The healing of a man blind and dumb, and the consequent blasphemy of the Pharisees. The miracle leads them to the extreme of spiritual opposition. (On the assimilation to our Matthew 12:22-24 , found in Matthew 9:32-34 , see notes there.) The parallel passages are Luke 11:14-23 and, for the blasphemy and our Lord's consequent defence only, Mark 3:22-30 . read more
The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Many persons have been tempted to believe that they had committed this dreadful sin, and thereby put themselves beyond the reach of mercy. Correct judgment upon this very important subject may best be attained by considering the more fearfully emphatic words of our Lord in their connection. I. THE NATURE OF THE BLASPHEMY MAY BE GATHERED FROM THE STORY . 1 . Our Lord had wrought a notable miracle. 2 . The people were... read more
The blasphemy of the Pharisees. I. ITS CAUSE . 1 . The demoniac. The poor man was blind and dumb, and that not from natural causes, but by the cruel agency of an evil spirit. Like the dumb man ( Matthew 9:32 ), he was brought to Christ. He was helpless; he could not see his way; he could not express his wants. The Lord healed him at once; he both spake and saw. We must do our part to bring the helpless to the Lord. There are many, alas! whose eyes the God of this world has... read more
The bathos of detracting blasphemy. In introduction, note the unity of this passage of sixteen verses. While the linking of one portion of the accounts contained in the Gospels to another is very often exceedingly evident, and that, link by link, a oneness of a different and complete kind marks this marvellous episode. Observe also upon the fact that the criticism of all the ages from the earliest Christian writings of the centuries has fastened upon these verses with no mistaken instinct.... read more
Casting out devils, and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. The opposition of the Pharisees on this occasion much less excusable than when charging the Lord with sabbath-breaking. Contrasts with honest amazement of the people, exclaiming," Is not this," etc.? Pharisees felt evidence of miracle as much as common people, but refused to follow their own convictions. Make what they know to be a flimsy and insufficient explanation. Our Lord makes a threefold reply. 1 . It is absurd to suppose... read more
And all the people ; the multitudes (Revised Version); i.e. the various concourses of people that formed themselves at different times of the day and in different parts of the town (cf. Matthew 8:1 ; Matthew 14:15 , notes). Were amazed ( ἐξίσταντο ); here only in Matthew, but cf. Mark 2:12 . And said, Is this ( μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ). The form of the question suggests that it seemed altogether too wonderful to allow of an affirmative answer being returned. The American... read more
(On the relation of this verse to Matthew 9:34 , see notes there.) But when the Pharisees. Not further defined here, but in Mark 3:22 spoken of as "the scribes that had come down from Jerusalem." Heard it, they said, This fellow; man (Revised Version); οὗτος (cf. Matthew 9:3 , note). Observe that οὗτος (in Matthew only) here answers to the οὗτος of Mark 3:23 . "This man" is at once the object of hope in the minds of the multitudes, and of the deepest opposition on... read more
A malicious explanation. "This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." The Pharisees must have been very hard driven indeed in order to invent such an explanation. Perhaps what was in their minds was this: "He orders the evil spirits about as if he were a master, or prince, of them. He must be himself possessed with a devil, and it evidently is Beelzebub the prince of the devils." Our Lord had no difficulty in showing up the folly and malice of such... read more
Matthew 12:25 , Matthew 12:26 , parallel passages: Mark 3:24 , Mark 3:25 ; Luke 11:17 , Luke 11:18 . And Jesus knew their thoughts ( Matthew 9:4 , note), and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation . According to Mark 3:23 , our Lord begins with the direct retort, "How can Satan cast out Satan?" But while that gives, of course, our Lord's thought, it is very unlike his method, which is to begin his reply with a parabolic saying. And... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:22
Then was brought . So Westcott and Herr margin, but text, "then they brought," as in Matthew 9:32 . Unto him one possessed with a devil, blind (this fact is not mentioned by Luke), and dumb . "The devil had shut up each entrance by which be might come to faith, his sight and his hearing, yet Christ opened each" (Chrysostom). And he healed him , insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. The case was worse than even that of Matthew 9:32 , where the man was not blind. read more