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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 12:19 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 12:19 depicts a prophetic reference to the manner in which Jesus Christ would conduct His ministry.

The verse suggests that Jesus would not be quarrelsome or contentious, nor would he seek attention in a loud or boisterous manner.

It can be seen to mean that His approach would be one of humility and gentleness, in contrast to the styles of some contemporary religious leaders or political figures who might have been known for being loud or attention-seeking.

This prophetic description emphasizes the meek and peaceful nature of Jesus, which stands in contrast to the expectations of a more militaristic or political Messiah that some people of the time may have hoped for.

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Historical Context

Matthew 12:19 is part of a larger section where Matthew is revealing how Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1-4) about the coming servant of the Lord.

The context is set in a period of tension between Jesus and religious authorities.

The historical backdrop includes expectations of a Messiah who would liberate Israel from Roman rule, yet Jesus' actions and teachings pointed to a different kind of kingdom, focusing on personal transformation and spiritual renewal rather than political revolution.

Theological Insights

The verse has been interpreted to convey a few theological insights:

The Servant Leadership of Jesus: This verse is reflective of the leadership style of Jesus, which was not coercive or domineering but gentle and servant-oriented. 2.

The Fulfillment of Prophecy: By describing Jesus in terms that resonate with Isaiah's prophecy, Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the expected Messiah, fulfilling the promises made in Hebrew scriptures. 3.

The Nature of the Messianic Kingdom: The quote suggests that the Messiah's kingdom will not be established through force or public spectacle but through humble service and quiet transformation.

Different denominations might focus variously on these aspects, but there is general agreement that this verse captures the essence of Jesus' peaceful and thoughtful approach.

Practical Applications

The behaviors of Jesus as described in Matthew 12:19 serve as an example for believers to emulate:

In conflict, believers are encouraged to seek resolution through peace rather than confrontation.

The verse can inspire Christians to spread their message calmly and humbly, without resorting to aggression or loudness. 3. In leadership, the verse teaches the importance of servant leadership rather than authoritarianism.

Cross-References

Isaiah 42:2 - "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street."
1 Peter 2:23 - "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."
Philippians 2:7 - "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."
John 18:36 - "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."

Language Study

The original Greek text provides nuances to the words in this verse:

"Strive" (ἐρίσει, erisei): often translated as quarrel or debate, carries a connotation of contention or rivalry.
"Cry" (κραυγάσει, kraugasei): can imply shouting or screaming in the sense of raising one's voice to be heard in public.
"Voice" (φωνὴν, phonen): denotes sound or noise, indicative of a proclamation or announcement.

Understanding these Greek terms can add depth to the meaning of the verse, illustrating a demeanor that is non-confrontational and composed.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In contrast with other ancient figures who might be heralded with fanfare and pomp, Jesus's approach as described in Matthew 12:19 contrasts with many of the era's expectations for religious or political leaders.

This can be compared broadly with the figures from other mythologies or religions, where a god or hero might have a more dominating and assertive presence.

The humility of Jesus presented in this scripture stands in direct contrast to such figures.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, the behaviors described in Matthew 12:19 might be associated with the benefits of non-aggressive communication and servant leadership.

Psychological studies have supported the idea that such approaches can lead to more effective conflict resolution, better team dynamics, and overall improved wellbeing in communities.

commentaries

Commentators offer various interpretations of Matthew 12:19:

John Calvin: Calvin points to the gentleness of Christ, emphasizing that He did not come to set up an earthly kingdom with force but to gently invite people to come to Him.
Matthew Henry: Henry suggests that the ministry of Christ did not aim at noise and show, and was not designed to affect the passions of people, but to guide their judgments and to plant truth in their minds.
William Barclay: Barclay observes that a bruised reed and a smoldering wick (in the following verse) are both things that would be thrown away as useless by people, but Jesus can mend the unfixable and fan the flame back to life.
**Craig S.

Keener**: Keener notes that Matthew likely intends this text to contrast the modesty of Jesus' public ministry with revolutionary movements of His time that sought to draw attention through public disturbances.

These commentaries indicate how different scholars view the subtle and widely applicable nature of this passage and its implications for understanding the character and mission of Jesus.

Matthew 12

Matthew 12

What does Matthew 12:19 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 12:19 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?