5. Justifies

12:22-37

Justified by your words (v Beezebub power)

12:22-37 Then they brought a demon-possessed man who was blind and dumb and he (Jesus) healed him so that the dumb man could both speak and see. All the crowds were astonished about this and said “Is this not the son of David?” But the Pharisees on hearing about it said “This man does not expel demons except through Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.” But knowing their thoughts he (Jesus) said to them. "Every kingdom which is divided against itself is brought to desolation and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan expels Satan he is divided against himself. How therefore will his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub expel the demons by what power do your sons expel them? Therefore they will be your judges. But if the demons are expelled by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter into the house of the strong man and take his goods if he does not first bind up the strong man?

Then he will plunder his house. The one who is not with me is against me. The one who is not gathering with me scatters. Therefore I tell you all types of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men. But he who blasphemes against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man will find forgiveness. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven - neither in this age nor in the one coming. You will either make a good tree with good fruit or make a bad tree with bad fruit. By its fruit is the tree known. Offspring of vipers. How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart does the mouth speak. The good man puts good things forth out of good treasure. The evil man puts out evil things from an evil treasure. But I tell you that for every idle word which people speak they will render an account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words will you be justified and by your words you will be condemned."

In Mark’s gospel there is a similar passage to this and it appears Matthew used it as the basis for this paragraph here. But in Mark the harsh words re blaspheming against the Holy Spirit appear to be directed to some members of his own family who came to take him away by force. Here in Matthew there is no reference to the family. It is the Pharisees who are warned. Recall that in this Section it appears Matthew aims to stress the importance of building an environment of internalised law whereas the Pharisees were stressing external law

6 Discerns

12:38-42

Greater than Solomon here

12:38-42 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him (Jesus) saying “Teacher we want to see a sign from you.” But he answering said to them “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign and a sign shall not be given to it except the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was in the belly of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of man be in the heart of the earth

for three days and three nights.” The Ninevite men will stand up in the day of judgment with this generation and will condemn it because they (the Ninevites) repented at the proclamation of Jonas and behold a greater thing than Jonas is here. The queen of the south (of Sheba) will be raised up in the time of judgment with this generation and will condemn it. She came from the limits of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But a greater thing than Solomon is here."