The Strand Study Bible

MATTHEW 11:25

MATTHEW 12:11

1509

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid 1 these things 2 from the wise and prudent, 3 and hast re- vealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 4 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, 5 save the Son, and he to whom- soever the Son will reveal him. 28 6 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you 7 rest. 29 Take my 8 yoke upon you, and 9 learn of me; for 10 I am meek and lowly in heart: 11 and ye shall find 12 rest unto your souls. 30 12 For my 8 yoke is easy, and my burden is light. READ NEXT - Matthew 12:22 - 13:53 Matthew 12 The disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath (S/A - Mk 2:23-28 & Lk 6:1-5) Date - AD 30 1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to 13 pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 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.

3 But he said unto them, 14 Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for himtoeat, neither for themwhich were with him, 15 but only for the priests? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, 16 how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6 But I say unto you, That in this place is 17 ONE greater than the temple. 7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, 18 I will have mercy, 19 and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is 20 LORD even of the sabbath day . CHRIST heals a man with a withered hand (S/A - Mk 3:1-6 & Lk 6:6-11) 9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, 21 Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 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?

1. that is, “truth” 2. or, “ from the proud” 3. Isa 29:14 & Mt 16:17 & I Cor 1:19 4. Mt 28:18 & Lk 10:22 & Jn 3:35 5. Jn 1:18 & 6:46 & 10:15 6. Isa 1:18 & 26:3 & I Pet 5:7 7. or, “relief from your labors” 8. or, “doctrine” Note – The burden of following Jesus’ wisdom (doctrine) is light compared to following one’s own wisdom. 9. or, “follow my directions” 10. Zech 9:9 & Phil 2:5-8 11. Jere 6:16 12. I Jn 5:3 13. Deut 23:25 14. I Sam 21:1-6 15. Exo 29:32-33 & Lev 8:31 & 24:5-9 16. Num 28:9-10 & Jn 7:22 17. II Chro 6:18 & Isa 66:1-2 & Mt 12:41-42 18. Quoted from the OT - Hos 6:6 19. I Sam 15:22 & Mic 6:6-8 & Mt 9:13 20. Exo 31:12-13 & Ezk 20:12,20 Note – Jesus claimed to be the “Master and Sovereign of the Sabbath,” making Him Jehovah ( LORD – Gen 2:2 ). 21. Exo 20:9-10

11:28 Jesus reminds us to “come to Him” when we’ve failed and need to succeed. THE ADAGE IS TRUE: I f at first you don’t succeed, go to God –He’s always successful at succeeding 11:30 This word ( easy ) is the Greek word FUKστο9 ( chrastos ) and means, “ to use .” Chrastos primarily signifies “ fit for use; able to be used. ” Abbot Thomas Keating, in Crisis of Faith , notes:

How suitable, how well-fitting, how just right, how much like coming home, the experience of the Lord is… The idea is that God’s will is tailor-made; it suits you, fits every wrinkle of your back. The experience of God, then, is just right; it fits you to a ‘t.’ 1

12:2 In the eyes of the Pharisees, plucking grain was reaping, and thus “work” and unlawful ( not lawful, i.e., a violation of what they thought was the law of Sabbath rest - Gen 2:2 and Exo 20:10 & 31:15 & 35:2). Our Lord responded to their opposition by reminding them of three truths: 1. Every Jew had a legal right to pluck grain in order to satisfy their hunger (Deut 23:25). 2. Every priest was allowed to work on the Sabbath in order to prepare the Sabbath day for the people (vs 5) (Num 28:1-4,9-10). 3. The Law of Moses could always be overruled whenever the case of necessity (extreme human need) presented itself (I Sam 21:1-6). According to I Kings 3:16 -28, even King Solomon overruled the law when he chose not to execute two harlots (Deut 23:17- 18). Because every child needs a mother and these two prostitutes happen to be mothers, Solomon spared their lives. 12:7 Had these Pharisees understood that the ONE (vs 6) they were talking to was God Himself in flesh (He who can “change” His own laws at will – Josh 10:12-14 and Jere 3:1b ), they would have not charged Jesus so foolishly ( ye would not have condemned the guiltless ). 1 Keating, Thomas, Crisis of Faith , Locust Valley, NY: Living Flame Press. 1970. Print.