Matthew 12 Summary - Quick Bible Study

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MATTHEW 12 SUMMARY IN 5 MINUTES

• WHEN:

  • The birth of Jesus probably occurred around 4 B.C..

  • From Luke 3:23, we know Jesus began His ministry when He was about 30 years old.

  • This would place the events of Jesus’ ministry roughly between 26-31 A.D..

• CHARACTERS:

  • Jesus - The Messiah. The Son of God who came to save the world from sin.

  • Disciples - Accused of breaking the Sabbath day law for picking grain in a field.

  • Pharisees and Scribes - Jesus’ enemies who were constantly trying to discredit Him, and eventually plotted to kill Him.

  • Man with Withered Hand - Healed by Jesus in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.

  • Blind and Mute Man - A demon-oppressed man who was healed by Jesus.

• WHERE:

  • Matthew mentions that Jesus was in a grain field and in a synagogue, but the exact city/town is not mentioned. It seems likely these events took place in Capernaum or in the area of Galilee.

• OUTLINE:

  • PICKING GRAIN AND BREAKING THE SABBATH LAW (12:1-12:8):

    • On the Sabbath day, Jesus’ disciples were walking through a grain field and picking grain.

    • The Pharisees accused them of breaking the Sabbath law.

    • Jesus rejected their accusation and provided two examples from the Old Testament to make His point: (1) David and the shewbread and (2) the priests offering sacrifices in the Temple on the Sabbath.

    • Jesus told the Pharisees He was the Lord of the Sabbath.

  • HEALING A WITHERED HAND ON SABBATH (12:9-12:14):

    • On another Sabbath (Luke 6:6), Jesus encountered a man with a withered hand in the synagogue.

    • In an effort to accuse Him, the Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

    • Jesus rebuked them and revealed their hypocrisy to the people.

    • He then healed the man’s hand, which infuriated the Jewish religious leaders.

  • JESUS FULFILLS THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH 42:1-4 (12:15-12:21):

  • THE PHARISEES ACCUSE JESUS OF WORKING FOR THE DEVIL (12:22-12:37):

    • Jesus healed a “blind and mute” man who was demon-oppressed.

    • The Pharisees accused Him of using Satan’s power to heal the man.

    • Jesus told them their suggestion was ridiculous. Why would Satan give Jesus power to fight against his own demons?

    • Jesus’ power came from the Spirit of God.

    • Jesus told the Pharisees every sin would be forgiven except blasphemy of the Spirit of God.

• BIG PICTURE:

  • The Jewish leaders had created a religion of their own design, not God’s.

  • The “godliness” they were dogmatically teaching was an invention of their own.

  • Man made religion is toxic and damaging to souls.

  • The common Jewish people were being misguided by man-made religion and they needed God’s help to escape it.

• APPLICATION:

  • One of the Pharisees’ biggest flaws was their habit of adding additional rules to God’s law.

  • They would bind things on people that God never bound.

  • We need to be very careful not to create restrictions God hasn’t made.

  • We may believe the principle behind the restriction is honorable, but it is not our place to establish religious law.