Matthew chapter 11
11:1-7 Verses 2-19 parallel Luke 7:18-35. This imprisonment has already been mentioned in Matthew 4:12, but the
circumstances leading up to it are not described in detail until 14:3-12, where the manner of John's death is also
recounted. The works of Christ refers to His miracles. He that should come refers to the predicted Messiah of Old
Testament prophecy whose coming had already been proclaimed by John. The blind receive their sight is an
allusion to Isaiah 35:5 and 61:1, where it is stated that this will be one of the works performed by the Messiah. The
poor have the gospel preached to them is another allusion to Isaiah 61:1. Hence, Jesus was clearly vindicating His
messiahship to John, who may have begun to question why Jesus had left him in prison.
11:8-11 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet?...more, much more (Greek perissoteron): The quotation in
verse 10 is from Malachi 3:1. John was recognized as the foreordained forerunner of the Savior and, technically, the
last of the Old Testament prophets. Thus, he belonged to the Old Testament dispensation. This certainly
emphasizes a clear distinction from the Old Testament era and the New Testament. The weakest believer who has
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of the risen Christ, is, therefore, in a more privileged position than the
greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Them that are born of women means mortal men, the idea being that the
greatest of all in this life cannot be compared with the glory of the life to come.
11:12-15 The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence (Greek biazomai): The meaning of this saying, and the
connection of verses 12-14 with preceding and following contexts, indicates that John opened the kingdom of
heaven to sinners and thus became the culminating point of Old Testament witness. Jesus' statement that this is
Elijah indicates the ministry predicted by Malachi 4:5, 6.
11:16-19. This generation refused to exercise it's capacity to hear, but made excuses for rejecting both John and
Jesus. Some have likened the illustration of Christ to that of children playing a game of "weddings" and then a game
of "funerals." The idea is that the children
cannot decide which game to play; so they decide to play nothing at all. The reference to the rejection of John's
ascetic ministry brought the charge that he was demon-possessed. However, Jesus' open contact with sinners
brought the equally untrue claim that He was gluttonous, and a wine-bibber.
11:20-24. The denunciation of Galilean cities that follows is recorded also by Luke, but in a different context (see
Luke 10:13-16). Chorazin was about an hour's journey on foot north of Capernaum. Bethsaida was on the west
side of the Sea of Galilee, about three miles southeast of Chorazin. Tyre and Sidon are both on the Mediterranean
coast beyond the northern boundary of Palestine. Shalt be brought down to hell: The statement here is an allusion
to Isaiah 14:13, 15 where it is spoken of the king of Babylon and probably refers to Satan himself.
Matthew Chapter 12
12:1-9. The sabbath day is the seventh day of the week, corresponding to our Saturday (cf. Mark 2:23-3:6; Luke
6:1-11). However, it begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until the following sunset. The Pharisees had burdened
the Sabbath with a multitude of detailed observances that were not laid down in the Mosaic Law. In responding to
their legalistic traditions, Jesus always referred to Scripture. Have ye not read? The passage referred to is 1 Samuel
21:1-6. The Lord makes the point that in the case of necessity the ceremonial law might be overruled. He uses the
illustration of David eating the showbread. These loaves were placed on the table in the holy place of tabernacle
each Sabbath. They were to be eaten only by the priest and his family (cf. Lev. 24:5-9; Num. 28:9). The priests
prepared the sacrifices on the Sabbath in spite of the general prohibition of work. If the necessities of temple
worship permitted the priests to profane the sabbath, there was all the more reason why the service of Christ would
allow a similar liberty.
12:10-27. Withered (shriveled): Luke 6 shows that this incident occurred on a different Sabbath. However, the
objection of the Pharisees on this occasion was ultimately the same. They were in opposition to Jesus' healing on
the Sabbath. The reference to "their synagogue" (v. 9) indicates that in this particular synagogue the Pharisees
were predominant.
12:28-30. The kingdom of God: Matthew's usual expression is the "kingdom of heaven" (3:2). Some have attempted
to distinguish between the meaning of the two, but they likely mean the same thing. Is come unto you (lit, "has come
upon you"): The Lord's power over demons was evidence enough that He was the Messiah. Hence, spoil his
goods... house refers to Satan as being defeated or ruined by the capture of souls from him for Christ by the gospel.
12:31-38. The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is deliberate rejection of the Christ. His Spirit-wrought miracles,
and His salvation. It is the ultimate sin that by its very nature puts a man beyond the opportunity of salvation. The
Holy Spirit brings the offer of salvation to the heart of man. To reject Him is to act "presumptuously" and thus to
"blaspheme" God. Those who reject His offer of salvation are in reality blaspheming the very nature of God Himself
and the genuineness of His grace.
12:39-42. The word adulterous means unfaithful to God. It was a metaphor frequently used in the Old Testament for
spiritual "adultery." The prophet Jonah: Jesus uses Jonah's burial in the fish for three days and three nights as an
illustration of the three days and three nights that Christ would spend in the grave Himself. The actual period was
either, minimally, from Friday evening to Sunday morning ( covering parts of three days idiomatically) or maximally,
from Wednesday evening to Sunday morning ( covering 72 literal hours). The reference to the whale's belly in verse
40 of the Authorized Version is unfortunate. The Greek word ketos means " a great sea creature," not necessarily a
whale. The Old Testament references are to a " great fish" ( Jon.1:17). Notice that the Lord placed this entire
account on the same level of historical reality as that with which He Himself was dealing.
12:43-45. Jesus gives a striking parable of the precarious spiritual condition of the nation.The parable is that of a
house well swept but unoccupied. The demon having been driven out, but finding no place to rest, returns with
seven other spirits, resulting in an even greater degeneration. Only by inviting Christ to be the honored guest and
head of the home could Israel know the full blessing of God.
12:46-50. The chapter closes with a reference to my mother and my brethren. These brothers are presumably the
children of Joseph and Mary born after the virgin birth of Jesus. While some have attempted to view them as
cousins, this certainly is not implied in the Gospels. By asking, Who is my mother? Jesus called attention away from
the earthly relationships to more important spiritual relationships. This saying was not intended to be one of
disrespect to Mary or to His brothers, for they too would come to share the spiritual. However, there is no suggestion
here at all that Jesus' mother had any special access to His presence or any particular influence over Him. By using
this startling question, Jesus prepared the crowd to receive the precious truth that whosoever shall do the will of my
Father was, in fact, His mother, His brother, and His sister.
Matthew Chapter 13
13:1-3. On one of the busiest days of Jesus' earthly ministry He gave an extended series of parables (seven in
Matthew and four in Mark, including one not given in Matthew). This is the turning point in Matthew's gospel. Already
sensing His impending rejection, Jesus now expresses the "mystery" form of the kingdom that will feature the church.
His early ministry involved a proclamation of the spiritual principles of the kingdom. To bring in a political kingdom
before men were born again would be a travesty. Therefore, an interval is now announced between the Messiah's
original appearance and His final return. That interval is the church age, during which believers are citizens of the
kingdom that is within them ( Luke 17:21).
13:3. This section introduces a new subject, a new approach, and a new method of teaching by parables. He
spake... in parables, a common method of teaching in the Near East, used to convey spiritual truth through a series
of earthly comparisons.
13:3-10. The first parable is set in an agricultural context. A sower went forth refers to the ancient seed sower,
planting a crop. Jesus later interpreted this parable Himself. The seed depicts the Word of God (v.19) and thus the
sower is the gospel evangelist. The way side is the path trampled through the field. It was packed hard and the seed
found no root, thus the fowls (demons? v. 19 wicked one[s]) snatched it away. Here there was no response at all to
the gospel. The second category is called stony places or the rocky ledge beneath a thin, shallow layer of soil. This
thin crust would warm quickly causing the seed to sprout instantly but without adequate rootage or moisture. Thus,
the sun...scorched the crop and it withered away. The third group of seeds fell among thorns that had not been
plowed. The thorns (wild growth) choked out the crop. Th good ground represents well-plowed and prepared soil
capable of producing a large crop. The statement Who hath ears to hear goes beyond physical hearing and implies
an inner spiritual reception of truth. This prompted the disciples to ask why He had spoken to them in parables.
Whereas before, He had used parables to illustrate His messages, now they formed the basis of the messages.
13:11-13. The Savior's reply is that only the disciples are to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. A
"mystery" in the Bible implies a sacred secret into which one must be initiated in order to understand it. The mystery
revealed would be the new form of the kingdom during the interval between the first and second advents.
13:18,19. Jesus interpreted this parable Himself in verses 18-23. The sower is Christ working through the agency if
His disciples to spread the gospel throughout the world. No longer is the message to be restricted to the house of
Israel, but is to be declared to all people. The word of the kingdom is the gospel proclamation of Jesus as King and
is not to be limited to an Old Testament, Jewish-only message. These parables clearly illustrate that the church is
the present-day form of the kingdom. The key to interpreting the reception of the seed into the ground is the term
understandeth, meaning to comprehend by believing faith (cf. v. 23). The unsaved listener does not receive the
seed, whereas the believer both hears and "understands" the message, and his life produces fruit to prove it.
13:20-23. The stony places are shallow-hearted individuals who anon (at once) receive (outwardly) the message
with joy. This emotional convert is not truly born again, for hath he not root and withers away. The one who is
among the thorns (cares of this world) is the carnal, worldly convert, who never really breaks with his past.
Worldliness and materialism choke the word in his life, and he is finally unfruitful (unsaved). The one who received
seed in the good ground is the one who both heard the word and understood it, which also beareth fruit (evidence
of true conversion). While such evidence may vary in it's amount, all true believers will produce some fruit.
13:24-27. This parable serves as a warning to the laborers in the field ( the world, v. 38). Unlike the Jewish form of
the kingdom in the Old Testament, where citizens could be easily recognized, during the church age converts will be
made from all over the world and received upon their profession of faith. Thus, it will be easier to slip in some
counterfeits who profess the church, which is the subject of these parables. The enemy is Satan and the tares (Gr.
zizanion, ":darnel") are false converts. The darnels was a weed that resembled wheat but did not come to fruition.
The good seed...sprung up, and brought forth fruit again, emphasizing that true converts produce fruitful lives. By
contrast, false coverts produce no lasting fruit.
13:28-30. The servants asked what could be done with these tares. To uproot them would be to damage the entire
crop. Root up...the wheat with them: The implication seems to be that too much scathing of people's genuineness of
faith may damage the saved before it exposes the lost. Let both grow together indicates that there will always be
some false professors among true Christian believers until the time of harvest or judgment. Note that the tares are
gathered, bound, and burned first, whereas the wheat is gathered into my barn (heaven).
13:31,32. See Mark 4:30-34; Luke 13:18,19. The mustard seed is unusually small and yet grows to a great size.
The idea seems to be that the tiny beginning of the church will eventually culminate in a great growth. Herbs ( Gr.
lachanon) are garden plants or vegetables. However, such numerical growth will come to harbor the birds (evil
ones). The parable accordingly foreshadows the growth of the church into a world power. However, outward growth
is not always a true picture of spiritual depth.
13:33-35. Kingdom of heaven is the spiritual form of the kingdom in the church. Leaven is a lump of old dough in a
state of fermentation, which makes the bread dough rise. It is virtually always used as a symbol of evil (cf. Matt.
16:6-12; Mark 8:15, Gal. 5:9). Three measures of meal, a common baking quantity (cf. Gen. 18:6), equivalent to
one-and-a-half gallons (Gr. saton; Heb. seah). The leaven is not just false profession of unsaved church members
but false doctrine that they will attempt to bring into the church.
13:45, 46. The merchant man is Christ, who comes to purchase, through His atonement, sinners who shall become
goodly pearls. The one pearl of great price is the church for the whom Christ gave His life, that is, all that he had. If
the pearl is Christ of the kingdom, for whom a man must give all in order to obtain, then no one has ever yet given
all that he has for Christ. While we receive Him as a Savior, we also progressively continue surrendering areas of
ourselves to Him as we come to know better His will for our lives.
13:47-50. The dragnet was pulled between two boats or taken out into the water by a single boat and drawn to
shore by ropes. In such a process all kinds of fish and other objects would be caught together. The good were put
into vessels, while the bad were cast away to be burned of fire (in hell). The imagery is similar to the parable of the
tares (v v. 24-30).