Matius 11:1--12:50
Konteks11:1 When 1 Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their towns.
11:2 Now when John 2 heard in prison about the deeds Christ 3 had done, he sent his disciples to ask a question: 4 11:3 “Are you the one who is to come, 5 or should we look for another?” 11:4 Jesus answered them, 6 “Go tell John what you hear and see: 7 11:5 The blind see, the 8 lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 11:6 Blessed is anyone 9 who takes no offense at me.”
11:7 While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness 10 to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 11 11:8 What 12 did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? 13 Look, those who wear fancy clothes are in the homes of kings! 14 11:9 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more 15 than a prophet. 11:10 This is the one about whom it is written:
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, 16
who will prepare your way before you.’ 17
11:11 “I tell you the truth, 18 among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least 19 in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. 11:12 From 20 the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it. 21 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John appeared. 22 11:14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, who is to come. 11:15 The one who has ears had better listen! 23
11:16 “To 24 what should I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another, 25
11:17 ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; 26
we wailed in mourning, 27 yet you did not weep.’
11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 28 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him, 29 a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors 30 and sinners!’ 31 But wisdom is vindicated 32 by her deeds.” 33
11:20 Then Jesus began to criticize openly the cities 34 in which he had done many of his miracles, because they did not repent. 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! 35 Woe to you, Bethsaida! If 36 the miracles 37 done in you had been done in Tyre 38 and Sidon, 39 they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 11:22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you! 11:23 And you, Capernaum, 40 will you be exalted to heaven? 41 No, you will be thrown down to Hades! 42 For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day. 11:24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom 43 on the day of judgment than for you!”
11:25 At that time Jesus said, 44 “I praise 45 you, Father, Lord 46 of heaven and earth, because 47 you have hidden these things from the wise 48 and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. 11:26 Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will. 49 11:27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. 50 No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides 51 to reveal him. 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 11:29 Take my yoke 52 on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 11:30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”
12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His 53 disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat 54 and eat them. 12:2 But when the Pharisees 55 saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.” 12:3 He 56 said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry – 12:4 how he entered the house of God and they ate 57 the sacred bread, 58 which was against the law 59 for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? 60 12:5 Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? 12:6 I 61 tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 12:7 If 62 you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ 63 you would not have condemned the innocent. 12:8 For the Son of Man is lord 64 of the Sabbath.”
12:9 Then 65 Jesus 66 left that place and entered their synagogue. 67 12:10 A 68 man was there who had a withered 69 hand. And they asked Jesus, 70 “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 71 so that they could accuse him. 12:11 He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? 12:12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 12:13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored, 72 as healthy as the other. 12:14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate 73 him.
12:15 Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great 74 crowds 75 followed him, and he healed them all. 12:16 But he sternly warned them not to make him known. 12:17 This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet: 76
12:18 “Here is 77 my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I take great delight. 78
I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
12:19 He will not quarrel or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
12:20 He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick,
until he brings justice to victory.
12:21 And in his name the Gentiles 79 will hope.” 80
12:22 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus 81 healed him so that he could speak and see. 82 12:23 All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?” 12:24 But when the Pharisees 83 heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, 84 the ruler 85 of demons!” 12:25 Now when Jesus 86 realized what they were thinking, he said to them, 87 “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, 88 and no town or house divided against itself will stand. 12:26 So if 89 Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 12:27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons 90 cast them 91 out? For this reason they will be your judges. 12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God 92 has already overtaken 93 you. 12:29 How 94 else can someone enter a strong man’s 95 house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house. 96 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, 97 and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 98 12:31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, 99 but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. 100 But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, 101 either in this age or in the age to come.
12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad 102 and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 12:34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 12:35 The good person 103 brings good things out of his 104 good treasury, 105 and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 12:36 I 106 tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
12:38 Then some of the experts in the law 107 along with some Pharisees 108 answered him, 109 “Teacher, we want to see a sign 110 from you.” 12:39 But he answered them, 111 “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 12:40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish 112 for three days and three nights, 113 so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 12:41 The people 114 of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them 115 – and now, 116 something greater than Jonah is here! 12:42 The queen of the South 117 will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, 118 something greater than Solomon is here!
12:43 “When 119 an unclean spirit 120 goes out of a person, 121 it passes through waterless places 122 looking for rest but 123 does not find it. 12:44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ 124 When it returns, 125 it finds the house 126 empty, swept clean, and put in order. 127 12:45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so 128 the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”
12:46 While Jesus 129 was still speaking to the crowds, 130 his mother and brothers 131 came and 132 stood outside, asking 133 to speak to him. 12:47 134 Someone 135 told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting 136 to speak to you.” 12:48 To the one who had said this, Jesus 137 replied, 138 “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 12:49 And pointing 139 toward his disciples he said, “Here 140 are my mother and my brothers! 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is 141 my brother and sister and mother.”
[11:1] 1 tn Grk “And it happened when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[11:2] 2 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[11:2] 3 tc The Western codex D and a few other
[11:2] tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[11:2] sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
[11:2] 4 tc Instead of “by his disciples” (see the tn below for the reading of the Greek), the majority of later
[11:2] tn Grk “sending by his disciples he said to him.” The words “a question” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
[11:3] 5 sn Aspects of Jesus’ ministry may have led John to question whether Jesus was the promised stronger and greater one who is to come that he had preached about in Matt 3:1-12.
[11:4] 6 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[11:4] 7 sn What you hear and see. The following activities all paraphrase various OT descriptions of the time of promised salvation: Isa 35:5-6; 26:19; 29:18-19; 61:1. Jesus is answering not by acknowledging a title, but by pointing to the nature of his works, thus indicating the nature of the time.
[11:5] 8 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. Two other conjunctions are omitted in this series.
[11:7] 11 tn There is a debate as to whether one should read this figuratively (“to see someone who is easily blown over?”) or literally (Grk “to see the wilderness vegetation?… No, to see a prophet”). Either view makes good sense, but the following examples suggest the question should be read literally and understood to point to the fact that a prophet drew them to the desert.
[11:8] 12 tn Grk “But what.” Here ἀλλά (alla, a strong contrastive in Greek) produces a somewhat awkward sense in English, and has not been translated. The same situation occurs at the beginning of v. 9.
[11:8] 13 sn The reference to fancy clothes makes the point that John was not rich or powerful, in that he did not come from the wealthy classes.
[11:9] 15 tn John the Baptist is “more” because he introduces the one (Jesus) who brings the new era. The term is neuter, but may be understood as masculine in this context (BDAG 806 s.v. περισσότερος b).
[11:10] 16 tn Grk “before your face” (an idiom).
[11:10] 17 sn The quotation is primarily from Mal 3:1 with pronouns from Exod 23:20. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
[11:11] 18 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[11:11] 19 sn After John comes a shift of eras. The new era is so great that the lowest member of it (the one who is least in the kingdom of God) is greater than the greatest one of the previous era.
[11:12] 20 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[11:12] 21 tn Or “the kingdom of heaven is forcibly entered and violent people take hold of it.” For a somewhat different interpretation of this passage, see the note on the phrase “urged to enter in” in Luke 16:16.
[11:13] 22 tn The word “appeared” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[11:15] 23 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
[11:16] 24 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[11:16] 25 tn Grk “who call out to one another, saying.” The participle λέγουσιν (legousin) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[11:17] 26 sn ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance…’ The children of this generation were making the complaint (see vv. 18-19) that others were not playing the game according to the way they played the music. John and Jesus did not follow “their tune.” Jesus’ complaint was that this generation wanted things their way, not God’s.
[11:17] 27 tn The verb ἐθρηνήσαμεν (eqrhnhsamen) refers to the loud wailing and lamenting used to mourn the dead in public in 1st century Jewish culture.
[11:18] 28 sn John the Baptist was too separatist and ascetic for some, and so he was accused of not being directed by God, but by a demon.
[11:19] 29 tn Grk “Behold a man.”
[11:19] 30 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
[11:19] 31 sn Neither were they happy with Jesus (the Son of Man), even though he was the opposite of John and associated freely with people like tax collectors and sinners. Either way, God’s messengers were subject to complaint.
[11:19] 32 tn Or “shown to be right.”
[11:19] 33 tc Most witnesses (B2 C D L Θ Ë1 33 Ï lat) have “children” (τέκνων, teknwn) here instead of “deeds” (ἔργων, ergwn), but since “children” is the reading of the parallel in Luke 7:35, scribes would be motivated to convert the less colorful “deeds” into more animate offspring of wisdom. Further, ἔργων enjoys support from א B* W (Ë13) as well as early versional and patristic support.
[11:20] 34 tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis) which can be translated “city” or “town.” “Cities” was chosen here to emphasize the size of the places Jesus’ mentions in the following verses.
[11:21] 35 sn Chorazin was a town of Galilee that was probably fairly small in contrast to Bethsaida and is otherwise unattested. Bethsaida was declared a polis by the tetrarch Herod Philip, sometime after
[11:21] 36 tn This introduces a second class (contrary to fact) condition in the Greek text.
[11:21] 37 tn Or “powerful deeds.”
[11:21] 38 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[11:21] 39 sn Tyre and Sidon are two other notorious OT cities (Isa 23; Jer 25:22; 47:4). The remark is a severe rebuke, in effect: “Even the sinners of the old era would have responded to the proclamation of the kingdom, unlike you!”
[11:21] map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[11:23] 40 sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.
[11:23] map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
[11:23] 41 tn The interrogative particle introducing this question expects a negative reply.
[11:23] 42 sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Luke 10:15; 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).
[11:24] 43 sn The allusion to Sodom, the most wicked of OT cities from Gen 19:1-29, shows that to reject the current message is even more serious, and will result in more severe punishment, than the worst sins of the old era. The phrase region of Sodom is in emphatic position in the Greek text.
[11:25] 44 tn Grk “At that time, answering, Jesus said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[11:25] 46 sn The title Lord is an important name for God, showing his sovereignty, but it is interesting that it comes next to a reference to the Father, a term indicative of God’s care. The two concepts are often related in the NT; see Eph 1:3-6.
[11:25] 48 sn See 1 Cor 1:26-31.
[11:26] 49 tn Grk “for (to do) thus was well-pleasing before you,” BDAG 325 s.v. ἔμπροσθεν 1.b.δ; speaking of something taking place “before” God is a reverential way of avoiding direct connection of the action to him.
[11:27] 50 sn This verse has been noted for its conceptual similarity to teaching in John’s Gospel (10:15; 17:2). The authority of the Son and the Father are totally intertwined.
[11:27] 51 tn Or “wishes”; or “intends”; or “plans” (cf. BDAG 182 s.v. βούλομαι 2.b). Here it is the Son who has sovereignty.
[11:29] 52 sn A yoke is a wooden bar or frame that joins two animals like oxen or horses so that they can pull a wagon, plow, etc. together. Here it is used figuratively of the restrictions that a teacher or rabbi would place on his followers.
[12:1] 53 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:1] 54 tn Or “heads of grain.” While the generic term στάχυς (stacus) can refer to the cluster of seeds at the top of grain such as barley or wheat, in the NT the term is restricted to wheat (L&N 3.40; BDAG 941 s.v. 1).
[12:2] 55 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[12:3] 56 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:4] 57 tc The Greek verb ἔφαγεν (efagen, “he ate”) is found in a majority of witnesses (Ì70 C D L W Θ Ë1,13 33 Ï latt sy co) in place of ἔφαγον (efagon, “they ate”), the wording found in א B pc. ἔφαγεν is most likely motivated by the parallels in Mark and Luke (both of which have the singular).
[12:4] 58 tn Grk “the bread of presentation.”
[12:4] sn The sacred bread refers to the “bread of presentation,” “showbread,” or “bread of the Presence,” twelve loaves prepared weekly for the tabernacle and later, the temple. See Exod 25:30; 35:13; 39:36; Lev 24:5-9. Each loaf was made from 3 quarts (3.5 liters; Heb “two tenths of an ephah”) of fine flour. The loaves were placed on a table in the holy place of the tabernacle, on the north side opposite the lampstand (Exod 26:35). It was the duty of the priest each Sabbath to place fresh bread on the table; the loaves from the previous week were then given to Aaron and his descendants, who ate them in the holy place, because they were considered sacred (Lev 24:9). See also Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5.
[12:4] 59 sn Jesus’ response to the charge that what his disciples were doing was against the law is one of analogy: “If David did it for his troops in a time of need, then so can I with my disciples.” Jesus is clear that on the surface there was a violation here. What is not as clear is whether he is arguing a “greater need” makes this permissible or that this was within the intention of the law all along.
[12:4] 60 sn See 1 Sam 21:1-6.
[12:6] 61 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:7] 62 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:7] 63 sn A quotation from Hos 6:6 (see also Matt 9:13).
[12:8] 64 tn The term “lord” is in emphatic position in the Greek text.
[12:8] sn A second point in Jesus’ defense of his disciples’ actions was that his authority as Son of Man also allowed it, since as Son of Man he was lord of the Sabbath.
[12:9] 65 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:9] 66 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:9] 67 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[12:10] 68 tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[12:10] 69 sn Withered means the man’s hand was shrunken and paralyzed.
[12:10] 70 tn Grk “and they asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated. The referent of the pronoun (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:10] 71 sn The background for this is the view that only if life was endangered should one attempt to heal on the Sabbath (see the Mishnah, m. Shabbat 6.3; 12.1; 18.3; 19.2; m. Yoma 8.6).
[12:13] 72 sn The passive was restored points to healing by God. Now the question became: Would God exercise his power through Jesus, if what Jesus was doing were wrong? Note also Jesus’ “labor.” He simply spoke and it was so.
[12:15] 74 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[12:15] 75 tc א B pc lat read only πολλοί (polloi, “many”) here, the first hand of N reads ὄχλοι (ocloi, “crowds”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have ὄχλοι πολλοί (ocloi polloi, “great crowds”). In spite of the good quality of both א and B (especially in combination), and the testimony of the Latin witnesses, the longer reading is most likely correct; the shorter readings were probably due to homoioteleuton.
[12:17] 76 tn Grk “so that what was said by Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled, saying.” This final clause, however, is part of one sentence in Greek (vv. 15b-17) and is thus not related only to v. 16. The participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant and has not been translated.
[12:18] 77 tn Grk “Behold my servant.”
[12:18] 78 tn Grk “in whom my soul is well pleased.”
[12:21] 79 tn Or “the nations” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
[12:21] 80 sn Verses 18-21 are a quotation from Isa 42:1-4.
[12:22] 81 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:22] 82 tn Grk “demoniac, and he healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.”
[12:24] 83 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[12:24] 84 tn Grk “except by Beelzebul.”
[12:24] sn Beelzebul is another name for Satan. So some people recognized Jesus’ work as supernatural, but called it diabolical.
[12:25] 86 tc The majority of
[12:25] 87 sn Jesus here demonstrated the absurdity of the thinking of the religious leaders who maintained that he was in league with Satan and that he actually derived his power from the devil. He first teaches (vv. 25-28) that if he casts out demons by the ruler of the demons, then in reality Satan is fighting against himself, with the result that his kingdom has come to an end. He then teaches (v. 29) about tying up the strong man to prove that he does not need to align himself with the devil because he is more powerful. Jesus defeated Satan at his temptation (4:1-11) and by his exorcisms he clearly demonstrated himself to be stronger than the devil. The passage reveals the desperate condition of the religious leaders, who in their hatred for Jesus end up attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan (a position for which they will be held accountable, 12:31-32).
[12:25] 88 tn Or “is left in ruins.”
[12:26] 89 tn This first class condition, the first of three “if” clauses in the following verses, presents the example vividly as if it were so. In fact, all three conditions in these verses are first class. The examples are made totally parallel. The expected answer is that Satan’s kingdom will not stand, so the suggestion makes no sense. Satan would not seek to heal.
[12:27] 90 sn Most read your sons as a reference to Jewish exorcists (cf. “your followers,” L&N 9.4), but more likely this is a reference to the disciples of Jesus themselves, who are also Jewish and have been healing as well (R. J. Shirock, “Whose Exorcists are they? The Referents of οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν at Matthew 12:27/Luke 11:19,” JSNT 46 [1992]: 41-51). If this is a reference to the disciples, then Jesus’ point is that it is not only him, but those associated with him whose power the hearers must assess. The following reference to judging also favors this reading.
[12:27] 91 tn The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[12:28] 92 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong.
[12:28] 93 tn The phrase ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (efqasen ef’ Juma") is quite important. Does it mean merely “approach” (which would be reflected in a translation like “has come near to you”) or actually “come upon” (as in the translation given above, “has already overtaken you,” which has the added connotation of suddenness)? Is the arrival of the kingdom merely anticipated or already in process? Two factors favor arrival over anticipation here. First, the prepositional phrase ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (ef’ Jumas, “upon you”) in the Greek text suggests arrival (Dan 4:24, 28 Theodotion). Second, the following illustration in v. 29 looks at the healing as portraying Satan being overrun. So the presence of God’s authority has arrived. See also L&N 13.123 for the translation of φθάνω (fqanw) as “to happen to already, to come upon, to come upon already.”
[12:29] 94 tn Grk “Or how can.”
[12:29] 95 sn The strong man here pictures Satan.
[12:29] 96 sn Some see the imagery here as similar to Eph 4:7-10, although no opponents are explicitly named in that passage. Jesus has the victory over Satan. Jesus’ acts of healing mean that the war is being won and the kingdom is coming.
[12:30] 97 sn Whoever is not with me is against me. The call here is to join the victor. Failure to do so means that one is being destructive. Responding to Jesus is the issue.
[12:30] 98 sn For the image of scattering, see Pss. Sol. 17:18.
[12:31] 99 tn Grk “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men.”
[12:32] 100 tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”
[12:32] 101 tn Grk “it will not be forgiven him.”
[12:32] sn Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. This passage has troubled many people, who have wondered whether or not they have committed this sin. Three things must be kept in mind: (1) the nature of the sin is to ascribe what is the obvious work of the Holy Spirit (e.g., releasing people from Satan’s power) to Satan himself; (2) it is not simply a momentary doubt or sinful attitude, but is indeed a settled condition which opposes the Spirit’s work, as typified by the religious leaders who opposed Jesus; and (3) a person who is concerned about it has probably never committed this sin, for those who commit it here (i.e., the religious leaders) are not in the least concerned about Jesus’ warning.
[12:33] 102 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying both “tree” and “fruit,” can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
[12:35] 103 tn The Greek text reads here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos). The term is generic referring to any person.
[12:35] 104 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here and in the following clause (“his evil treasury”) as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
[12:35] 105 sn The treasury here is a metaphorical reference to a person’s heart (cf. BDAG 456 s.v. θησαυρός 1.b and the parallel passage in Luke 6:45).
[12:36] 106 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:38] 107 tn Or “Then some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[12:38] 108 tn Grk “and Pharisees.” The word “some” before “Pharisees” has been supplied for clarification.
[12:38] sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[12:38] 109 tn Grk “answered him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant, but the syntax of the sentence was changed to conform to English style.
[12:38] 110 sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.
[12:39] 111 tn Grk “But answering, he said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[12:40] 112 tn Grk “large sea creature.”
[12:40] 113 sn A quotation from Jonah 1:17.
[12:41] 114 tn Grk “men”; the word here (ἀνήρ, anhr) usually indicates males or husbands, but occasionally is used in a generic sense of people in general, as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 1.a, 2).
[12:41] 115 tn Grk “at the preaching of Jonah.”
[12:42] 117 sn On the queen of the South see 1 Kgs 10:1-3 and 2 Chr 9:1-12, as well as Josephus, Ant. 8.6.5-6 (8.165-175). The South most likely refers to modern southwest Arabia, possibly the eastern part of modern Yemen, although there is an ancient tradition reflected in Josephus which identifies this geo-political entity as Ethiopia.
[12:43] 119 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:43] 120 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
[12:43] 121 tn Grk “man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females. This same use occurs in v. 45.
[12:43] 122 sn The background for the reference to waterless places is not entirely clear, though some Jewish texts suggest spirits must have a place to dwell, but not with water (Luke 8:29-31; Tob 8:3). Some suggest that the image of the desert or deserted cities as the places demons dwell is where this idea started (Isa 13:21; 34:14).
[12:43] 123 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[12:44] 124 tn Grk “I will return to my house from which I came.”
[12:44] 126 tn The words “the house” are not in Greek but are implied.
[12:44] 127 sn The image of the house empty, swept clean, and put in order refers to the life of the person from whom the demon departed. The key to the example appears to be that no one else has been invited in to dwell. If an exorcism occurs and there is no response to God, then the way is free for the demon to return. Some see the reference to exorcism as more symbolic; thus the story’s only point is about responding to Jesus. This is possible and certainly is an application of the passage.
[12:45] 128 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the concluding point of the story.
[12:46] 129 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:46] 130 tn Grk “crowds, behold, his mother.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[12:46] 131 sn The issue of whether Jesus had brothers (siblings) has had a long history in the church. Epiphanius, in the 4th century, argued that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no offspring other than Jesus. Others argued that these brothers were really cousins. Nothing in the text suggests any of this. See also John 7:3.
[12:46] 132 tn “His mother and brothers came and” is a translation of “behold, his mother and brothers came.”
[12:47] 134 tc A few ancient
[12:47] 135 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:48] 137 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:48] 138 tn Grk “And answering, he said to the one who had said this.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) at the beginning of the clause has not been translated.
[12:49] 139 tn Grk “extending his hand.”
[12:49] 140 tn Grk “Behold my mother and my brothers.”
[12:50] 141 tn The pleonastic pronoun αὐτός (autos, “he”) which precedes this verb has not been translated.
