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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 12:46 mean?

Explanation

The verse from the Gospel of Matthew 12:46 narrates a moment when Jesus was addressing a crowd and is interrupted by the arrival of his family members.

The passage is straightforward in its literal sense: Jesus' mother and brothers (brethren) are standing outside the place where He is speaking to the people and they are seeking to have a word with Him.

The deeper meaning of this verse unfolds as the story progresses, revealing Jesus' redefinition of familial relationships based on spiritual, rather than just biological, bonds.

He takes this opportunity to expand the definition of His "family" to include all those who do the will of His Father in heaven.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

This verse is situated in the Gospel of Matthew, which is one of the synoptic gospels, written primarily for a Jewish-Christian audience.

Matthew's Gospel emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and showcases Him as the new Moses and the Messiah.

During the time when Jesus lived and taught, family ties were of paramount importance in Jewish society.

Blood relationships were the basis for social identity, religious practice, and inheritance rights.

The event described in this passage would have been striking to the original audience because it challenged existing social and religious norms regarding family loyalty and identity.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse can be viewed through various lenses:

Traditional Christian perspective sees this as an affirmation of the spiritual family over the biological one, inviting believers to understand that spiritual kinship in Christ transcends blood relations.
Catholicism often emphasizes the presence of Mary, Jesus' mother, and her significance in salvation history, though here, it also acknowledges Jesus' emphasis on the spiritual family.
Protestant interpretations might focus on the priesthood of all believers and the concept of the church as a family of faith, wherein all members are brothers and sisters through their faith in Jesus.

Practical Applications

This verse has practical applications in the daily lives of believers:

It encourages inclusive community building, where bonds are formed not only on physical or familial ties but on shared faith and values.
It teaches that service to God and obedience to His will can create strong, familial bonds between people, regardless of their backgrounds.
The verse may serve as a reminder to prioritize spiritual commitments, sometimes even over familial duties if they are in conflict.

Cross-References

Related verses from the King James Version include:

Mark 3:31-35, where a similar story is recounted, and Jesus states, "Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."
Luke 8:19-21, another parallel passage that concludes with Jesus' statement about His true family being those who hear and follow God's word.
John 15:14, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you," illustrating the theme of obedience to Christ as a hallmark of spiritual kinship.

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text include:

"Mother" (Μήτηρ, Mētēr): Referring to one's biological mother, but also used as a term of respect and affection.
"Brethren" (ἀδελφοί, adelphoi): This term can mean biological brothers, but in the context of the New Testament, it often refers to fellow believers or members of the Christian community.
"Desiring to speak" (λαλῆσαι, lalēsai): This verb reflects an intention or wish to communicate, emphasizing the purpose of the visit.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, including Jewish society, the concept of family was crucial, and breaking familial bonds was a serious matter.

Comparatively, in other religious traditions, such as Buddhism, there is also an emphasis on spiritual community or sangha, which may take precedence over blood relations.

Hinduism has its own concept of a universal family (vasudhaiva kutumbakam), suggesting a broader sense of kinship.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science recognizes the strong bond of kinship and its evolutionary advantages in terms of survival and social cohesion.

However, it also acknowledges the capacity for humans to form deep social bonds beyond genetic relationships.

Studies in psychology and sociology support the idea that shared beliefs, experiences, and values can forge strong group identity and 'families' within communities, mirroring Jesus' teaching of a redefined concept of family based on spiritual commitment.

commentaries

Commentaries on this Bible verse offer a range of interpretations:

William Barclay comments on the differing responses to Jesus' message within His own family, and how this reflects the division between understanding and misunderstanding Jesus' mission.
John Calvin emphasizes the priority of spiritual ties over fleshly ties, noting that believers are called to prefer God's calling to any earthly attachments.
Matthew Henry highlights the notion of obedience to God's will as the true mark of kinship with Christ, explaining that it is this obedience that constructs the spiritual family of God.

Matthew 12

Matthew 12

What does Matthew 12:46 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 12:46 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?