Matthew 12-17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:24

But when the Pharisees heard it ,.... Very probably not the same that went out, and held a council against Christ to destroy him, Matthew 12:14 but others that were come from Judea and Jerusalem, and were with him in the house, and saw the miracle: these, when they heard what the people said, and how ready they were to believe, and own Jesus to be the Messiah, in order to prevent it, being filled with envy and malice, they said, this fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:25

And Jesus knew their thoughts ,.... He not only heard their blasphemous words, but was privy to their secret thoughts; he knew their vile malicious intentions and designs, with what view they expressed themselves in this manner, on purpose to reproach him, and set the people against him, contrary to the inward light of their minds, and dictates of their consciences; who must, and did know the contrary of what they said: and regarding the inward frame of their minds, as well as their words,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:26

And if Satan cast out Satan ,.... That is, if Satan, the same with Beelzebub, casts out the rest of the Satans, or other devils, of which he is the prince and head, he is divided against himself ; he acts contrary to his own interest, which is to keep possession of the bodies and souls of men; and consequently it must, in course, be subversive of his power and dominion: how shall then his kingdom stand? he will never be able to maintain his authority, and keep up the show of a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:27

And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils ,.... As the Pharisees asserted, and would have the people believe; for this is not allowed, only for argument sake supposed: by whom do your children cast them out? meaning not the apostles and disciples of Christ, the children of the Jews, to whom Christ gave power of casting out devils, and who had exercised it in his name; and therefore argues, if they in his name cast out devils, why could he not do it himself, without the help of Satan?... read more

John Gill

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

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