1 Christ reproves the blindness of the Pharisees concerning the breach of the sabbath,
3 by scripture,
9 by reason,
13 and by a miracle.
22 He heals a man possessed that was blind and dumb;
24 and confuting the absurd charge of casting out devils by Beelzebub, he shows that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven.
36 Account shall be made of idle words.
38 He rebukes the unfaithful, who seek after a sign,
46 and shows who is his brother, sister, and mother.

went. Mr 2:23-28 Lu 6:1-5

to pluck. De 23:25

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

Behold. 10 Ex 20:9-11 23:12 31:15-17 35:2 Nu 15:32-36 Isa 58:13 Mr 3:2-5 Lu 6:6-11 13:10-17 23:56 Joh 5:9-11,16,17 7:21-24 Joh 9:14-16

3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

Have. 5 19:4 21:16 22:31 Mr 12:10,26 Lu 6:3 10:26

what. 1Sa 21:3-6 Mr 2:25,26

4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

the shew-bread. Ex 25:30 Le 24:5-9

but. Ex 29:32,33 Le 8:31 24:9

5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

on. Nu 28:9,10 Joh 7:22,23

profane. Ne 13:17 Eze 24:21

6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

41,42 23:17-21 2Ch 6:18 Hag 2:7-9 Mal 3:1 Joh 2:19-21 Eph 2:20-22 Col 2:9 1Pe 2:4,5

7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

if. 9:13 22:29 Ac 13:27

I will. That is, I desire, or require mercy, or acts of humanity, rather than sacrifice.

Isa 1:11-17 Ho 6:6 Mic 6:6-8

condemned. Job 32:3 Ps 94:21 109:31 Pr 17:15 Jas 5:6

8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

9:6 Mr 2:28 9:4-7 Lu 6:5 Joh 5:17-23 1Co 9:21 16:2 Re 1:10

9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

he went. Mr 3:1-5 Lu 6:6-11

10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

which. 1Ki 13:4-6 Zec 11:17 Joh 5:3

Is it. 19:3 22:17,18 Lu 13:14 14:3-6 20:22 Joh 5:10 9:16

that. Isa 32:6 59:4,13 Lu 6:6,7 11:54 23:2,14 Joh 8:6

11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

what. This was an argumentum ad hominem. The Jews held that such things were lawful on the sabbath day, and our Saviour very properly appealed to their canons in vindication of his intention to heal the distressed man.

Lu 13:15-17 14:5

and if. Ex 23:4,5 De 22:4

12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

is a. 6:26 Lu 12:24

it is. Mr 3:4 Lu 6:9

13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

and it. Lu 13:13 Ac 3:7,8

14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

went. 27:1 Mr 3:6 Lu 6:11 Joh 5:18 10:39 11:53,57

held a council. or, took counsel.

15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

he withdrew. 10:23 Lu 6:12 Joh 7:1 10:40-42 11:54

great. 4:24,25 19:2 Mr 3:7-12 6:56 Lu 6:17-19 Joh 9:4 Ga 6:9 1Pe 2:21

16 And charged them that they should not make him known:

9:30 17:9 Mr 7:36 Lu 5:14,15

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

it. 8:17 13:35 21:4 Isa 41:22,23 42:9 44:26 Lu 21:22 24:44 Joh 10:35 12:38 19:28 Ac 13:27

saying. Isa 42:1-4

18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Behold. This prophecy is expressly referred to the Messiah by the Targumist, who renders, 'Behold my servant the Messiah,' etc. ha avdi mesheecha; and it was amply fulfilled in the gentle, lowly, condescending and beneficent nature of Christ's miracles and personal ministry, his perseverance in the midst of opposition, without engaging in contentious disputation, and his kind and tender dealing with weak and tempted believers.

my servant. Isa 49:5,6 52:13 53:11 Zec 3:8 Php 2:6,7

whom I. Ps 89:19 Isa 49:1-3 Lu 23:35 1Pe 2:4

my beloved. 3:17 17:5 Mr 1:11 9:7 Lu 9:35 Eph 1:6 Col 1:1,13 *marg: 2Pe 1:17

I will. 3:16 Isa 11:2 59:20,21 61:1-3 Lu 3:22 4:18 Joh 1:32-34 3:34 Ac 10:38

and he. Isa 32:15,16 49:6 60:2,3 62:2 Jer 16:19 Lu 2:31,32 Ac 11:18 Ac 13:46-48 14:27 26:17,18 Ro 15:9-12 Eph 2:11-13 3:5-8

19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

11:29 Zec 9:9 Lu 17:20 Joh 18:36-38 2Co 10:1 2Ti 2:24,25

20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

bruised. 11:28 2Ki 18:21 Ps 51:17 147:3 Isa 40:11 57:15 61:1-3 La 3:31-34 Eze 34:16 Lu 4:18 2Co 2:7 Heb 12:12,13

till. Ps 98:1-3 Isa 42:3,4 Ro 15:17-19 2Co 2:14 10:3-5 Re 6:2 Re 19:11-21

21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Isa 11:10 Ro 15:12,13 Eph 1:12,13 Col 1:27

22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

was. 9:32 Mr 3:11 Lu 11:14

he healed. Mr 7:35-37 9:17-26

blind. Ps 51:15 Isa 29:18 32:3,4 35:5,6 Ac 26:18

23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

the people. 9:33 15:30,31

Is not. 9:27 15:22 21:9 22:42,43 Joh 4:29 7:40-42

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

when. 9:34 Mr 3:22 Lu 11:15

Beelzebub. Gr. Beelzebul, and so. 27

25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Jesus. 9:4 Ps 139:2 Jer 17:10 Am 4:13 Mr 2:8 Joh 2:24,25 21:17 1Co 2:11 Heb 4:13 Re 2:23

Every kingdom. Isa 9:21 19:2,3 Mr 3:23-26 Lu 11:17,18 Ga 5:15 Re 16:19 Re 17:16,17

26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

his. Joh 12:31 14:30 16:11 2Co 4:4 Col 1:13 1Jo 5:19 Re 9:11 Re 12:9 16:10 20:2,3

27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

Beelzebub. 24

by whom. Mr 9:38,39 Lu 9:49,50 11:19 Ac 19:13-16

they. 12:41,42 Lu 19:22 Ro 3:19

28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

I cast. 18 Mr 16:17 Lu 11:20 Ac 10:38

then. 6:33 21:31,43 Isa 9:6,7 Da 2:44 7:14 Mr 1:15 11:10 Lu 1:32,33 9:2 10:11 11:20 16:16 17:20,21 Ro 14:17 Col 1:13 Heb 12:28

29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Isa 49:24 53:12 Mr 3:27 Lu 11:21,22 1Jo 3:8 4:4 Re 12:7-10 Re 20:1-3,7-9

30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

that is. 6:24 Jos 5:13 24:15 1Ch 12:17,18 Mr 9:40 Lu 9:50 11:23 2Co 6:15,16 1Jo 2:19 Re 3:15,16

gathereth. Ge 49:10 Ho 1:11 Joh 11:52

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

All. Isa 1:18 55:7 Eze 33:11 1Ti 1:13-15 Heb 6:4 *etc: Heb 10:26,29 1Jo 1:9 2:1,2

blasphemy. Blasphemy, [blasphemia,] either from [blapto ten phemen,] to hurt, or blast the reputation, or from [ballo tais phemais,] to smite with words, or reports, when applied to men denotes injurious speaking, or calumny, and when used in reference to God signifies speaking impiously of his nature, attributes, and works.

but. Mr 3:28-30 Lu 12:10 Ac 7:51 1Jo 5:16

32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

whosoever. 11:19 13:55 Lu 7:34 23:34 Joh 7:12,52 Ac 3:14,15,19 Ac 26:9-11 1Ti 1:13,15

but. Joh 7:39 Heb 6:4-6 10:26-29

it shall not. Job 36:13 Mr 3:29 Lu 16:23-26

33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

make the good tree. 23:26 Eze 18:31 Am 5:15 Lu 11:39,40 Jas 4:8

and his fruit good. 3:8-10 7:16-20 Lu 3:9 6:43,44 Joh 15:4-7 Jas 3:12

34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

generation. 3:7 23:33 Lu 3:7 Joh 8:44 1Jo 3:10

how. 1Sa 24:13 Ps 10:6,7 52:2-5 53:1 64:3,5 120:2-4 140:2,3 Isa 32:6 59:4,14 Jer 7:2-5 Ro 3:10-14 Jas 3:5-8

for. Lu 6:45

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

good man. 13:52 Ps 37:30,31 Pr 10:20,21 12:6,17-19 15:4,23,28 Pr 16:21-23 25:11,12 Eph 4:29 Col 3:16 4:6

and an. 34

36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

every. Ec 12:14 Ro 2:16 Eph 6:4-6 Jude 1:14,15 Re 20:12

idle word. [Rhema,] [argos,] i.e., [ergo--work/act/deed,] from a, privative, and [ergon,] work, a word that produces no good effect, and is not calculated to produce any. Discourse, says Dr. Doddridge, 'tending to innocent mirth, to exhilarate the spirits, is not idle discourse; as the time spent in necessary recreation is not idle time.'

37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

For by. Pr 13:3

justified. Jas 2:21-25

38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

Master. 16:1-4 Mr 8:11,12 Lu 11:16,29 Joh 2:18 4:48 1Co 1:22

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 the prophet Jonas:

adulterous. Isa 57:3 Mr 8:38 Jas 4:4

no sign. 16:4 Lu 11:29,30

40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

as. Jon 1:17

so. 16:21 17:23 27:40,63,64 Joh 2:19

in the heart. Ps 63:9 Jon 2:2-6

41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

men. Lu 11:32

rise. 42 Isa 54:17 Jer 3:11 Eze 16:51,52 Ro 2:27 Heb 11:7

this. 39,45 16:4 17:17 23:36

because. Jon 3:5-10

behold. 6,42 Joh 3:31 4:12 8:53-58 Heb 3:5,6

42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

queen. 1Ki 10:1 *etc: 2Ch 9:1 *etc: Lu 11:31 *etc: Ac 8:27,28

hear. 1Ki 3:9,12,28 4:29,34 5:12 10:4,7,24

behold. 3:17 17:5 Isa 7:14 9:6,7 Joh 1:14,18 Php 2:6,7 Heb 1:2-4

43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

when. Had there been no reality in demoniacal possessions, as some have supposed, our Lord would scarcely have appealed to a case of this kind here, to point out the real state of the Jewish people, and their approaching desolation. Had this been only a vulgar error, of the nonsense of which the learned scribes and wise Pharisees must have been convinced, the case, not being in point, because not true, must have been treated with contempt by the very people for whose conviction it was designed.

the unclean. Lu 11:24 Ac 8:13

he. Job 1:7 2:2 1Pe 5:8

dry. Ps 63:1 Isa 35:6,7 41:18 Eze 47:8-12 Am 8:11-13

seeking. 8:29 Mr 5:7-13 Lu 8:28-32

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

my. 29 Lu 11:21,22 Joh 13:27 Eph 2:2 1Jo 4:4

he findeth. 13:20-22 Ps 81:11,12 Ho 7:6 Joh 12:6 13:2 Ac 5:1-3 8:18-23 1Co 11:19 2Th 2:9-12 1Ti 6:4,5,9,10 1Jo 2:19 Jude 1:4,5 Re 13:3,4,8,9

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

seven. 24 Mr 5:9 16:9 Eph 6:12

more. 23:15

and the. Lu 11:26 Heb 6:4-8 10:26-31,39 2Pe 2:14-22 1Jo 5:16,17 Jude 1:10-13

Even. And so it was; for they became worse and worse, as if totally abandoned to diabolical influence, till the besom of destruction swept them away.

21:38-44 23:32-39,24,34 Lu 11:49-51 19:41-44 Joh 15:22-24 Ro 11:8-10 1Th 2:15,16

46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

yet. Mr 2:21 3:31 *etc: Lu 8:10,19-21

his. 13:55 Mr 6:3 Joh 2:12 7:3,5,10 Ac 1:14 1Co 9:5 Ga 1:19

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

Who is. 10:37 De 33:9 Mr 3:32,33 Lu 2:49,52 Joh 2:3,4 2Co 5:16

49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

his disciples. 28:7 Mr 3:34 Joh 17:8,9,20 20:17-20

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

do. 7:20,21 17:5 Mr 3:35 Lu 8:21 11:27,28 Joh 6:29,40 15:14 Ac 3:22,23 16:30,31 17:30 26:20 Ga 5:6 6:15 Col 3:11 Heb 5:9 Jas 1:21,22 1Pe 4:2 1Jo 2:17 3:23,24 Re 22:14

the same. 25:40,45 28:10 Ps 22:22 Joh 20:17 Ro 8:29 Heb 2:11-17

and sister. So 4:9,10,12 5:1,2 1Co 9:5 2Co 11:2 Eph 5:25-27

and mother. Joh 19:26,27 1Ti 5:2