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Matthew 12

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

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?

How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

And charged them that they should not make him known:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

What does Matthew 12:17 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 12:17 refers to an event in the life of Jesus Christ where the evangelist, presumably Matthew, interprets Jesus's actions and the response of the crowds as the fulfillment of a prophecy by the prophet Isaiah.

The verse explicitly states that what was happening with Jesus was to fulfill what Isaiah had foretold.

This establishes a direct link between Jesus's ministry and Old Testament prophecies, serving as a validation of his identity as the Messiah in the eyes of the Jewish audience for whom Matthew is writing.

The specific prophecy being referred to is likely Isaiah 42:1-4, which depicts a chosen servant of God who will bring forth justice in a quiet and unobtrusive manner.

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Historical Context

Matthew's Gospel is written in a Jewish cultural and religious context, and it places a strong emphasis on Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

It was likely written around 70-110 AD, a time when the early Christian community was seeking to understand their faith in relation to Jewish tradition.

By showing how Jesus's actions are in line with the prophecies, Matthew is bolstering the belief of Jewish Christians and providing a basis for convincing other Jews of Jesus's legitimacy as the expected Messiah.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints may interpret this verse in varying ways.

From a Christian theological perspective, it might be seen as evidential support for the divinity of Jesus and God's plan for salvation unfolding through history.

Some might argue it demonstrates the consistency and reliability of God's word as revealed through the prophets. Others might question the methodology used to connect events in Jesus's life with ancient texts, bringing up debates about how prophecies are to be understood and applied.

Practical Applications

This verse encourages believers to see their lives and history through the lens of divine purpose.

Practically, it can be a reminder to look for the fulfillment of God's promises and to consider how personal and communal experiences may tie into a larger divine narrative.

It also teaches the value of understanding the past, particularly for people of faith to understand how historical prophecies or promises might connect to their contemporary lives.

Cross-References

Isaiah 42:1-4: This is the likely source of the prophecy Matthew is referring to, where a description of God's chosen servant is provided.
Matthew 1:22-23: Another instance where an event in Jesus's life is linked to the fulfillment of prophecy.
Luke 4:17-21: Jesus reads from the book of Isaiah and claims that the scripture is fulfilled in the listeners' hearing.
Acts 8:32-35: Philip interprets a passage from Isaiah 53 as referring to Jesus when speaking to the Ethiopian eunuch.

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text of Matthew 12:17 include:

"ἵνα" (hina): often translated as "that" or "so that", it indicates purpose or result.
"πληρωθῇ" (plērōthē): a form of "πληρόω" (plēroō), meaning "to fulfill", "complete", or "accomplish".

It suggests the coming to pass or realization of something that was anticipated.

"Ἠσαΐας" (Esaias): the Greek form of "Isaiah", identifying the prophet by name.
"προφήτου" (prophētou): meaning "of the prophet", signifying the divine role of the person speaking on behalf of God.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader context of ancient religions and myths, the concept of prophecy and its fulfillment is not unique to Judaism and Christianity.

Many ancient cultures had prophetic figures who were believed to be able to predict future events or speak for the gods.

What is noteworthy in the case of Matthew is the specific claim that a particular individual's life (Jesus) is the embodiment of prophecies that were centuries old, which is a strong statement of continuity and divine orchestration.

Scientific Perspectives

The scientific perspective does not typically weigh in on the fulfillment of prophecies, as these matters are outside the realm of empirical evidence and scientific methodology.

However, modern scholarship might approach this from a historical-critical perspective, examining the socio-historical context and the literary composition of the texts to understand how early Christians made connections between Jesus's life and Hebrew scriptures.

Commentaries

Scholars and theologians offer various perspectives on Matthew 12:17.

Some see this verse as a clear indicator that Matthew was writing for a Jewish audience and wanted to present Jesus unequivocally as the Messiah.

Others critique the application of Isaiah's prophecy to Jesus, proposing that early Christians may have read Jesus into texts where he was not originally intended to be seen.

Yet, conservative commentaries emphasize the doctrinal importance of prophecy fulfillment in validating Jesus's mission and identity, seeing it as transcending mere historical events and reaching into spiritual revelation.

Matthew 12

Matthew 12

What does Matthew 12:17 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 12:17 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?