Matthew 12:12 - Exposition

How much then is a man better than a sheep? ( Matthew 6:26 ; Matthew 10:31 ). Wherefore it is lawful to do well ( to do good , Revised Version) on the sabbath days. He answers their question about healing ( Matthew 12:10 ) by enunciating a general principle which would cover more. "Doing good" (perhaps merely "well-doing," Acts 10:33 ; 1 Corinthians 7:37 ; but probably "doing good to" another, cf. Luke 6:26 , Luke 6:27 ; and the parallel passages here, ἀγαθοποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι ) is to be one test by which the duty of resting or of working on the sabbath is to be determined.