Matthew 12:22-50

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:28

But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God ,.... As it was certain he did, from the nature, use, and design of such miracles; and it could not be reasonably thought, that Satan would assist in what was so very opposite to his kingdom and interest, and was so serviceable to the cause and glory of Christ. All the three persons had an hand in the miracles of the Messiah; they were done by Christ, in his Father's name, and by the power of the Spirit of God; from which the following inference... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:29

Or else, how can anyone enter into a strong man's house ,.... This is another argument of Christ's proving that his casting out of devils could not be by Satan, but by the Spirit of God; for if he did not act by any superior power to Satan's, and such by which he was able to master, overcome, and bind him, he could never spoil his goods , as he did; or dispossess devils out of the bodies or souls of men: just as if a man should enter into another man's house, who is strong and robust,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:30

He that is not with me, is against me ,.... These words chiefly refer to Satan, and are a further proof, that Christ did not cast out devils by him; since they two are as much opposites, as can possibly be; Satan is not on the side of Christ, but an adversary to him; there is an original, and implacable enmity, between the serpent and the seed of the woman; there is an open war between them, and therefore one cannot be thought to lend assistance to the other. They were concerned in different... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:31

Wherefore I say unto you ,.... This shows, that what follows is occasioned by what the Pharisees had said, concerning the miracles of Christ; imputing them to diabolical influence and assistance, when they were done by the Spirit of God, of which they themselves were conscious; all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men : not unto all men, for there are some, who, as they are never truly convinced of sin, and brought to repentance for it, so they never have the remission... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:32

And whosoever speaketh a word against the son of man ,.... By whom is meant, not any man, as Grotius thought, but the Lord Jesus Christ, so often called "the son of man", on account of his human nature, in which he appeared in great meanness and obscurity. Now many might, through ignorance of him, thinking him to be a mere man, and taking up with common fame, speak evil of him, deny him to be the Messiah, reproach him for the meanness of his parentage and education, and for the freedom of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:33

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good ,.... That is, either assert them both good, or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt : say they are both evil, for the contrary cannot be affirmed with any consistency and propriety: the matter is easy to be determined, for the tree is known by his fruit ; fruit will discover what a tree is, and accordingly judgment may be made. No man will say a tree is good, and its fruit corrupt; or say, that a tree is corrupt, and its... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:34

O generation of vipers ,.... Though they boasted of their being the seed of Abraham, yet their immediate ancestors were no other than vipers, deceitful, hurtful, poisonous creatures; and they were exactly like them: for though they made a fair show in the flesh, and outwardly appeared righteous, yet were inwardly full of the poison of wickedness, envy and malice; and which their pestilential breath, their blasphemy against the Spirit, fully discovered; and gave just cause and reason for so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:35

A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart ,.... "A good man", is a regenerated man, one that is renewed by the Spirit of God, a believer in Christ, a sincere lover of him, and one that follows him, wheresoever he goes, and who has the grace of God implanted in him: for "the good treasure the heart", is not what he is naturally possessed of, but what is put into him: and is no other than the superabundant grace of God, or that grace for grace, which he has received out of Christ's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:36

But I say unto you ,.... This form of speaking is used, the more strongly to asseverate the truth of what is after said; and the rather, because men are apt to indulge a liberty with their tongues; fancying no great crime is committed, when only words are spoken, and no facts done; that every idle word that a man shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment . By an "idle word" is meant, what the Jews call, שיחה קלה , "light conversation", and דבר בטל ,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:37

For by thy words thou shalt be justified ,.... Theophylact seems to take these words to be a passage of Scripture cited by Christ, in proof of what he had said, but does not point to any; nor is any such Scripture to be found. They are rather proverbial expressions, in common use among the Jews; or refer to the usual methods of proceeding in courts of judicature, upon the acknowledgments and confessions of persons. "Says Resh Lakish F5 T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 30. 1. , such an one and... read more

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