharsia refers to filth or refuse! Now with this description ponder for a moment the true nature of demonic activity - foul, filth, refuse. One cannot help but think of the moral filth and refuse which is now easily found on countless internet pornography sites, which undoubtedly are a reflection of filthy, unclean demonic spirits possessing and influencing the lost, deceived perveyors of this immoral trash! O God, deliver your pristine Bride, especially the believing men therein, from the evil addictive power of these internet sites which are too horrible to even speak about! Amen (cf Ps 101:3 where "fasten grip" = Hebrew dabaq = "stick like glue!" Beware!) Unclean spirits is a term used 23x in the NT, mostly in the Gospels: Zech. 13:2; Matt. 10:1; Matt. 12:43; Mk. 1:23; Mk. 1:26; Mk. 1:27; Mk. 3:11; Mk. 3:30; Mk. 5:2; Mk. 5:8; Mk. 5:13; Mk. 6:7; Mk. 7:25; Mk. 9:25; Lk. 4:36; Lk. 6:18; Lk. 8:29; Lk. 9:42; Lk. 11:24; Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7; Rev. 16:13; Rev. 18:2 Related Resource: What are unclean spirits? Are unclean spirits demons? | GotQuestions.org Matthew 12:44 “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. NET Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.' When it returns, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and put in order. GNT τότε λέγει, Εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου ἐπιστρέψω ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον· καὶ ἐλθὸν εὑρίσκει σχολάζοντα σεσαρωμένον καὶ κεκοσμημένον. NLT Then it says, 'I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. KJV Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. ESV 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. NIV Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. ASV Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. CSB Then it says, 'I'll go back to my house that I came from.' And returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. NKJ "Then he says,`I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. NRS Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. YLT then it saith, I will turn back to my house whence I came forth; and having come, it findeth it unoccupied, swept, and adorned: NAB Then it says, 'I will return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. NJB Then it says, "I will return to the home I came from." But on arrival, finding it unoccupied, swept and tidied, GWN Then it says, 'I'll go back to the home I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean, and in order. BBE Then he says, I will go back into my house from which I came out; and when he comes, he sees that there is no one in it, but that it has been made fair and clean. my: Mt 12:29 Lu 11:21,22 Joh 13:27 Eph 2:2 1Jn 4:4 he finds: Mt 13:20-22 Ps 81:11,12 Ho 7:6 Joh 12:6 13:2 Ac 5:1-3 8:18-23 1Co 11:19 2Th 2:9-12 1Ti 6:4,5,9,10 1Jn 2:19 Jude 1:4,5 Rev 13:3,4,8,9 Matthew 12 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries OUTWARD REFORMATION WITHOUT INWARD TRANSFORMATION Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’ The demon concludes the first house, most likely the man from whom he was exorcised, was the better place and determines to return. This refers to demon possession of the person, because the person is the demon's "house" so to speak. Steven
Mateus 12
MacArthur warns of the deceitful condition of reformation without regeneration warning that "There really is no more serious danger than the danger of morality. It’s like the leper with no sense of pain. Such a person destroys himself without knowing it. Leprosy is a nerve disease that obliterates feeling. And lepers rub off their fingers and rub off their feet and rub off their faces because they can’t feel anything. This is the deadly danger of morality. So to attempt to clean your life up without Christ coming to dwell there is to be exposed to an even greater danger. That statement, “The last state of that man becomes worse than the first,” is very definitive. In the end, being moral is more dangerous than being immoral. There is no benefit in reformation without regeneration." (The Danger of Moral Reformation) Arrington adds that "After the man's deliverance from the evil spirit, he continues to live apart from God. The Holy Spirit does not occupy his heart. In other words, deliverance from the power of evil is not enough. The heart must be filled with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Getting rid of an evil spirit never means we are immune to Satan's assaults. Satan is persistent, and unless our hearts are filled with God, the outcome can be tragic. (See Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary) That is the way it will also be with this evil generation - “This evil generation” refers to those who had been exposed to extraordinary light yet persisted in unbelief. They had witnessed His miracles, heard His authoritative teaching, and even experienced a kind of outward “cleansing” as demonic activity was restrained and truth was proclaimed. Just as the unclean spirit returns with greater force to an empty house, so this evil generation, having rejected Christ, would not remain in a neutral state. Their condition would deteriorate. The rejection of greater light results in deeper darkness. What might have appeared as moral or religious reform would give way to intensified hardness, blindness, and ultimately judgment (cf. Jn 9:39-41). This principle is consistent throughout Scripture: increased revelation brings increased responsibility. When that revelation is resisted, the result is not stagnation but decline. As Paul later writes, those who reject truth are given over to greater deception (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). Likewise, Jesus had already warned that hearing without responding leads to a hardened heart (cf. Matthew 13:14-15). Historically, this was fulfilled in Israel’s trajectory. The generation that rejected their Messiah moved toward increasing spiritual blindness and eventually faced devastating judgment in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (cf. Siege of Jerusalem (70 AD)). Their “last state” truly became worse than the first. Theologically and personally, the warning remains: exposure to truth without surrender to Christ leaves a person spiritually empty and vulnerable. Reformation alone is insufficient. If Christ does not dwell within, the end condition will be worse, not better. The only safeguard is not merely to be “cleansed,” but to be filled with Him (cf. Ephesians 3:17). Michael Andrus writes "we have a strange story about a man who has an evil spirit (a demon) but the demon leaves. Now there’s a lot we don’t know here, but I think from the context it’s safe to surmise that this man has experienced some sort of exorcism rite, probably by one of the Pharisees. The passage tells us this about the man: he is “swept and put in order.” This indicates that the exorcism has succeeded in getting rid of a number of symptoms, perhaps bad habits and addictions, and it has produced a distinct improvement in the man’s behavior and appearance. But then the demon returns and brings with him seven other demons worse than himself (Mt 12:45). And the final condition of the man is worse than it was originally. What is the point? I think Jesus is saying that exorcism cannot be a goal in and of itself. Exorcism is a means to an end. Its purpose is to drive out evil so that truth and righteousness might take its place. An empty tenement just invites squatters. Another analogy might be that when you delete data from a computer hard drive, the deleted data is still there, in some form, and it can be fully erased only by overwriting it with new data. The place in one’s life once controlled by demonic forces must be overwritten by Jesus and the gospel or one’s life is not secure from the return of a fatal virus. Friends, here is the question we must wrestle with: Is it ultimately any advantage to enter a Christless eternity sober rather than drunk, generous rather than greedy, celibate rather than promiscuous, clothed and in your right mind rather than naked and foaming at the mouth? Is a reformed sinner any better off in hell than an unreformed one? I don’t mean to say that there’s no reason to be pleased when someone reforms his behavior. They’re surely more pleasant to be around, they make better neighbors, they stop hurting the people who love them. That’s all great, but man’s dreadful sinful condition can’t be healed by a little moral tidying up. In fact, there is a very real sense in which a reformed person without God can actually be worse off than an unreformed person—because at least the latter knows he’s messed up and can’t save himself, while the former is often proud of the progress he has made on his own. John MacArthur writes cogently: “Jesus had little trouble reaching prostitutes, thieves, extortioners, murderers, and the outcasts of society. But he had an almost impossible time reaching religious and moral people who were under the delusion that outward propriety made them acceptable to God.” (See Matthew Commentary - Page 334) The fact is, there has probably never been a group more committed to a demanding religious and moral code than the Pharisees, and there has never been a group so far from God. (No Switzerlands in this War) Jesus spoke of this same spiritual dynamic in Matthew 23 declaring "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." (Mt 23:15) Why twice as much a son of hell? Because the proselyte becomes more fanatical for self-righteous works than the teacher. Peter describes this deceptive spiritual dynamic writing about the false teachers (2 Pe 2:1-2) "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (CLEARLY THEY WERE NOT BORN AGAIN), they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:20-22+) In a sense they have reached a state of self-deceit from which they can never be saved. Life Application Study Bible - Our desire to reform often does not last long. In Israel's history, almost as soon as a good king would pull down idols, a bad king would set them up again. It is not enough to be emptied of evil; we must then be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish God's new purpose in our life (see also Matthew 12:43-45; Galatians 5:22). (See Luke Application Study Notes) MacArthur emphasizes the danger of morality writing "The church’s message can never be morality. Jesus’ message was never morality. Morality makes people double sons of hell. Morality kicks the door wide open for more demons. Morality makes the last state worse than the first. Let me say this to you, and it may shock you that I say it, it is better to be immoral than moral without Christ. It is better to be irreligious than religious without Christ. Because morality and religion are a seduction. Morality and religion give the deception of all is well with God when it is not. Morality and religion is a soul numbing deception. As long as a person believes he is immoral, he can be saved, right? It’s when a person believes he’s moral, doesn’t need a Savior. As long as a person knows he’s irreligious, he’s iniquitous, he’s wretched, he is in a position to be delivered. When a person comes to believe in his own righteousness, he is not redeemable. It was never the immoral people, by the way, that blasphemed Jesus!...Moral people, religious people are self-congratulatory, they are self-righteous, they’re confident in their own holiness, in their own morality. They are utterly deceived into believing that they have been delivered form the powers of Satan because they live moral lives. And the truth of the matter is they may be more infested with demons than a prostitute or a criminal. Moral people tend to have no vigilance and therefore no protection." (The Danger of Moral Reformation) Deffinbaugh explains "If Jesus is more powerful than Satan, which His last argument has shown, man is not. Man is not able, in and of himself, to resist Satan. The man who is possessed by a demon can, Jesus said, be re-possessed. The only power that can keep the demons out of a man is the power of the One who is able to deliver that man in the first place. Jesus was warning those who would attempt to remain neutral, who would not come to receive Him as their Messiah and to obey His commandments, that neutrality toward Messiah is hospitality toward the hostile forces of Satan. It is no blessing for men to be exorcised, rid of demon-possession if men do not have the person of God dwelling within. Just as man is unable to rid himself of a demonic inhabitant, neither is he able to keep an exorcised demon from returning. Jesus must not only be believed in as Messiah, He must also be received into one’s life, lest Satan only return in greater force." (Evidence that Produced Various Verdicts Luke) (Bolding added) J C