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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:42

Verse 42 42.The queen of the south. As Ethiopia lies in a southerly direction from Judea, I willingly concur with Josephus and other writers, who assert that she was the queen of Ethiopia. In sacred history she is called the queen of Sheba, (2 Chronicles 9:1.) We must not suppose this Sheba to be the country of Saba, which rather lay toward the east, but a town situated in Meroe, an island on the Nile, which was the metropolis of the kingdom. Here, too, we must attend to the points of contrast.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:43

Verse 43 43.But when the unclean spirit hath gone out. He speaks of scribes and hypocrites of a similar character, who, despising the grace of God, enter into a conspiracy with the devil. Against such persons he pronounces that punishment which their ingratitude deserves. To make his doctrine more extensively useful, he points out, in a general manner, the condemnation that awaits those who, despising the grace offered to them, again open the door to the devil. But as almost every particle has... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:44

Verse 44 44.He findeth it empty Christ is unquestionably describing those who, being destitute of the Spirit of God, are prepared for receiving the devil; for believers, in whom the Spirit of God efficaciously dwells, are fortified on all sides, so that no opening is left for Satan. The metaphor of a house swept and embellished is taken from men who find pleasure in the cleanness and neatness of their apartments; for to Satan no sight is beautiful but deformity itself, and no smell is sweet but... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:45

Verse 45 45.He taketh with him seven other spirits The number seven is here used indefinitely, as in many other passages. By these words Christ shows that if we fall from his grace, our subjection to Satan is doubled, so that he treats us with greater cruelty than before, and that this is the just punishment of our slothfulness. (149) Let us not then suppose that the devil has been vanquished by a single combat, because he has once gone out of us. On the contrary, let us remember that, as his... 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 12:38

Then certain . The demand is only made by a portion of those present, who, according to Luke 11:16 , were not the same as those who spoke our Luke 11:24 . Of the scribes and of the (Revised Version omits the ) Pharisees . They are represented as forming but one party ( Matthew 5:20 , note). Answered ( him , Revised Version, with the manuscripts). It is worth noticing that the insertion of the pronoun makes the passage more like Matthew 16:1 and parallels. Saying,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:38

Sinful sign-seekers. Sign-seeking may be either right or wrong. Gideon sought a sign from God for the confirmation of his faith; and to him the sign was given. These Pharisees asked for a sign which they could turn into a confirmation of their unbelief, and to them no sign was given; they must be content with a sort of enigma, or riddle, which they might puzzle over if they pleased. The state of mind of these sign-seekers is of great importance. It explains to us at once that it would Lave... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:38-42

Before entering on this difficult passage, it seems necessary to make some preliminary observations. (a) The demand was made twice (in itself exceedingly probable), and our Lord's answers were to a great extent identical in substance (in itself not very probable), and when identical in substance were closely identical in language (distinctly less probable). Or perhaps we might suppose that this identity of language was rather due to the narrator than to our Lord himself; familiarity with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:38-45

Some of our Lord's opponents try to defend themselves by asking for a sign of his authority to claim so much; e.g. Matthew 12:30 ( Matthew 12:38 ). In his reply he refers them to their own histories for proof that such a demand is inexcusable. The Ninevites did not require one when Jonah became a sign to them—and in mentioning Jonah he refers to his being in the whale's belly three days and three nights as a symbol of what should happen to himself—and "the queen of the south" took... read more

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