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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 12:9 - 12:14
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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_12:9-14
9Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" -so that they might accuse Him. 11And He said to them, "What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 13Then He said to the man, " Stretch out your hand!" He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.
Mat_12:10 "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath" This question is never dealt with in the OT, but the ultimacy of the Sabbath had become part of the Oral Tradition by which the rabbis of old interpreted the OT texts (i.e., healing on the Sabbath only to save a life). The focus was on human rules (cf. Isa_29:13), not human need!
▣ "And a man was there whose hand was withered" From the apocryphal "Gospel of Hebrews" we learn the tradition that the man was a mason and that it was his right hand that was withered. Therefore he was unable to work.
Mat_12:11 "sheep" This is one of many examples of where the Oral Tradition had become a burden instead of a joy. Sheep had become worth more than humans (cf. Mat_12:12).
▣ "if" This is a third class conditional sentence which denoted potential action.
Mat_12:12 Jesus uses the question/answer format to dialog with his challengers (cf. Mat_9:5; Mat_12:12; Mat_21:25; even disciples, Mar_8:17-18).
Mat_12:14 "the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him" From Mar_3:6 we learn that the consultation was held between the Herodians and the Pharisees, who were traditional enemies (politics and religion).
▣ "as to how they might destroy Him" These leaders saw themselves as YHWH's defenders! It is amazing that the religious leaders saw no conflict in their premeditated murder compared to Jesus' supposed ritual and Sabbath breaking (cf. Mat_26:4; Luk_6:11; Joh_11:53).