matthew-12:24-34

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:22-37

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:24

(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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:24

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:25

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:25-37

Our Lord shows the monstrous character of their accusation, and urges the need of a complete change at heart. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:26

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then. The transposition in the Revised Version to how then shall brings out more distinctly the fact that then is not temporal, but argumentative ( οὖν .). His kingdom stand? To De Wette's objection that Satan might perhaps do such a thing once so as to gain in other ways, Meyer answers that our Lord is referring to the practice of casting out devils, which, as such, is certainly directed against Satan. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:27

And ( καί ). Another stage in his argument. There is a further reason why they should hesitate before making such an accusation; their own disciples claimed to be able to cast out devils. If I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children ; sons (Revised Version); i.e. your pupils, who will carry on your work (cf. "sons of the prophets"). Cast them out? (cf. Matthew 4:24 , note). For examples of such cases by others than professed followers of Christ, see Luke 9:49 ; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:27-28

Parallel passage: Luke 11:19 , Luke 11:20 , almost verbally identical. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:28

The argument continues: "But if this be so (I say nothing about your disciples, but speak only of my own works)—if I really cast out devils by God's help, this shows such a strange putting forth of God's strength that it can mean nothing else but the coming of the Messianic kingdom." Observe that this could not be affirmed from the success of the Pharisees' disciples, for with them expulsion of devils, even if it were real, was, as it were, accidental, standing in no close connexion with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:28

An argument with a warning. "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." The sin against the Holy Ghost, which cannot be forgiven, has been so much misunderstood, because its immediate relations have not been sufficiently noticed. It has been treated as a general form of sin, of which any one may be guilty, rather than as a specific sin, of which a particular class of persons in a particular age were guilty. Our Lord was replying to certain... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:22-37

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:24

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:24

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:25

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:25-37

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:26

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:27

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:27-28

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:28

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:28

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