PrevMatthew 12:22Next

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 12:22 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 12:22 tells of an incident where a man who was demon-possessed and consequently unable to speak or see was brought to Jesus.

The verse highlights Jesus’ healing powers, as He not only exorcised the demon but also restored the man’s ability to speak and see.

This verse depicts Jesus’ authority over the spiritual realm, as well as His compassion and power to heal physical and spiritual infirmities.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

This event is reported during the time of Jesus' ministry in Galilee.

During this period, Jewish society held varied views about demons and diseases; it was commonly thought that demons could cause physical impairments such as blindness and muteness.

Exorcisms were not uncommon, and exorcists used a variety of techniques to cast out demons.

What sets Jesus apart in this context is his ability to heal simply by command, without relying on elaborate rituals.

Theological Insights

From a theological point of view, this verse touches upon several key concepts:

Authority of Jesus: It reinforces the belief in Jesus' divine authority to cast out demons and heal.
Kingdom of God: It's seen as a demonstration of the Kingdom of God breaking into the temporal world, overruling the presence of evil.
Messiahship of Jesus: The healing was seen as a fulfillment of messianic prophecies, which entailed miraculous signs.
Duality of Jesus' work: It underscores not only the physical healing but also spiritual liberation, as He cares for both aspects of human need.

Practical Applications

The teachings from this verse inspire several practical applications:

Faith in difficult circumstances: Believers are encouraged to trust in God's power even in seemingly impossible situations.
Holistic care: It encourages care for individuals' physical and spiritual needs.
Compassion: It serves as an example of compassion towards those who are suffering and marginalized.
Spiritual warfare: It reminds Christians of the reality of spiritual warfare and the authority vested in Jesus and, by extension, to His followers.

Cross-References

Mark 7:37: "And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."
Luke 11:14: "And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb.

And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered."

Matthew 9:32-33: "As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel."

Language Study

The original Greek text uses:

δαιμονιζόμενον (daimonizomenon): Translated as "possessed with a devil," indicating demoniac oppression.
τυφλός (typhlos): Meaning "blind," often used both literally and metaphorically in biblical texts.
κωφός (kophos): Translated as "dumb," referring to the inability to speak.

Understanding these words in their original context provides a clearer picture of the man’s condition and the magnitude of the miracle performed by Jesus.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, including the Jewish tradition, exorcism was a recognized practice. Other cultures had their own rituals for dealing with evil spirits.

The Greek god Asclepius, for instance, was associated with healing and was believed to have powers to cure blindness and other diseases.

The striking difference in the case of Jesus is the absence of elaborate rituals and the demonstration of instant healing, which set Him apart from other healers of His time.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, conditions like blindness and muteness have medical explanations and treatments.

However, the verse does not align with any scientific understanding of demon-related afflictions. Today, such miraculous healing claims are met with skepticism by the scientific community, which typically requires empirical evidence and reproducible results.

Commentaries

Different commentators offer varied insights on this verse:

Traditional Commentaries: Often highlight the power and divinity of Jesus, emphasizing the miracle as evidence of His messianic role.
Skeptical Scholars: Some may question the historical accuracy of the event or suggest metaphorical interpretations of the healing.
Medical Perspective: Modern medical commentaries might try to diagnose the conditions mentioned based on symptoms described, without affirming the supernatural aspect.
Liberal Theologians: Might focus on the social and ethical behavior exhibited by Jesus - His willingness to engage with and heal someone rejected by society.

Matthew 12

Matthew 12

What does Matthew 12:22 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 12:22 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?