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James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 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?The obvious answer was affirmative. The Pharisees, with one accord, made an exception for "the ox in the ditch," basing their view upon Exodus 23:4,5 and Deuteronomy 22:4. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 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.In this, Christ continued to prove that his conduct and that of his apostles was altogether correct and lawful. He did not lay claim to any "excusable violations," but he claimed strict and wholehearted compliance with the law, the whole law. He said, "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I came not to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17). Certainly, healing was... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:11

Matthew 12:11. That shall have one sheep— Who, if he have but one sheep that on the sabbath-day should fall into a pit, will not, &c. The stress is not here to be laid upon a man's having only one sheep, but upon one only falling into a pit. The following Jewish saying is mentioned by some writers: "It is unlawful to do any servile work on the sabbath-day, unless it be on purpose to save a life;" which comprehends also brutes. From what is said here, and Luke 13:15; Luk 14:5 it appears,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:11

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? read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:12

12. How much then is a man better than a sheep?—Resistless appeal! "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast" ( :-), and would instinctively rescue it from death or suffering on the sabbath day; how much more his nobler fellow man! But the reasoning, as given in the other two Gospels, is singularly striking: "But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 12:1-21

1. Conflict over Sabbath observance 12:1-21The first two instances of conflict that Matthew recorded arose over Sabbath observance. Sabbath observance was very important to the Jews. [Note: See Edersheim, The Life . . ., 2:777-87, for discussion of the ordinances and law of the Sabbath as laid down in the Mishnah and the Jerusalem Talmud.] It was a uniquely Israelite institution that commemorated the creation of the cosmos and the creation of Israel. Jewish rules of conduct concerning the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 12:1-50

B. Specific instances of Israel’s rejection of Jesus ch. 12Matthew has shown that opposition to Jesus came from two main sources: the animosity of the religious leaders, and the indifference of the common Israelites. In this chapter he presented five instances in which opposition manifested itself and increased. In each situation the approach to Jesus was negative, but Jesus responded positively. [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 158.] "Central to the plot of Matthew’s story is the element... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 12:9-14

The healing of a man with a withered hand 12:9-14 (cf. Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11)In the previous encounter Jesus appealed to Scripture, but in this one He did not. In that one His disciples were the targets of Pharisaic criticism, but in this one He was. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 12:11-13

This is the third time in Matthew that Jesus argued for the superiority of human life over animal life (cf. Matthew 6:26; Matthew 10:31). His argument presupposed the special creation of man (Genesis 1-2). Jesus assumed, apparently with good reason, that the Pharisees would lift a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath. His argument was again qal wahomer (from the light to the heavy, cf. Matthew 12:5-6). Neither the sheep in the illustration nor the man in the synagogue was in mortal danger. Jesus... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 12:1-50

Plucking Corn on the Sabbath. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost1-8. Plucking the corn on the sabbath (Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1). This chapter begins the period of active conflict with the Pharisees. It is characteristic of the pedantry of the Pharisees that their opposition turned more upon minute points of legal observance than upon broad principles. The Fourth Gospel agrees with the synoptists in making the sabbath controversy of leading importance in the development of hostility to Christ (John... read more

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