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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 12:21 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 12:21 is part of a quotation from the book of Isaiah ([Isaiah 42:1-4](/old-testament/isaiah/42/1/what-does-isaiah-42-1-mean)) which is applied to Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

The verse, "And in his name shall the Gentiles trust," signifies the extension of salvation and hope to the Gentiles, which means all non-Jewish peoples.

The literal meaning is that people from all nations will put their faith and trust in the name of the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Deeper meanings imply the inclusivity of the Christian message and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies that the Messiah would be a light to the nations, not just to the Jewish people.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Matthew's Gospel, written primarily for a Jewish audience, frequently cites Old Testament prophecies to demonstrate that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.

The Gospel was likely composed in the late first century AD when the Christian faith was spreading beyond Jewish communities to Gentile populations.

This verse shows an early acknowledgment that Jesus' ministry and message were not confined to the Jewish people but had universal implications.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse reflects the universal scope of Jesus' mission. It affirms the belief in God’s inclusive salvation plan for all humanity. Different theological viewpoints might emphasize:

Covenant Theology: Sees this as a fulfillment of God’s covenant promises, extending the blessings of Abraham to the Gentiles.
Dispensationalism: May interpret this in the context of distinct dispensations, with the Gentile church representing a different dispensation from Israel.
Universalism: The verse may be used to support the idea that God’s love and salvation are available to all, not limited by ethnicity or nationality.

Practical Applications

This verse encourages inclusion and acceptance in the Christian community.

It suggests that faith in Jesus is not exclusive to a particular group but is available to all, regardless of background.

In daily life, this can inspire outreach, missionary work, and intercultural engagement.

It also calls for the dismantling of barriers that separate people based on race, ethnicity, or nationality.

Cross-References

Isaiah 42:1, 4 – The passage Matthew quotes, showing the servant who brings justice to the nations.
Acts 13:47 - "For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth."
Romans 15:12 - "And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "Gentiles" is "ἔθνη" (ethnē), which can be translated as nations or peoples, indicating those who are non-Jews.

The word for "trust" is "ἐλπιοῦσιν" (elpiousin), meaning to hope or expect with trust. Exploring the original language nuances helps clarify that this hope is a strong, expectant trust in the Messiah, which indicates a deep level of faith.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

This idea of a universal savior is not unique to Christianity.

In other religious traditions, such as Buddhism, there is the concept of a Bodhisattva who compassionately refuses enlightenment to save others.

Similarly, in Hinduism, there are avatars of the gods who come to earth for the benefit of all.

However, these figures may not align directly with Christian theological understandings of salvation or messiahship.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse does not directly interact with scientific understandings but can inform a Christian perspective on the unity of humanity that is supported by genetic studies showing the common ancestry of all humans.

From a scientific standpoint, promoting trust and inclusion across different populations can be seen as beneficial for societal and psychological well-being.

Commentaries

Modern biblical scholars and theologians offer various insights into this verse:

Catholic Commentary: Often emphasizes the catholicity or universality of Jesus' mission, pointing to the Church's role in continuing this outreach to all people.
Reformed Commentary: May focus on the fulfillment of prophecy and the sovereignty of God in including Gentiles in the plan of salvation.
Evangelical Commentary: Could highlight personal application, encouraging individual believers to share their faith across cultural and national boundaries.

These commentaries can provide a more nuanced understanding of the text, offering interpretations based on different Christian traditions and theological emphases.

Matthew 12

Matthew 12

What does Matthew 12:21 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 12:21 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?