Mateo 12:22-45

Matthew 12:22-Romans : . Jesus’ Answer to the Verdict of the Jerusalem Scribes, and the Intervention of His Family ( Mark 3:20-Habakkuk : *, Luke 11:14-Isaiah :; Luke 11:29-Jonah :; Luke 12:10; Luke 8:19-Ecclesiastes :).— For the painful statement in Mark 3:20 f. Mt. (like Lk.) substitutes the healing of a blind and dumb man probably a second (compressed) use of Matthew 9:27-Obadiah : and Matthew 9:32-Nahum :. The word for “ were amazed” is an adaptation of the word for “ is beside himself” in Mk. To Mk.’ s account of Satan “ divided against Satan” Mt. adds Matthew 12:27 f., probably from Q, which Lk. also draws on at this point. The verses form an additional line of defence—“ if your own exorcists are not assisted by Beelzebub, they condemn your condemnation of me.” The only alternative is that (they— and) I work by the finger (Mt., in view of Matthew 12:31, “ spirit” ) of God, His power is besting that of Satan, and His Kingdom is at hand. Or perhaps Matthew 12:27 and Matthew 12:28 are independent of each other, and were already interpolated in Q when Mt. and Lk. used it. Mt. (like Lk.) also adds Matthew 12:30— neutrality towards Jesus is impossible ( cf. Luke 2:34 f.). This is a test for men to use upon themselves. For the inverted form of the saying see Mark 9:40 = Luke 9:50 (addressed to disciples about outsiders). In Matthew 12:31 f. Mt. abbreviates and duplicates Mk.’ s single statement; Lk. ( Luke 12:10) takes Mt.’ s second half. “ Son of man” in Matthew 12:32 probably means “ man.” Of the four forms in which we have the saying that in Lk. seems most trustworthy. The contrast is between slandering men and slandering the Spirit of God. Jesus is speaking as a Jew to Jews in language based on OT ( Numbers 15:30 f., 1 Samuel 31:3 mg., Isaiah 22:14), and current in His day; He simply means that blasphemy against the Divine Spirit, by whose power He worked, was an infinitely more serious matter than slandering one’ s fellow-men, bad though that be. Then follow some sayings on the importance of words ( cf. Luke 6:43-Romans :). Matthew 9:33 is a less original form of Matthew 7:16 a, Matthew 7:17 f .* Between “ fruit” and “ good” we should supply “ will be” ; similarly between “ fruit” and ‘ corrupt.” Matthew 12:34 brings Jesus close to the severity of John the Baptist ( Matthew 3:7); cf. also James 3:11 f. Not only “ evil” words but “ idle” words, words that are not meant to effect anything, will come up for judgment. Matthew 12:37 was perhaps a current proverb.

Matthew 12:25 . Kingdom— city— house: Mt. alone gives this triad. “ House” in all three evangelists may have its Aramaic meaning of a province or district.

Matthew 12:28 . kingdom of God: cf. Matthew 21:31 ; Matthew 21:43 *. Perhaps Mt. only used his usual “ kingdom of heaven,” where the sense is clearly eschatological.

Matthew 12:29 . the strong man: Satan.— his goods: the men in his power who are “ spoiled” or carried off by the stronger than the strong.