Matthew 12:36-37

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:37

By thy words thou shalt be justified ... - That is, “words” are the indication of the true principles of the heart; by “words” the heart shall be known, as the tree is by its fruit. If they are true, proper, chaste, instructive, pious, they will prove that the heart is right. If false, envious, malignant, and impious, they will prove that the heart is wrong, and will therefore be among the causes of condemnation. It is not meant that words will be the only thing that will condemn man, but that... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 12:36-37

Matthew 12:36-37. But I say unto you You may perhaps think God does not much regard your words, but I assure you, that not only for blasphemous and profane, malicious, false, slanderous, and reviling words, but for every idle word which men shall speak: for all light, vain, trifling expressions; for all useless, unprofitable conversation, and all discourse uttered without seriousness and caution, and which does not conduce to the glory of God and the good of mankind; that men shall speak... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:22-45

52. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:22-45; Mark 3:22-30; Luke 11:14-36)On one occasion when Jesus cast out demons, the Pharisees accused him of doing it by the power of Satan, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:22-24; Luke 11:14-16). Jesus replied that if the prince of demons used his own power to cast out demons, he would be creating civil war in his own kingdom. He would be destroying himself. The only way a strong man can be defeated is if a stronger man overpowers him. In casting out... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 12:36

idle = careless or useless. Compare Matthew 20:3 . 1 Timothy 5:13 .Titus 1:12 . word = saying. Not the same as in Matthew 12:37 . that = which. give account thereof = suffer its consequences. A Hebraism. thereof = concerning ( App-104 .) it. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 12:37

words. Greek plural of logos. Not the same as in Matthew 12:36 . See note on Mark 9:32 . "Words" are reckoned as "deeds" (2 Corinthians 5:10 ). See App-121 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:36

And I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment.This is a strong admonition to guard what is spoken. "Idle" words are not necessarily those casual and insignificant sayings indulged in the course of social fellowship, nor such words as may be calculated to bring a smile to care-worn faces, but rather, they are the words that betray a bias of the soul against God and expose the evil heart of the sinner.Again, Christ referred... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:37

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.Speech is one of the greatest endowments of humanity; and the greater the gift, the greater the sin of perverting it to unworthy purposes. It would be impossible to sum up all the sins of mankind in the area of sinful speech. It must appear even to casual thought of it that words, as used by millions, constitute the bulk of human shame and wickedness. James said, "If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:34-37

Matthew 12:34-37. O generation of vipers, &c.— Without attending to the context, and our Saviour's general argument, which he is here closely pursuing, interpreters have been strangely perplexed with the phrase every idle word, in Matthew 12:36., which many of them have considered as a distinct and separate injunction; whereas it is closely connected with that calumnious and blasphemous way of speaking, proceeding out of an evil heart, which our Saviour is so sharply condemning in the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:36

36. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment—They might say, "It was nothing: we meant no evil; we merely threw out a supposition, as one way of accounting for the miracle we witnessed; if it will not stand, let it go; why make so much of it, and bear down with such severity for it?" Jesus replies, "It was not nothing, and at the great day will not be treated as nothing: Words, as the index of the heart, however idle... 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