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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:10

Verse 10 10.They asked him, saying. Mark and Luke say only that they watched what our Lord would do; but Matthew states more clearly that they also attacked him by words. It is probable, that some others had been previously cured on Sabbath-days; and hence they take occasion to ask if he believes it to be lawful for him to do again what he had formerly done. They ought to have considered whether it was a work of God, or of man, to restore a withered hand by a mere touch, or by a single word.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:11

Verse 11 11.What man shall there be among you who shall have a sheep? Christ again points out what is the true way of keeping the Sabbath; and, at the same time, reproves them for slander, in bringing as a charge against him what was a universal custom. For if any man’s sheep had fallen into a ditch, no person would have hindered it from being taken out: but in proportion as a man is of more value than a sheep, so much the more are we at liberty to assist him. It is plain, therefore, that if... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-13

The sabbath. Six times was our Lord, either directly or through his disciples, charged with sabbath-breaking. In considering the manner in which he met the accusation, we must bear in mind that he was in a different relation to the Jewish sabbath from that which we hold to it. Indeed, we could not, from his observance of the day, argue that a day was to be similarly observed in the Christian Church, because many important observances ceased at his death, and remain to us only in their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-14

Christ the Lord of the sabbath. I. NECESSARY WORK MAY BE DONE ON THE SABBATH . 1 . The accusation of the Pharisees. The Lord's disciples were hungry; they gathered the ears of corn. This was allowed by the Law ( Deuteronomy 23:25 ). But it was the sabbath day, and there were Pharisees in attendance, some of them rulers of the neighbouring synagogue, some perhaps spies, sent from Jerusalem to watch our Lord. After the healing of the impotent man at the pool of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-45

(1) Opposition from his enemies. (a) Conscious and wilful opposition ( Matthew 12:1-37 ). ( α ) As regards the sabbath ( Matthew 12:1-14 ). ( β ) An interlude. The evangelist sees in our Lord's behaviour the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy (verses 15-21). ( γ ) The opposition carried to the extreme of accusing him of alliance with Beelzebub. Christ shows the monstrous character of such an accusation, and the absence which it discloses of all spirituality of mind... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:9-14

The healing of the man with the withered hand. Parallel passages: Mark 3:1-6 ; Luke 6:6-11 . In Luke 6:10 , Luke 6:11 there are reminiscences of a narrative, presumably belonging to the Framework, which is essentially preserved in Luke 14:2-5 (cf. Weiss). In this section the opposition of the Pharisees is turned directly against our Lord himself for breaking the sabbath. Observe, however, that he did not do this for his own benefit. It was his kindness to another that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:9-21

The mission of Christ. In the last paragraph we learn how Jesus showed that works of necessity are lawful on the sabbath day. In the paragraph before us we see that works of mercy also are lawful. If under the Law the spirit of the sabbath was binding rather than the letter, how much more so under the gospel! The subject teaches us that Christ came amongst men— I. TO VANQUISH MALIGNITY . 1 . Malignity was embodied in the Pharisees. 2 . Malignity is vanquished by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:10

And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered; and behold a man having a withered hand (Revised Version, with Westcott and Hort). For the quotation by Jerome from "the Gospel which the Nazarenes and Ebionites use", in which this man tells our Lord, " Coementarius (a mason) eram, manibus vietum quaeritans ," see especially Resch, 'Agrapha,' p. 379. And they asked him, saying . In the narrative of healing the man with the dropsy, found in Luke 14:1-6 ( vide supra ), a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:11

Matthew alone on this occasion, but comp. Luke 14:5 . And he said unto them . Christ's answer appeals from intellectual and theoretical difficulties to the practical common sense of ordinary morality (cf. Romans 3:5-7 ). Their own feelings would guide them to help a brute, much more a man. According to the parallel passages, our Lord first set the man in the midst of them, wishing, perhaps, to draw out their sympathy, and only afterwards spoke this verse of censure (see Chrysostom). ... read more

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