Matthew 12

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:39

Of the passages mentioned in the introductory note on Matthew 12:38-42 , Matthew 16:4 is verbally identical with the answer of our present verse, except the omission of the words, "the prophet," which occur nowhere else but in this passage. But he answered and said to them, An evil ( πονηρά , Matthew 6:13 , note) and adulterous generation . However frequent the sin of adultery may then have been, the common metaphorical sense of spiritual unfaithfulness to God and the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:40

Matthew only. For as Jonas ( Jonah , Revised Version) was three days and three nights in the whale's belly . Verbally from the LXX . of Jonah 1:17 ( Jonah 2:1 ). So shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth . Since, so far as the balance of evidence goes, the Crucifixion was on Friday and the Resurrection on Sunday, the actual time between them was only one clear day and two parts of days (which might fairly be called three days) and two... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:41

Verbally identical with Luke 11:32 . The men of Nineveh ( ἄνδρες νινευῖται ) . No article, because the evangelist desired to call attention to the character of the Ninevites. The men of Nineveh, heathen though they were, shall do this. ἄνδρες (not ἄνθρωποι ); hardly because of the approaching mention of a woman (cf. Luke 11:31 ), but because the men in the city would naturally take the lead, and not the women. So also in the LXX . of Jonah 3:5 (contrast Jonah 3:7 ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:42

Almost verbally identical with Luke 11:31 . The queen of the south ( βασίλισσα νότου , anarthrous; Luke 11:41 , note). The south here doubtless represents part of Arabia Felix (see Dr. Lumby, on 1 Kings 10:1 ). Shall rise up . Does ἐγερθήσεται here imply more effort than ἀναστήσονται ( Luke 11:41 )? This would at least be consistent with the energy which the mention of the Queen of Sheba always suggests . In the judgment with this generation, and shall... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:43

When ; but … when (Revised Version); ὅταν δέ . St. Matthew does not bring this forward as a separate utterance; he wishes the connexion between it and the preceding to be seen. There is a contrast between the behaviour of the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba, and that of the Jews. The unclean spirit ( Matthew 10:1 , note) is gone out of a ( the , Revised Version) man ( τὸ πνεῦμα … τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ) . The first article is inserted for the sake of vividness;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:43

Clean, but empty. A notion prevailed in Chaldea which presents a striking similarity to that appealed to by our Lord in this parable of the evil spirit returning to possess the empty house. It was thought that when once the possessing demons were expelled from the body the only guarantee was to obtain, by the power of incantations, an opposite possession by a favourable demon. A good spirit must take the place of the evil one in the body of the man. This is part of one of their incantations—... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:43-45

Parallel passage: Luke 11:24-26 , almost verbally, but omitting the application at the end of our Luke 11:45 . A solemn warning against a merely negative improvement. External preparation, mechanical religion, is insufficient; a definite acceptance of my teaching is required. Our Lord's primary thought Would appear to be the relation in which those to whom he was speaking stood to himself. But he frames his words so as to include the whole of that generation of Jews ( Luke 11:39 , Luke... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:43-45

The empty house. The heart of man is a house in which dwell good or evil. When evil has taken up its abode there, the moralist will endeavour to drive it out. But if he is not able to substitute a positive good, his work will issue in worse than a failure; the evil will come back with increased power and resume possession of its old haunts. Let us endeavour to see the reason of this, and then how the mischief can be prevented. I. THE EVICTION . The house was inhabited by a most... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:44

Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out. In the true text the emphasis lies on the words, "into my house;" i.e. the place that I have found so comfortable before, where I was so thoroughly at home; which, in fact, is still mine. Observe the curious parallel to Matthew 10:25 . The Jews had called Christ Beelzebub absolutely without reason, but in their own ease it was only too possible that they had an unclean spirit as "master of the house." And when he is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:45

Then . On seeing that this is the case (cf Matthew 3:5 , note). Goeth he ( πορεύεται ) . Part of the figure; the others would not be far off . And taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked ( evil , πονηρότερα ) than himself . Christ emphasizes the force and the malignity of a spiritual relapse. And they enter in . Into the heart, and thence into the whole body and soul. And dwell there . Permanently . And the last state of that man is worse than the... read more

Group of Brands