Matthew 11:25-12:21
Dear RTB’ers,
Today, two Sabbath issues – the disciples plucking grain and Jesus healing. In both cases Jesus answers His critics, in the first with citations from the Old Testament and in the second with a common sense response. It is interesting to me that Jesus did not quote Scripture in the second case, but Matthew covers that for Him (for us!) with the longest Old Testament quote in his gospel, the well-known “suffering Servant” passage from Isaiah 42:1-4.
I have mentioned the scribes’ and Pharisees’ challenges to Jesus on at least three occasions in the last week. Today we see those burning embers flare up into a bright fire: But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, how to destroy Him. (v. 12:14) My Study Bible offers nine more references from all four gospels where the Pharisees (and others) are conspiring against Jesus. And in Matthew’s gospel (if he wrote at all chronologically) Jesus is still in Galilee and had not been to Jerusalem from the time that He began His ministry. The Jerusalem leaders had come to Him even before He came to them. Interesting…!
Blessings!
See also: