Matthew 12:11-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:1-50

The opposition that our Lord met with read more

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 12:11

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:12

How much then is a man better than a sheep? ( Matthew 6:26 ; Matthew 10:31 ). Wherefore it is lawful to do well ( to do good , Revised Version) on the sabbath days. He answers their question about healing ( Matthew 12:10 ) by enunciating a general principle which would cover more. "Doing good" (perhaps merely "well-doing," Acts 10:33 ; 1 Corinthians 7:37 ; but probably "doing good to" another, cf. Luke 6:26 , Luke 6:27 ; and the parallel passages here, ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:9-13

The account contained in these verses is recorded also in Mark 3:1-5, and Luke 6:6-10.Matthew 12:10A man which had his hand withered - This was probably one form of the palsy. See Barnes Mt 4:24.Mark and Luke have mentioned some circumstances omitted by Matthew. They say that Jesus addressed the man, and told him to stand forth in the midst. He then addressed the people. He asked them if it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath day? This was admitted by all their teachers, and it could not be... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 12:11-13

Matthew 12:11-13. And he said That he might show their unreasonableness, and confute them by their own practice: What man that shall have Or, Who, if he have but one sheep, that on the sabbath day shall fall into a pit, and it be in danger of perishing there, will not lay hold on it, &c. The stress of the question does not lie on supposing a man to have only one sheep, but on one only falling into a pit; and yet, for the comparatively small value of that one, his not scrupling to... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:9-21

35. Man with a withered hand (Matthew 12:9-21; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11)If an animal fell into a pit on the Sabbath day, the Jews would not hesitate to rescue it the same day. Yet they criticized Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath. Although no list of rules sets out all that a person should or should not do to keep the Sabbath holy, it is always right to do good on the Sabbath. To save life is better than to kill, and in this case Jesus was helping to save life. The Pharisees, by contrast,... read more

E.W. Bullinger