Matthew 12

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:33

Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit.Dummelow's paraphrase on this passage brings the meaning into sharp focus:Pharisees, be logical. You say that to cast out devils is good, but that I who do it am corrupt. That is as if you said, The fruit of this tree is good, but the tree itself is corrupt. Make up your minds which way you will have it. Either say that my works are good, and therefore that I am... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:34

Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.In this, Christ applied to them the principle expounded in the preceding verse. The evil works of the Pharisees proceeded from inner corruption. Their hearts were not right in the sight of God. People should keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). As Adams expressed it, "When the citadel of the heart is won, the turret of... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:35

The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things: and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.This is an elaboration of what Christ had already said. Such full attention to the Pharisees' slanders endows the entire event with tremendous significance; and, when it is recalled that their sin consisted principally of "speaking against" Christ, the implication is mandatory that an evil mouth can damn the soul forever. Evil and unbelieving words are not... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:36

And I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment.This is a strong admonition to guard what is spoken. "Idle" words are not necessarily those casual and insignificant sayings indulged in the course of social fellowship, nor such words as may be calculated to bring a smile to care-worn faces, but rather, they are the words that betray a bias of the soul against God and expose the evil heart of the sinner.Again, Christ referred... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:37

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.Speech is one of the greatest endowments of humanity; and the greater the gift, the greater the sin of perverting it to unworthy purposes. It would be impossible to sum up all the sins of mankind in the area of sinful speech. It must appear even to casual thought of it that words, as used by millions, constitute the bulk of human shame and wickedness. James said, "If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:38

Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee.This arrogant request came from a group who had already accused Jesus of being in league with the devil and who had already seen signs aplenty; but in this case, they were demanding a sign of their own choosing. Luke stated that they sought a "sign from heaven" (Luke 11:16). By that, they no doubt meant some spectacular wonder without moral value but which would appeal sensationally to a man's... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:39

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 Jonah the prophet.The "adulterous generation" refers not merely to the morals of the people but to the rejection of Israel's covenant with their God. Barnes wrote:The relation of the Jews to God was represented as a marriage contract with God as the husband and the Jewish people as his wife (Isaiah 57:3; Hosea 3:1; Ezekiel 16:15). Hence, their... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:40

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.The use of "whale" in this verse is in error; the Greek word is "sea-monster," as a glance at the English Revised Version (1885) margin will show; not that there is any essential difference, for the Bible states that "God prepared" a great fish (Jonah 1:17). In the book of Jonah is related also how God "prepared" a gourd (Jonah 4:6), a worm... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:41

The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.Of surpassing interest in this passage is Christ's reference to "the judgment." Some fancy they see seven judgments in the word of God; but Christ continually spoke of only ONE. As already noted repeatedly in this commentary, THE JUDGMENT was a constant theme of Christ's teaching. Christ's view of the judgment... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:42

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.The superior faith of the Queen of the South is seen in that she came upon a paucity of evidence, responding to rumor, or hearsay.The ends of the earth, according to Barnes, referred to "the most distant parts of the habitable world then known."[13] Christ as "greater than Solomon" was... read more

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:33

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:34

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:35

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:36

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:37

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:38

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:39

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:40

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:41

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:42

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