THE KING'S AUTHORITY DENIED (Matthew 12)

THE KING'S AUTHORITY DENIED (Matthew 12)

H. A. IRONSIDE

MATTHEW 12 - THE events recorded in this chapter bring us to the close of the first great division of this Gospel, in which the King and the kingdom were offered or presented to Israel. Here we find the leaders of the nation deliberately rejecting Jesus and definitely ascribing all His works of power to Beelzebub. Only in this way could they account for the great miracles Jesus wrought and yet refuse to see in them His credentials as the promised King. 

   MATTHEW 12:1-8 - There was absolutely no prohibition in the law of Moses in regard to this, but in the traditions of the elders there were many added laws and regulations which made it at times almost impossible for the ordinary man to know whether he was violating one of them or not. Among these rules was the prohibition to gather fruit or grain of any kind upon the Sabbath day, and even to rub it out in the hand as the disciples were doing seemed to these Pharisees a violation of that which they regarded as sacred.

The Lord defended His followers, however, by pointing out that the meeting of man’s need means far more to God than the obedience to legal restrictions. 

  He then added the remarkable declaration: “In this place is One greater than the temple.” How little they understood His words. Everything in that temple, as far as it was arranged according to the Word of God, spoke of Him and His redemptive work; but though He had come in Person to what He Himself called His Father’s house, they failed to realize who it was who walked among them. His words were not simply an announcement of His Deity, however, but rightly understood they should have made it clear to the Pharisees that man himself means more to God than any building, no matter how holy; or rules and regulations, no matter how well authenticated. Had they but pondered the words of the prophet Hosea (6:6), “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings,” they would have understood this and not have condemned the disciples for doing that which, in itself, was perfectly innocent. 

  MATTHEW 12:22-24 - The crowds that thronged about the Lord were amazed and cried out, “Is not this the Son of David?” They saw in the miracle the proof that Jesus was the King of David’s line who had come to redeem Israel; but they were silenced by the Pharisees who exclaimed, “This fellow doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons.” This was the second time that such a charge had been made. It was evident now, however, that there would be no repentance: these religious leaders were bent upon the destruction of Him whom the people had just acclaimed “the Son of David.” 

  MATTHEW 12:29 - Jesus had met the strong man, Satan, in the wilderness and overcome him. Ever since He had gone about through the land of Israel spoiling his goods. Now the time had come for those who heard Him to take a definite stand: they must be either for Him or against Him; neutrality would not do.  

  MATTHEW 12:31-32 - This was a dispensational sin, and we may say definitely cannot be committed, at least in exactly the same way, by individuals today. Jesus had come in the power of the Holy Spirit, presenting Himself to Israel as their rightful King. His mighty works, as we have seen, accredited His testimony. The only way in which men could refuse to own His grace and yet recognize His power was by attributing all His mighty works to the devil. Those who did this gave evidence that they had sinned until their consciences were seared as with a hot iron. They had gone beyond Redemption Point, if I may use a well-known figure; not because God would not have been merciful to them if they had repented, but because they had so persisted in their sin that there was on their part no evidence of nor desire for repentance. Had they simply spoken against the Son of Man, Jesus said it would have been forgiven them; but He solemnly added, “Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.” 

   MATTHEW 12:43-45 - The unclean spirit pictured here is the spirit of idolatry which was cast out of the nation of the Jews as a result of the Babylonian captivity. Since their return from Babylon they had been like an empty house swept and garnished. They were free from idolatry; but on the other hand, they had not received the Lord Himself to dwell among them. In a coming day this evil spirit of idolatry will take with himself seven other spirits even more wicked than he, and they will enter and dwell in the apostate nation. This will result in the recognition of the Antichrist, the Willful King, as the Messiah, and so their last state will be worse than the first. The wicked generation that rejected Jesus will still be evident in that hour of tribulation.