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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 12:30 mean?

Explanation

"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." (Matthew 12:30 KJV) This verse, spoken by Jesus Christ, communicates a strong binary perspective on allegiance and participation in his mission.

Literally, it implies that there is no neutral position when it comes to the work and person of Jesus.

Metaphorically, it suggests the consequences of being inactive or not actively aligning oneself with Jesus' teachings – it is tantamount to opposition.

The deeper meaning could be seen as a call to commitment, underlining the importance of proactive engagement in spiritual matters and the kingdom of God.

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Historical Context

This statement is part of a larger discourse in which Jesus responds to the Pharisees, who had accused him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, a name associated with Satan.

The historical setting is Second Temple Judaism, a period marked by various religious sects such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, who often questioned Jesus’ authority.

The culture of the time held strong expectations about the messianic prophecies, and Jesus' miracles and teachings challenged established religious norms.

The utterance serves as a counter-strike to the Pharisees' charges and a clarification of Jesus' authoritative source.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse presents a dichotomy within the context of Christian belief, a theme that emerges in discussions on salvation, good versus evil, and the kingdom of God.

From one angle, it can be interpreted within the framework of soteriology (the study of salvation) as delineating between those who are saved and those who are not.

Another viewpoint comes from eschatology (the study of end times), suggesting that in the final accounting, there will be a division between those who are with Jesus and those against him.

Some theologians may critique this binary stance as too simplistic, arguing for a more nuanced understanding of human alignment with divine will.

Practical Applications

In daily life, this verse might encourage individuals to reflect on their personal decisions and actions, prompting them to assess whether they are contributing positively to the causes they believe in, specifically in matters of faith.

It can be a motivational excerpt, urging believers to take a clear stand for their beliefs and to actively participate in communal and religious activities.

Moreover, it may serve to remind Christians of the importance of making deliberate choices that align with their values rather than remaining passive or non-committal.

Cross-References

Luke 11:23 , "He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth."
Matthew 6:24 , "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Revelation 3:15-16 , "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

James 2:26 , "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
Mark 9:40 , "For he that is not against us is on our part."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text from this verse of Matthew include:

"with me" (μετ' ἐμοῦ, met' emou): being in a close association or partnership.
"against me" (κατ' ἐμοῦ, kat' emou): to oppose or be in conflict with.
"gathereth not" (οὐ συνάγων, ou synagon): is not assembling or bringing together.

Given the agricultural context of the time, this verb can allude to harvesting or collecting what is valuable.

"scattereth abroad" (σκορπίζει, skorpizei): the act of scattering or dispersing, which can imply wastefulness or counterproductivity.

These words emphasize the concepts of closeness versus separation and collaboration versus division.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Similar concepts of allegiance and opposition are evident in other ancient cultural and religious texts.

For example, Zoroastrianism's emphasis on the duality between good (Ahura Mazda) and evil (Angra Mainyu) reflects an explicit division in spiritual alignment.

The call to choose a side is a recurring theme in many myths and religious narratives, often symbolizing the inherent struggle between order and chaos or community and isolation.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientifically, the verse does not relate to empirical methods or theories.

However, the idea that one's actions can either contribute to a collective goal or be detrimental to it is supported by psychological studies on group dynamics and social influence.

In ecological terms, every action or inaction by individuals can affect the larger system positively or negatively, analogous to the gathering versus scattering mentioned in the verse.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have interpreted this verse in different contexts.

Matthew Henry's Commentary, for example, indicates that the verse illustrates the seriousness of the spiritual conflict and the necessity of being actively engaged in the cause of Christ.

John Wesley's notes also highlight the urgency of choosing a side and the dangers of indecision in spiritual matters.

Contemporary commentaries might stress the importance of community and cooperation in faith, drawing practical lessons for church involvement and mission-focused activities.

Matthew 12

Matthew 12

What does Matthew 12:30 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 12:30 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?