MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Seven Baptisms
Written by: Max Klein
Baptism means identification or association:
Introduction:
1. This meaning began in Homer's time. Homer wrote of the one-eyed giant, Cyclops who had trapped Ulysses and his men in a cave and was eating them one at a time. The ingenious Ulysses devised a plan. He had his men sharpen a large log and together they rammed this log into the eye of the one-eyed Cyclops rendering him blind. They identified (baptized) the sharpened log with Cyclops’ eye which changed Cyclops from a seeing giant to a blind giant. Having blinded the Cyclops, they were able to maneuver their way out of the cave. Another example by Homer: Homer's Odyssey, book 9, used baptism for hot metal identified (baptized) with water when a smith dipped a piece of hot iron into water. This is how a blacksmith would temper swords in the ancient world. After this identification, the sword was made stronger and so less likely to bend.
2. Xenophon said that the Spartan military recruits after finishing infantry training would identify (baptize) their spears with pig’s blood. They would run by a barrel of pig’s blood and thrust their spears into this blood. This ritual, identified their spears with killing and the soldier’s readiness for combat with the enemy.
3. Euripides used the word for a ship identified with the bottom of the sea when it sank. Before sinking, the ship was valuable; after sinking it had no value at all.
4. So "baptize" in the classical Greek meant to identify one thing with another so that the characteristics of the original thing were altered. Therefore, the interpretation of the word "baptism" is identification with something that brings about a change.
5. There are a number of cognates related to this Greek word such as bapto, baptizo, baptisma, baptismos, baptistes, and embapto. A few examples follow:
6. John 13:26, “Jesus then answered, ‘That is the one for whom, I shall dip [the future of the Greek word bapto] the morsel and give it to him. So, when he had dipped [the aorist participle of bapto; the sop now takes on a new meaning that of honor] the sop [the morsel], He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.”
To give someone a sop [a special bit of food usually a piece of bread or meat with a tasty sauce] was the highest honor of a banquet. At a banquet a special piece of bread or meat was prepared along with a special sauce for the guest of honor who would then honor someone by giving it to that person. Jesus as the guest of honor took this sop and dipped it into a special sauce and gave it to Judas. In this way, the Lord Jesus Christ honored Judas as a member of the family of God, and for his ministry as an apostle to the Lost Sheep of Israel. This honor should have given Judas second thoughts regarding his plan to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin.
7. Matthew 3:7, “but when he [John the Baptizer] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism [identification: the Greek word baptisma], he said to them, “You brood of vipers [poisonous snakes], who warned you to flee from the wrath to come [Baptism of Fire: identification with the fire of Torments and then the Lake of Fire]?”
8. Hebrews 6:1-2, “Therefore, leaving behind the elementary teaching about Christ, let us advance to maturity, not laying again the foundation [of the basics such as]: a change of thinking about dead works [just as an unbeliever must have a change of mind about Christ to obtain salvation, so the believer must have a change of mind about legalism (dead works) in order to obtain the spiritual life], and of faith toward God [Faith-Rest Drill], (2) doctrine of baptisms [the Greek word baptismos; a reference to the seven types of baptism as found in Scripture] as well as the laying on of hands [ritual rebound in the age of Israel], and of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment [the Great White Throne Judgment].
9. Matthew 3:1, “In those days John the Baptizer [the Greek word baptistes; when John baptized someone into the Jordan River, the converts were identified with the plan of God and his kingdom.] came proclaiming [as a herald] in the desert of Judea.”
There are two categories of identification in Scripture namely an actual identification or a real baptism and a representative identification or a ritual baptism which uses water.
The four real or actual identifications with something that has significance.
1. The Baptism of Moses: 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 presents the baptism of Moses, "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; (2) and all were baptized [the Greek word baptizo] into Moses in the cloud [the Lord] and in the sea." This was a real identification in which Moses was identified with the Lord and the open path through the Red Sea and the Jews were identified with Moses. By the way, none of the Jews got wet, only Egyptian unbelievers who were immersed in the water as a means of death.
2. The Baptism of the Cross is found in Matthew 20:22, “But Jesus answered [Salome by addressing her sons] and said, “You [plural: a reference to James and John] do not know what you [James and John] ask. Are you [James and John] able to drink of the cup [bear the punishment of all the sins of the world] that I am about to drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism [the sins of the world identified with Christ followed by the Father judging them] that I am baptized with [identified with]?” They [James and John] said to Him, “We are able. [the dumbest statement that James and John ever made]” [I selected the longer text as did Jerome.]
3. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Retroactive Positional Truth and Current Positional Truth) occurs at salvation for Church Age believers only.
Colossians 2:12. Having been buried [aorist participle] with Him [Jesus Christ] by means of the baptism [God the Holy Spirit identified us with the burial of Jesus Christ as part of our salvation] by means of which [Baptism] you have been raised up [main verb] with Him [in union with Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of the Father] through faith [at the point of salvation] in the operational power from the source of God who has raised Him [the humanity of Christ was given a resurrection body] out from the dead [physical death].
Romans 6:3-9:
Romans 6:3: Or do you not know that all of us who [a correlative] have been baptized into [identified with] Christ Jesus [Current Positional Sanctification: we are in union with Christ in his life in heaven], have been baptized into His death [Retroactive Positional Truth and so identified with his substitutionary spiritual death on the cross]?
Positionally, (in union with Christ) we share His righteousness, heirship, priesthood, destiny, election, eternal life, royalty, sonship etc. All these making us a new spiritual species in Christ Jesus. The plural correlative hosoi (ὅσοι) means that if we were identified with Christ in heaven and we were, then also we have been identified with Christ in his substitutionary spiritual death in which he removed the power of sin nature. Thus, the sin nature should not have power over our lives.
A few more points will be noted:
1. Note that the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation enters the believer into union with Christ at the right hand of God the Father which union is called current positional truth.
2. This verse also mentions identification with Christ in His spiritual death on the cross which identification theologians call retroactive positional truth. Retroactive positional truth also includes identification with Christ in His physical death and burial as well.
3. Identification with Christ in His death, then, has a two-fold connotation namely all personal sins were judged at the cross and since that is the case, God the Father is free to provide in grace, the Recovery Procedure. The second connotation is that good and evil were rejected by Jesus on the cross since good and evil are a part of Satan’s policy and plan. On the cross, Jesus relied on the proto-type spiritual life which operated under the two power options namely God’s power system.
4. So, the old sin nature’s ruling power over the Christian has been broken since all sins were judged on the cross and the Recovery Procedure has been provided. So, Retroactive Positional Truth has destroyed the sovereignty of the old sin nature over the life of the Christian.
5. Also, since Jesus rejected the good and evil policy of Satan so should the believer reject Satan’s policy of good and evil as the believer applies Retroactive Positional Truth.
Romans 6:4: Therefore, we have been buried together with Him through the identification [Baptism of the Spirit] into His death [physical], in order that just as Christ has been raised up from the dead [on Resurrection Sunday], through the glory of the Father [through the Father’s power], [So also we, the dead in Christ, will be raised from the dead by the power of the Father, and those alive at the Rapture, by the power of the Holy Spirit.] in this manner we also might walk in newness of life [Experiential sanctification should reflect our future ultimate sanctification.].
Christ had to die physically “and Jesus having shouted clearly with a loud voice said, Father, into your hands I deposit my [human] spirit, and having said this, he exhaled” (Luke 23:46). This last exhale caused His soul and spirit to depart from his mortal body resulting in physical death. Just as Christ had to die physically in order to obtain his resurrection body, so we must depart from our body of corruption, or mortality in order to receive our eternal body called our resurrection body.
The Newness of Life:
1. The newness of life provided through the baptism of the Spirit includes positional freedom from producing good and evil. Not only are we free from the tyranny of good and evil but we are also free from having to produce good and evil.
2. The believer has no obligation to improve the devil’s world through social action, socialism, welfare state, communism, environmentalism, or any social gospel, social action, getting involved, etc.
3. The human race is protected from Satan’s policy of good and evil through the laws of divine establishment which promote freedom instead of improvement at the cost of freedom.
4. In addition to the Laws of Divine Establishment the believer is insulated from good and evil positionally through the baptism of the Spirit.
5. Divorced from the Old Sin Nature positionally and its useless activity of human good and the function of evil, the life of the believer can be devoted to glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ through maximum knowledge and application of Bible doctrine.
Romans 6:5: For if we have become united with Him [Christ, the new husband] in the likeness of His death [the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross], and we have, and not only this, but also, we shall be [united in the likeness] of His resurrection [Current Positional Truth: in union with the resurrected Christ].
Romans 6:6: Be knowing this [through Retroactive Positional Truth], that our old man [our former husband, the sin nature dates back to the Garden] has been crucified together [with Him], in order that the [human] body, with reference to its sin nature, [the sin nature located in the body] might be rendered powerless [when we use Recovery Procedure and the two power options], that we should no longer be slaves to the sin nature.
“Our old man has been crucified with Him” meaning that the power of the sin nature has been broken on the cross. Since the power of the sin nature was broken by the work of the cross, we as believers have no excuse for not executing the spiritual life. We will not be able to say to Christ at our evaluation that our sin nature was too powerful for us to execute the spiritual life.
A few points for further clarification:
1. Retroactive positional truth is that phase of the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation which identifies the believer with Christ in His spiritual death, physical death and his burial.
2. In the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross all the personal sins in human history were imputed to Christ, but at the same time the other two trends of the old sin nature were not imputed for judgment.
3. Good and evil is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world and the function of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life. In fact, the sin nature functions as the agent of Satan.
4. Good and evil were not imputed for judgment on the cross. Hence, in the spiritual death of Christ on the cross they were rejected to remain an issue in the angelic conflict, rejected to be perpetuated in human history as an issue every believer must face, and either overcome through the intake of doctrine or be entrapped by ignorance of doctrine and therefore lose out in glorifying God in time.
5. We are identified with Christ in His spiritual death, which means that we must understand that our sins have been judged and that good and evil has been rejected.
6. It all adds up to the fact that the sovereignty of the old sin nature over human life has been made powerless through retroactive positional truth.
7. The imputation of all personal sins of the human race to Christ on the cross means that the believer through the rebound technique is instantly forgiven sins, cleansed from all wrong doing which includes Satanic good and evil, restored to fellowship and filled with the Spirit.
Romans 6:7: For we who have died [the Christian is identified with the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ: theologically called Retroactive Positional Truth] have been acquitted [positional deliverance] from [the power of] the sin nature.
A few points for further clarification:
1. A dead person is discharged from the obligations of his former sphere of life. This is why the word “death” is used in this context. It is not a literal, physical death we are discussing but identification with Christ in His death.
2. As unbelievers we were under the authority of Satan as the ruler of this world, and under the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
3. Both the power of Satan and the old sin nature have been abrogated through the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation.
4. This passage, then, emphasizes the annulling of the power and the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
5. Positionally, the power of the sin nature has been broken. Experientially, the old sin nature controls to the extent that we fail to understand and utilize the provision and support of logistical grace.
Romans 6:8: Now if we have died with Christ, and we have [retroactive positional truth], we also believe that we shall live in association with Him [the instrumental of association; a reference to Current Positional Truth].
In this verse, the 1st Class conditional sentence shows the relationship between Retroactive Positional Truth with Current Positional Truth. The protasis, the ‘if’ clause states the reality of Retroactive Positional Truth and the apodosis, the concluding clause states the doctrinal inference and the reality of Current Positional Truth. While Retroactive Positional Truth presents positional rejection and separation from good and evil as the policy of Satan and the function of the old sin nature, Current Positional Truth relates the believer to the function of the royal family of God. In other words, they have separate functions.
Romans 6:9: Knowing that because Christ has been raised from the dead [He received a resurrection body], no longer can He die; [physical] death is no longer a master over Him.
Analysis:
1. Retroactive positional truth destroys the sovereign authority of the old sin nature over human life. Current positional truth, on the other hand, destroys the limited authority of physical death in human life.
2. Instead of being ruled by the old sin nature located in the cells of the human body and influencing our souls toward sin, good and evil, we now have a new sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are identified with Him in His deaths, in His burial, resurrection, ascension and session.
3. Before salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit our lives were under the absolute rule of Satan who is the ruler of this world and under the rule of the old sin nature which is the ruler of life, and under the limited rule of physical death. All of that, of course, has been changed since salvation.
4. Now both retroactive and current positional truth have abrogated the authority and power of these former rulers. The power of Satan over our lives has been broken through identification with the rejection of good and evil namely Satan’s policy and plan and through our position in union with Christ. The power of the old sin nature is broken through retroactive positional truth and the power of physical death is broken through current positional truth.
5. Therefore, having studied these things by principle and by implication we are now ready for application, verses 12 & 13 specifically.
6. Having been positionally liberated from the sovereignty of the old sin nature as an absolute ruler, and the authority of physical death, we must recognise and apply doctrine for the experiential victory commanded in verses 11-13.
Galatians 3:25-28, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under the authority of [have need of] a school bus. (26) For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ [identified with Christ through union with Him] have clothed yourselves with Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek [no racial distinction], there is neither slave nor free man [no social or economic distinction], there is neither male nor female [no gender distinction]; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [All Christians have the same privileges and opportunities to execute the spiritual life.]”
Current Positional Truth, Elaborated:
In the Church Age, Current Positional Truth establishes our relationship with Christ as opposed to religion. It refers to the Church Age believer in union with Christ and is the key to understanding the Church Age and how the royal family came into being. Therefore, it is the basis for distinguishing between Christianity and religion. Christianity is a relationship with God without merit whereas religion is a system of works to gain the approbation of God. Never shall the twain meet!
The mechanics of Current Positional Truth is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, whereby the Spirit enters us into union with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For also by agency of the one Spirit we are all baptized [identification resulting in becoming a new spiritual species] into one body [in union with Christ], whether Jews or Greeks [racial distinctions are removed], whether slave or free [class and economic distinctions are removed], even all were made to drink [the aorist passive, the voice of grace] the one Spirit [The Holy Spirit did not ask us whether we wanted to be put into union with Christ or not.].” Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord [becomes our Lord positionally at Salvation]), one faith [faith alone in Christ alone; Acts 16:31], one baptism [Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation].”
Current Positional truth guarantees that there will be no judgment for believers in eternity, Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Thus, the condemnation which occurred at the first birth was removed at the 2nd birth. As a result of being born with the sin nature and the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin, we were condemned to the Lake of Fire for all eternity, but now that has been removed. Romans 5:12, “For this reason just as through one man [Adam] the sin [nature] entered into the world [procreation], and so spiritual death through the sin [the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin to the sin nature], and so spiritual death spread to all mankind, because all sinned when Adam sinned [since we were all genetically in Adam when he sinned, we will receive Adam’s Original Sin].” However, at our spiritual birth, the 2nd birth, our pre-salvation sins were all forgiven including Adam’s Original Sin. After which, the Spirit entered us into union with Christ where there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1).
Current Positional truth qualifies the believer to live with God forever. To live with God forever, the believer must have eternal life and God’s perfect righteousness, 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his son [Since we are in union with Christ, we share this life.]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].” 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And He [the Father] made Him who knew no sin [perfection] to be a sin offering [imputation of sins on the cross] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [current positional truth].” To live with God forever means you must have His life, and you must be as righteous as He is.
Positional truth guarantees the believer’s eternal security, Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death [nothing in death] nor life [nothing in life] nor angels nor principalities [ruling angels] nor powers [human organizations] nor things present nor things to come (39) nor height [nothing in heaven] nor depth [nothing in Hades] nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eternal life in Christ is for all eternity!
Positional truth belongs to all categories of believers whether they be apostate, mature, immature, spiritually adult, or carnal. Since Current Positional Truth occurs at the point of salvation before experience in the Christian life begins, it doesn’t depend on that experience. 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [at salvation], called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.” So, even though you may be carnal or in reversionism, you still have positional truth. Being in union with Christ has nothing to do with what you do [experiential righteousness], or don’t do [failure to execute God’s plan]. Current Positional sanctification is completely the work of God the Holy Spirit and so is not based upon our volition, but on the sovereign decision of God. We make the decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we don’t make the decision to enter into union with Christ “all were made to drink the one Spirit” as per 1 Corinthians 12:13. God the Holy Spirit graciously did that for us and so it cannot be undone.
Current Positional truth creates a new spiritual species in Christ as per 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power; behold, new things have come to pass.” You become a new spiritual species at salvation by being put into union with Christ. It is what God does for you, and therefore it is grace. It is not what you do after salvation, such as the self-righteous works of legalism. The “old things” have to do with spiritual death and those things related to that death; the “new things” refer to things you receive at salvation such as the 40 assets and the unique spiritual life.
Positional truth should motivate the production of divine good and a pattern of life compatible with royalty as per Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his creation, having been created in Christ Jesus [a new spiritual species with many assets] for the purpose of divine good production [via experiential sanctification] which the God [the Father] has prepared in advance [in eternity past, God the Father provided election and predestination as part of our Portfolio of Invisible Assets], that we in the sphere of them [election and predestination] may pattern our lives.”
Even though a Christian may die the Sin on to Death, he will not lose his position in union with Christ (1 John 5:18-20), and so cannot lose his salvation. In order for a believer to lose his position in Christ, he would have to sin in that status, but since the believer cannot sin in union with Christ, he cannot lose his position in Christ and so cannot lose his salvation. Thus, it is comforting and reassuring to a believer to know that even though a loved one may have died the ‘sin on to death’, he has not lost his salvation.
Because we are in union with Christ, we share His:
1. Eternal life, 1 John 5:11, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life [At salvation, God the Father imputes this life to the human spirit], and this life is in his son [The Christian also shares the life of Christ through union with Him]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].”
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth and the life [eternal life]; no person [in human history] comes face to face with the Father [having an eternal relationship with the Father] except through Me.’”
2. Perfect righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he (God the Father) made him [Jesus] who knew no sin (perfection) to be a sin offering as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him [positional truth]. Sharing the righteousness of Christ, we become the objects of God the Father’s love as per Romans 8:39.
3. Election, Ephesians 1:4, “just as He [the Father] has elected us for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ] before the creation of the world [in eternity past], that we may be set apart [experiential sanctification] and blameless [ultimate sanctification] in the presence of Him [Father].”
4. Destiny, Ephesians 1:5, “By means of love, He has predestined us for the purpose of adoption as adult sons to Himself through Christ Jesus our Lord according to the grace purpose of His will.”
5. Sonship, Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
6. Heirship, Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies together [bears witness] with our [human] spirit, that we are the children of God. (17) Now, if we are children and we are, also heirs, on the one hand heirs of God [the Father], and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed [if it is true that], we suffer with Him [pass all three stages of undeserved suffering], that also we might be glorified with Christ.”
7. Sanctification, 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.”
8. Priesthood, Hebrews 7:12-19, “For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change in the Law also. (13) For the One [the Lord Jesus Christ] concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe [the tribe of Judah] from which no one has officiated at the altar. (14) For it is evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests, (15) and this is clearer still, if another priest arises similar to Melchizedek, and there has, (16) who has become a priest not on the basis of physical requirement [a reference to the Levitical Priesthood] but on the basis of indestructible life [the Lord’s priesthood is forever]. (17) For this reason, it is witnessed, ‘You are a priest forever similar to the order of Melchizedek.’” [We are in union with Christ. Therefore, we are royalty and priests forever. We represent ourselves before God as royal priests.] (18) For, on the one hand, there is a rescinding of the former commandment [the Mosaic Law that authorized the Levitical priesthood] because of its weakness and uselessness (19) (for the Law brought nothing to completion), but on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope [the second door of hope for the Church Age believer—a personal sense of destiny—by which we enter the adult spiritual life] through which we draw near to God.”
Hebrews 7:26-28, “For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, impeccable integrity, the One who cannot do evil, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; (27) Who does not need daily, like those Levitical priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He [Jesus] offered up Himself. (28) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of His [God the Father’s] oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has become perfect forever [Jesus Christ is a perfect high priest].”
9. Royalty, 1 Peter 2:9, “ But you and only you are an elect [elect by God the Father] race [as a new spiritual species], a royal priesthood [since Jesus is a king-priest], a holy nation [God’s entity: a nation of priests: every Christian is a priest], a people for God’s own possession [a protected people], so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him [Christ] who has called [in eternity past] you out of darkness [spiritual death and the Cosmic Systems] into His amazing light [his plan];”
10. New Spiritual Species, 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power [Old Covenant]; behold, new things have come to pass [This would include the New Covenant to the Church.].”
Current Positional Truth changes our relationship with Angels.
1. Through current positional truth the believer is higher than angels positionally.
2. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and so superior to all angels. By virtue of being in union with Christ, every believer is now positionally superior to angels.
3. Positional truth has fulfilled the believer’s triumph with Christ in the angelic conflict. We are victorious with Him already.
4. Furthermore, positional truth demands compatibility with experiential righteousness. Therefore, the believer’s walk on this earth must be compatible with positional truth since we have perfect security in Christ, we have the freedom to choose for Jesus Christ, to love Jesus Christ, to respond to His love, and to fulfill our purpose on this earth.
What positional truth is not?
1. It is not an experience, emotions or ecstasies.
2. It is not progressive; it cannot be improved in time or eternity.
3. It is not related to human merit or ability.
4. It cannot be changed by God, man or angels. It is eternal in nature.
5. It is not obtained gradually as you grow in grace, but in toto at salvation.
6. It is not known apart from the metabolization of doctrine.
7. From understanding the doctrine of positional truth, we progress in our spiritual life, but we cannot improve it since it is perfect at salvation.
8. We are not in Christ because of what we do (execution of the spiritual life) or fail to do (fail to execute the spiritual life), but because of what God has done.
A few points of explanation:
1. The conclusion from positional truth, whether retroactive or current, is that the Christian must apply these doctrines to his spiritual life.
2. In Romans 7:1-4 where we have an illustration of a woman whose first husband has died freeing her to marry another. This is what actually happens to us as believers at salvation. The old sin nature is the husband up to the point of salvation, but at the moment we believe in Jesus Christ positionally the sin nature is dead, as it were, the first husband has died and we have a new husband through union with Christ. Retroactive Positional Truth removes our first husband, the sin nature whereas Current Positional Truth enters us into union with Christ, our new husband.
3. The old sin nature-husband is still around, still seeking to regain his control over his former wife, the believer. But union with the second husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, has broken the first husband’s authority over the former wife.
4. The Baptism of Fire:
Matthew 3:11, “On the one hand I [John the Baptizer] baptize you [believers] by means of water because of a change of thinking [about Christ], but the one coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I am not worthy to lace [loosen, remove]. He himself will baptize by means of the Holy Spirit [a reference to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age] and by means of fire [a reference to the Baptism of Fire at the 2nd Advent].”
Baptism of Fire: The baptism of fire (identification with fire) is defined as the judgment of unbelievers both Jew and gentile at the Second Advent. They will be removed from the earth and placed in fire for 1000 years until the Last Judgment, Luke 3:16-17; Mathew 25:31, 33. The analogy to the Baptism of Fire is found in Matthew 24:36-41. The one left in the field is the mature believer; the one taken is the unbeliever.
Parables of the Baptism of Fire:
1. The wheat and the tares (the unbelievers), Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40.
2. The good and bad fish (unbelievers), Matthew 13:47-50.
3. The ten virgins: five wise, five foolish (the unbelievers), Matthew 25:1-13.
4. The sheep and the goats (the unbelievers), Mathew 25:31-46.
5. The talent test, Matthew 25:14-30. The one talent man represents the unbeliever.
If Jesus Christ had not been rejected by the Jewish people, then the age of Israel would have continued until its completion (the Tribulation completes the age of Israel). (However, they did reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah and so the client nation was destroyed, and the Church age was intercalated that is inserted before the age of Israel was complete.) After the completion of the age of Israel at the end of the Tribulation, comes the wrath of God namely the Baptism of Fire when the Lord removes both Jewish and gentile unbelievers from the earth and identifies them with fire forever. After which, the Millennial reign begins.
The Three Ritual Baptisms. None are extant at the present time. They are representative identifications in which water is used as a training aid to represent some principle of doctrine.
1. The Baptism of John is found in Matthew 3:2-6, “Saying, ‘Change your thinking [regarding Christ] for the kingdom of heaven is near.’ [The future king was already on the earth] (3) For this is what was communicated through Isaiah, the prophet saying, ‘The voice of one [John the Baptizer] proclaiming loudly in the desert [of Judea]. Prepare [the aorist tense is a one time-decision] the way of the Lord [an idiomatic expression for salvation]. Keep on making upright [the use of the Recovery Procedure followed by the development of experiential righteousness] His paths!’ (Isaiah 40:3) (4) Now, John himself kept on having a garment of camel’s hair [very uncomfortable] and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then [after John went where God wanted him to be] Jerusalem kept on going out to him [face to face] and all Judea and all the districts around the Jordan. (6) and they were being baptized [identified with the kingdom] by him [under John’s authority] in the Jordan River [where Israel crossed when they entered the land], and they kept on confessing their sins [post-salvation confession of sins].”
MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Gospel of Matthew: Chapter Twelve
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
Exodus 14:13, “Then Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand fast [in your minds] and watch the deliverance of the Lord [God the Son] which He will accomplish for you today for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.’” (You will be in heaven; they will spend all eternity in the Lake of Fire.)
Matthew 12:1
Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἐπορεύθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς σάββασιν διὰ τῶν σπορίµων· οἱ δὲ µαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπείνασαν, καὶ ἤρξαντο τίλλειν στάχυας καὶ ἐσθίειν
At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath, and his disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. [God never intended for the Jews to go hungry on the Sabbath.]
After God the Holy Spirit had restored the earth in 6 days, he then rested as it were since his work of restoration was complete. So, the seventh day of the week was to commemorate the grace of God. Now regarding the Jews, God blessed them so much in 6 days, they didn’t have to work. So, to commemorate that day namely the Sabbath, the Jews were to rest from all unnecessary work that they might be able to spend time for prayer, learning the Word, reflecting upon God’s grace plan and provision and enjoy a day of rest, a break from 6 days of hard work.
Resting on the Sabbath did not imply abstaining from all work for obviously farmers had to feed and provide for their livestock on the Sabbath. Mothers had to feed and clothe their children on the Sabbath etc. The Jewish army had to defend itself on the Sabbath if attacked etc. Resting on the Sabbath meant to free up as much time as one could in order to devote as much time as one could on spiritual matters.
So, there was no merit in not working. Avoiding work on the Sabbath or today to avoid work on Sunday does not in itself make you a great believer. The spiritual life has always been the same namely one grows spiritually by growing in grace and in knowledge. These Pharisees were not even believers and as such had merely distorted the Sabbath into a lot of taboos. The Sabbath could only be observed properly by believers who could use the extra free time for devotion to the Lord.
However, this was all distorted by the legalistic, religious Jewish unbelievers who put forth a lot of nonsensical taboos. In the Mishnah (Talmud) for example one could not boil an egg on the Sabbath neither by putting it in or near a hot kettle, nor by putting it into a hot cloth or hot sand. You were not permitted to light or extinguish a lamp on the Sabbath for that was considered work. It was unlawful to wear an ornament on the Sabbath because it might be construed as a burden and carrying a burden could be construed as labor. The Pharisees would spend many hours arguing whether it was lawful to tie your sandals or not on the Sabbath. It was forbidden to stop a wound from bleeding on the Sabbath for that would require energy and expending energy is a form of work. Mud on the dress could not be cleaned off, but it was suggestion that one could let the mud dry and then reach down slowly and crumble that part of the dress once and then release your hand. There was about 2500 taboos for the Sabbath.
Some grain was left in the fields for the poor of the land or for strangers in the area because on the Sabbath one couldn’t buy food anywhere. So, it was quite reasonable for the disciples to eat from this grace provision. As we are going to see, eating on Sabbath was a violation not of God’s laws, but of the taboos of the religious crowd.
Matthew 12:2
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἰδόντες εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Ἰδοὺ οἱ µαθηταί σου ποιοῦσιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ποιεῖν ἐν σαββάτῳ
But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”
Nothing has changed! Arrogant unbelievers and believers always distort the grace of God into legalism. You must be good and produce good to be saved. You must be immersed into water to be saved. To be a great Christian you must be coerced into giving 10% of your income to your local church. If you come to the Wednesday prayer meeting, participate in all the church functions, sing Christian hymns many of which are Biblically incorrect, you are a great Christian.
Since religious people are always arrogant, they consider it their responsibility to interfere into other people’s business. Another words, they know what is best for everyone. Furthermore, religious people do not understand the Scripture. If they did, they wouldn’t be religious. Just think, these Pharisees had the audacity to criticize the Lord’s handling of his own disciples.
The Biblical defense: Verses 3-7.
Matthew 12:3-4
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν ∆αυὶδ ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ µετí αὐτοῦ; (4) πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγον, ὃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν οὐδὲ τοῖς µετí αὐτοῦ, εἰ µὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν µόνοις;
But He said to them, have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him [1 Samuel 21], (4). how he entered into the house of God [the tabernacle at Nob] and ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat [under normal circumstances], nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
To answer this criticism, Jesus goes to 1 Samuel 21:1-6. According to this passage David apparently on the Sabbath went to Ahimelech, the High Priest at Nob as he was fleeing Saul. He and those with him were very hungry and so David asked for five loaves of ordinary bread. However, Ahimelech only had consecrated bread (Shewbread) which was strictly regulated. A portion was to be used as a memorial and to be offered with incense by fire to the Lord and the rest of the 12 loaves were be eaten only by the Levitical priests in the Tabernacle according to Leviticus 24:5-9, “Take the finest [unleavened] flour [representing the perfection of the humanity of Jesus] and bake twelve loaves of bread [for the twelve tribes of Israel], using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf [about 5 pounds]. 6 Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold before the Lord. 7 By each stack put some pure incense as a memorial portion to represent the bread and to be a food offering presented to the Lord [God the Father]. 8 This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. 9 It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in the sanctuary area [in the Holy Place], because it is a most holy [set apart] part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.” All the same, Ahimelech gave David the five loaves of Shewbread, he requested. Another words, the Levitical priests shared their food with David. Obviously, there was a law of expediency which allowed starving individuals to eat of this bread. Reality took precedence over ritual.
Leviticus 2:11: “Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering [representing the impeccability of Jesus] presented to the Lord [God the Father].”
Ahimelech paid a big price for helping David. 1 Samuel 22:16-19, “But the king said, ‘You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and your whole family.’ (17) Then the king ordered the guards at his side: ‘Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.’ But the king’s officials were unwilling to raise a hand to strike the priests of the Lord. (18) The king then ordered Doeg, ‘You turn and strike down the priests.’ So, Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. (19) He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.”
Matthew 12:5
ἢ οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε ἐν τῷ νόµῳ ὅτι τοῖς σάββασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τὸ σάββατον βεβηλοῦσιν καὶ ἀναίτιοί εἰσιν;
Or have you not read in the Law [Mosaic Law] that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath [by working on the Sabbath] and are blameless [Numbers 28:9, 10]?
The Levitical priests were commanded to work on the Sabbath as per Numbers 28:9, 10, “On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.” The priests ate and worked on the Sabbath.
Matthew 12:6
λέγω δὲ ὑµῖν ὅτι τοῦ ἱεροῦ µεῖζόν ἐστιν ὧδε
But I say to you that One [the Lord Jesus] greater than the temple is in this place.
If the priests were allowed to eat and perform certain activities in the tabernacle and later the temple on the Sabbath and yet were blameless in this matter, then how much more the Lord and His disciples for before them is the Lord Jesus Christ about whom everything in the temple represented.
Matthew 12:7
εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε τί ἐστιν, Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν, οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους
But if you had known what this means, "I desire mercy [Grace in action in the sense of unbelievers responding to God’s grace] and not sacrifice [meaningless ritual which the unbelieving Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees were performing quite regularly]," you would not have condemned those [Jesus and His disciples] who are not guilty [the Lord’s disciples].
Matthew 9:13 has a similar passage, “But go and learn what this means [quoted from Hosea 6:6], I desire mercy [unbelievers interested in God’s grace solution to their sin problem] and not sacrifice [that day the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees had offered meaningless sacrifices] For I have not come [to Capernaum] to call the righteous [self-righteous unbelievers who are not interested in the gospel], but the sinners [those who know that they were sinners namely the tax collectors and prostitutes].”
Self-righteous legalist always distort. Jesus is saying that His disciples have a right on the Sabbath to eat and that the whole purpose of the Sabbath has been misunderstood and distorted by these self-righteous religious unbelievers. The Sabbath was not to be a period of fasting necessarily though one could fast on the Sabbath if he should desire to free up more time for concentrating on the Lord. The Pharisees as unbelievers had no relationship with God and so no true knowledge of God. Furthermore, without truth and grace in their souls, they were merciless and vicious. They emphasized taboos and rituals but did not understand the reality of salvation much less the spiritual life.
Matthew 12:8
κύριος γάρ ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
For the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath.
The Sabbath was made for the Lord, not the other way around. In other words, the Lord establishes the rules regarding the Sabbath. He is the Lord over the Sabbath and so the Sabbath does not Lord it over the Lord! The word for “Lord” is deity. Jesus Christ is God, and the Sabbath was made to point out His grace.
Matthew 12:9
Καὶ µεταβὰς ἐκεῖθεν ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτῶν·
And when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue.
Matthew 12:10
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος χεῖρα ἔχων ξηράν. καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν λέγοντες, Εἰ ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν θεραπεῦσαι; ἵνα κατηγορήσωσιν αὐτοῦ
And behold, there was a man having a withered hand. And they [the Pharisees] asked Him, saying, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbaths [Arrogant people have no concern or compassion for people]? This [they asked] in order that they might accuse Him.
Arrogance always distorts and religion as a substitute for Christianity is a system of distortion with concentrated arrogance. So, it is not surprising that in the Talmud, one was prohibited from stopping bleeding on the Sabbath. Just let the person bleed to death. Our taboos must be kept! At the same time, religion pretends to be concerned about its paying members, but this is only a façade for terrible cruelty. Religion is always a source of oppression as grace is always a source of freedom from oppression.
Since this was their synagogue, they probably had this man with the withered hand brought in to trap the humanity of Christ, but He is too well prepared in doctrine, in Scripture and in their customs and habits.
Matthew 12:11
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Τίς ἔσται ἐξ ὑµῶν ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἕξει πρόβατον ἕν, καὶ ἐὰν ἐµπέσῃ τοῦτο τοῖς σάββασιν εἰς βόθυνον, οὐχὶ κρατήσει αὐτὸ καὶ ἐγερεῖ;
And He said to them, what man will there be among you who will have one sheep, and if it should fall into a pit on the Sabbaths, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out?
Though religious people have no concern for people and truth, they always place maximum importance on money, and its source. So, when a sheep would fall into a hole or crevice on the Sabbath, the Pharisees would turn their eyes the other way that the shepherd might retrieve his sheep on the Sabbath, a violation of one of their taboos. Obviously, they must protect the source of their revenue. Their hypocrisy is astounding!
We see this same type of hypocrisy today among politicians. You must be locked down, but they are free to go about. You are not permitted to travel, but they travel. They criticize wealthy people and yet they are constantly taking bribes of hundreds of thousands of dollars. You do not need police, but they are surrounded by security guards.
Matthew 12:12
πόσῳ οὖν διαφέρει ἄνθρωπος προβάτου. ὥστε ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν καλῶς ποιεῖν
Then, how much more valuable is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do good [like healing] on the Sabbath days.
Logically, if one is willing to help a sheep in distress on the Sabbath, how much more a person in distress on the Sabbath. Religion always claims that they are agents to help people, but really, they have no concern for people. So, since they must maintain this pretense that they are for the people and since there are people present, they decided not to argue with Jesus.
Matthew 12:13
τότε λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, Ἔκτεινόν σου τὴν χεῖρα. καὶ ἐξέτεινεν, καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ὑγιὴς ὡς ἡ ἄλλη
Then, He said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out, and it was restored whole like the other.
Jesus Christ presents his credentials as Messiah by healing this man.
Matthew 12:14
ἐξελθόντες δὲ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι συµβούλιον ἔλαβον κατí αὐτοῦ ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀπολέσωσιν
Then the Pharisees went out and held council against Him, as to how they might destroy Him [kill him].
Since they couldn’t refute his arguments, they want to destroy him through violence. First, the Pharisees were irritated by Jesus for revealing that their taboo of not being able to eat on the Sabbath had no basis in Scripture. Next, they laid a trap for Him in the synagogue, but that backfired. So, now they want to kill him. Even so, Jesus continues to send them a message through all those he heals.
Verses 15-23: Miracles.
Matthew 12:15
Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς γνοὺς ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν. καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ πολλοί, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς πάντας,
But when Jesus knew it [their plans to kill him], He withdrew Himself from there. And great crowds followed Him, and He healed them all.
At some point when Jesus was moving out, He just turned around and healed everyone that was sick in the crowd, and that was the message He sent back to the Pharisees. The one who is before you, this one is the God-Man, the unique person of the universe, undiminished deity and true humanity in one person forever, the only saviour, the only way of salvation. His miracles were a message to the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees that He was the Messiah. If there had been lepers in the crowd, their healing would be a specific message to the priesthood. So, the Lord not only had sent a message to the Pharisees, but to the priesthood as well.
Matthew 12:16
καὶ ἐπετίµησεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα µὴ φανερὸν αὐτὸν ποιήσωσιν·
And He warned them [those in the crowd] that they should not make Him known,
The word “charge” means to give a strong command not to make Him known since Jesus Christ Himself had to present His credit cards first as Messiah. This was the protocol set up by God the Father as the author of the plan. Then, those who had seen the miracles and had believed would have the opportunity of presenting Him as Messiah and Savior at a later time.
Matthew 12:17-18
ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, (18) Ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς µου ὃν ᾑρέτισα, ὁ ἀγαπητός µου εἰς ὃν εὐδόκησεν ἡ ψυχή µου· θήσω τὸ πνεῦµά µου ἐπí αὐτόν, καὶ κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγελεῖ
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, [Isaiah 42:1-3] (18) "Behold My servant [the humanity of Christ fulfills the Father’s plan in both the 1st and 2nd Advents] whom I have chosen; My Beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased [the Father is speaking]. I will put My Spirit [the Holy Spirit] upon Him [a reference to the Filling of the Spirit at the 1st Advent], and He shall declare judgment to the gentiles [as individuals at the 2nd Advent; quoted from Isaiah 42:1 and fulfilled in Matthew 25:31ff].
Isaiah 42:1-4, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he [the Lord Jesus Christ] will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching, the islands [When the Jews looked west, they saw Cyprus, Crete, Rhodes etc.; so, a reference to gentile nations], will put their hope.”
“I will put my spirit upon him.” This is the first point of introduction to the so-called ‘unpardonable sin’ as it exists in this passage. “My Spirit” is a reference to God the third person; “upon him.” God the Holy Spirit provided His power for the spiritual life of the humanity of Christ. At the end of this chapter the Pharisees are going to express their rejection by saying that He doesn’t perform the casting out of demons by the power of the Holy Spirit, but by the power of Beelzebul [the god of dung, a title for Satan]. And in this way, they express their total rejection of the gospel message which rejection is called the unpardonable sin namely the rejection of Christ as Savior in the 1st Advent.
Jesus filled with the Spirit as prophesized in Isaiah 11:2.
The seven spirits are titles related to the teaching ministry of God the Holy Spirit first to the humanity of Christ and then to the Church Age believers. These 7 titles are found in Isaiah 11:2 and are as follows:
1. The Spirit of the Lord [God the Spirit] will rest on Him (The Holy Spirit provides the power for His spiritual life)
2. The Spirit of wisdom (wisdom extrapolated from truth and applied to people, circumstances, sufferings etc.)
3. The Spirit of understanding (provides understanding of God’s plan)
4. The Spirit of counsel (the Spirit counsels through metabolized doctrine)
5. The Spirit of strength (the Spirit produces strength through virtue in the soul)
6. The Spirit of knowledge (the Spirit, the teacher of divine knowledge)
7. Respect for the Lord.
Matthew 12:19
οὐκ ἐρίσει οὐδὲ κραυγάσει, οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ
He shall not strive [when He was mocked and ridiculed; did not argue], nor cry [from the slugging, the scourging, from the separation of his bones on the cross], nor shall anyone hear His voice in the streets [He didn’t cry out on the way to the crucifixion].
Matthew 12:20
κάλαµον συντετριµµένον οὐ κατεάξει καὶ λίνον τυφόµενον οὐ σβέσει, ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν.
He will not break, a bruised reed [though our sins bruised and crushed him, Jesus did not break] and He will not quench a smoking wick [Jesus survived the last three hours on the cross], until He brings forth judgment [the judgment of all sins] to victory [every sin will be successfully judged on the cross].
When God the Father judged Jesus for the penalty of all the sins of humanity, that penalty though it bruised Jesus like a bruised reed, Jesus did not break, did not fail like a reed which is flexible. So even though you may step on it and crush it, you will not break it for it will bounce right back after the pressure is off. Like a crushed reed, after the pressure of the cross has finished, He bounced back like a reed analogous to His resurrection.
The second analogy namely “a smoking wick,” a candle about to go out; “he shall not quench.” Even though the candle burns and flickers faintly analogous to the three hours in which Jesus would bear the penalty for all sins, the candle wick would not be put-out, quenched analogous to Christ remaining on the cross until His work would be complete. In other words, Jesus will stick it out on the cross until He will have born every sin that the human race would ever commit. And when He is taken off that cross the penalty for the sins of the world will have been paid for.
Matthew 12:21
καὶ τῷ ὀνόµατι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν.
And by agency of His person, the gentiles shall trust
Even though the religious Jews of Christ’s generation rejected him, thousands of gentiles will believe in him and obtain the gift of salvation. The religious Jews wanted salvation through their works, but many gentiles accepted salvation through the non-meritorious system of perception called faith.
Why are we told to believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation? You see, faith is a system of perception which requires no merit, not like rationalism or empiricism. By putting your faith in the person and work of Christ for your heavenly ticket, you are recognizing that you can do nothing for this free ticket into heaven. God the Father honors this non-meritorious faith since all the work was already done on the cross.
Faith always has an object. When you were a small child attending a math class, your teacher taught you that 2 plus 2 equals 4, and you believed her. Now, when you believed your teacher, you didn’t do any work. Your teacher had all the ability regarding math. The same is true with the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus Christ did all the work. We merely believe in him; we put our trust in him for our salvation. “He saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in (human) righteousness, but according to his loving kindness. . .” (Titus 3:5a).
When we believe in Jesus Christ, we are making a decision which excludes human work. You are making a decision which does not require any effort on your part. It is as simple as: ‘Father, ‘I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior.’ After praying that simple prayer, you will become a child of God forever.
Now, after John [the Baptizer] had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; change your mind [about Jesus Christ] and believe in the good news [salvation is a free gift requiring only faith] (Mark 1:14, 15).
He who believes in the Son has eternal life [will go to heaven and live with God], but he who does not believe the Son will not see life [with God], but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36).
Matthew 12:22
Τότε προσηνέχθη αὐτῷ δαιµονιζόµενος τυφλὸς καὶ κωφός· καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτόν, ὥστε τὸν κωφὸν λαλεῖν καὶ βλέπειν
Then, one who had been demon-possessed was brought to Him, blind and dumb [caused by demon possession]. And He healed him, so much so that the blind and dumb one both kept on talking and kept on seeing.
The demon possession caused this man to be blind and dumb. There are three causes for illness: physiological, psychosomatic, and demon induced illness through demon possession. Jesus healed this man by casting out his demon. Though Jesus gave this sign to the Pharisees even so in verse 38, they will ask for a sign. Asking for a sign was a sign of their negative volition. Since they already rejected the sign of his miracles, he will give them the sign of Jonah, his resurrection. This conforms with 1 Corinthians 1:22, “For indeed the Jews ask for a sign and the Greeks search for wisdom.” The Jews ask for a sign, yet they have rejected the greatest sign of grace namely the Sabbath which they destroyed through legalism. Now, they are rejecting the sign of the Miracles of Messiahship.
Matthew 12:23
καὶ ἐξίσταντο πάντες οἱ ὄχλοι καὶ ἔλεγον, Μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς ∆αυίδ;
And all the people were amazed [but did not believe] and said, this person is not the son of David is he [they are having a hard time believing that he could be the Messiah via the line of David]?
The Greek word meti (Μήτι) used to introduce this question either expects a negative answer or that the question is in doubt. This person cannot be the Son of David and therefore the Messiah, can He?
The miracles nearly convinced the Jews that he was the Messiah, but their blindness was too great to believe in Him for salvation.
Matthew 12:24
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἀκούσαντες εἶπον, Οὗτος οὐκ ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιµόνια εἰ µὴ ἐν τῷ Βεελζεβοὺλ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιµονίων
But when the Pharisees heard [about the healing of a demon possessed man], they said [to those inquiring about Jesus], this man [the Lord Jesus Christ] does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul [the god of dung], the ruler of the demons [a reference to Satan].
The Pharisees said this to keep the Jews in a state of confusion. If this gathering of Jews had responded and believed in Christ, there would be no reason for the Pharisees to make this statement. They made this statement to reinforce the negative volition of the audience. Since the Pharisees cannot deny the validity of the miracles, all they can do is to explain them away. (Never once do the scribes, priests or Pharisees deny the validity of the Lord’s miracles).
‘Beelzebul’ is a title of derision for Satan. It means the ‘prince or god of dung.’ Satan is called prince since he is in charge of all demons. So, the Pharisees, in order to deride Jesus Christ and at the same time connect him with Satan, assign this name to him.
Matthew 12:25
εἰδὼς δὲ τὰς ἐνθυµήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Πᾶσα βασιλεία µερισθεῖσα καθí ἑαυτῆς ἐρηµοῦται, καὶ πᾶσα πόλις ἢ οἰκία µερισθεῖσα καθí ἑαυτῆς οὐ σταθήσεται
And Jesus knowing their thoughts [omniscience] said to them, any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined. And any city or house divided against itself will not stand [an axiom and the prediction of the 5th cycle of discipline coming upon Judea].
During His three-year ministry, Jesus used many different methods when he answered the religious crowd. He used sarcasm, parables, logic and rhetorical questions. If one is going to use logic, he must begin with a premise. His premise is axiomatic. There was an axiom then and it is still true today. This axiom was true of a family, of a city and of a nation. With this premise, the Lord begins to use inescapable logic. His logic is developed in verses 26-28. He uses a debater’s technique in that He assumes for the moment that the supposition of the Pharisees is correct.
Matthew 12:26
καὶ εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει, ἐφí ἑαυτὸν ἐµερίσθη· πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ;
Consequently, if Satan casts out Satan [assumed to be true], he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand?
If Jesus were an agent of Satan as the pharisees allege, and at the same time casting out Satan’s demons, that would be tantamount to violating the axiom just mentioned. Jesus Christ demonstrates that their supposition is ludicrous. Why would Satan be casting out his own demons. Satan is using demon possession in an attempt to hinder the Lord’s ministry. Satan would not be casting out his own agents!
Matthew 12:27
καὶ εἰ ἐγὼ ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιµόνια, οἱ υἱοὶ ὑµῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσιν; διὰ τοῦτο αὐτοὶ κριταὶ ἔσονται ὑµῶν
Furthermore, if I cast out demons by Beelzebul [and you assume I do], by whom do your sons [the prophets, the sons of Israel] cast them out [historical present]? Consequently, they [the prophets] will be your judges.
The Pharisees have already contended and taught and even put in writing that these prophetic miracles had been accomplished by the power of God. Why would the Lord’s be any different?
Satan as the ruler of the world operates through two agencies namely religious mankind and demons. The Pharisees who are working for Satan say that Jesus is working for Satan. This is a case of Repression and Projection or just plain lying.
Scripture relates idol worship to the actual worship of demons (Leviticus 17:7; Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37) so it should not be surprising that involvement with idolatry could lead to demon possession. In summary, the worship of demons in the Old Testament would imply a lot of demon possession.
Matthew 12:28
εἰ δὲ ἐν πνεύµατι θεοῦ ἐγὼ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιµόνια, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφí ὑµᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ
But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God and I do [an actual 1st class condition], then the Kingdom of God has come to you [since the future king is with you].
In all of the prophets of the past, especially in Isaiah, it was declared that the servant of Jehovah [Isaiah 40; 42; 49; 50; 51] accomplishes his miracles in the power of the Spirit. So, since He accomplishes them in the power of the Spirit this was the sign of His coming, and so the kingdom is here, the Messianic kingdom and the fulfilment of the Davidic covenant. 2 Samuel 7:16, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.”
Then, Jesus relates a parable.
Matthew 12:29
ἢ πῶς δύναταί τις εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἁρπάσαι, ἐὰν µὴ πρῶτον δήσῃ τὸν ἰσχυρόν; καὶ τότε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει
Or else, how can one enter into a strong man's house [a prepared person] and spoil his goods, unless first he binds the strong one, and then he will plunder his house.
The strong man’s house is the devil’s world. Satan was prepared for the 1st Advent through religion and demon possession. So, when Jesus Christ entered Satan’s domain, He had to expose religion for what it was and is, also had to remove demon possession. This was Jesus Christ binding the strong one, Satan. By going to the cross, Jesus would plunder Satan’s domain by His strategic defeat of Satan.
Matthew 12:30
ὁ µὴ ὢν µετí ἐµοῦ κατí ἐµοῦ ἐστιν, καὶ ὁ µὴ συνάγων µετí ἐµοῦ σκορπίζει
He [any religious leader of Israel] who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me [through evangelism] scatters [the Pharisees are helping to blind the minds of the Jewish unbelievers through their system of works].
This is a description of the Pharisees who are Satan’s human emissaries. Satan who is the ruler of the world operates through two agencies namely through angels, known as demons and through certain kinds of people, and in this case, religious unbelievers. The religious Pharisees are actually working for the devil and his demons.
Matthew 12:31
∆ιὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑµῖν, πᾶσα ἁµαρτία καὶ βλασφηµία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἡ δὲ τοῦ πνεύµατος βλασφηµία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται
Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven them with reference to men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven [which is tantamount to rejecting Jesus Christ as savior].
Anytime a person rejects Christ, he maligns the Holy Spirit, his convincing ministry (John 16:8-11; Genesis 6:3). The Pharisees cannot deny the miracles, but they do reject the author of the miracles. The Spirit says that the gospel is true, but the Pharisees say it is not. In effect they are calling the Spirit a liar which is tantamount to blaspheming the Spirit. In the Church Age the nomenclature is different for in Acts 7:51, it is called resisting the Holy Spirit. Both resisting and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit are rejection of Christ as Savior.
John 16:8-11: “And when that one [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convince the world [the unbelievers] of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; (10) concerning righteousness, because I go to My Father [with perfect righteousness; So the unbeliever will need perfect righteousness as well.] and you will no longer see Me; (11) concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged [So, if the unbeliever also rejects God’s plan, he will also be judged].”
Genesis 6:3: Then the Lord [God the Father] said, "My Spirit [the Holy Spirit] shall not always plead the cause of God in man [to convince man regarding sin, righteousness and judgment in order that the unbeliever might understand the need for salvation: the same concept of Common Grace is found in John 16:8-11] for he is mortal [flesh]; nevertheless, his days shall be one hundred and twenty years [the warning period before judgment].
Acts 7:51, “You men who are stiff-necked [at God Consciousness] and uncircumcised in heart [did not have spiritual circumcision because they rejected Christ at gospel hearing] and with your ears you are always resisting the Holy Spirit [at Common Grace and at the Father’s call], you are doing just as your fathers did [the unbelieving Jews of the past who persecuted and killed the prophets as per Acts 7:52]].”
Matthew 12:32
καὶ ὃς ἐὰν εἴπῃ λόγον κατὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ· ὃς δí ἂν εἴπῃ κατὰ τοῦ πνεύµατος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ οὔτε ἐν τούτῳ τῷ αἰῶνι οὔτε ἐν τῷ µέλλοντι
And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him [for example Saul of Tarsus], but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit [rejects the gospel at Common Grace], it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age [of Israel] nor in the age to come [the Church Age].
Saul of Tarsus probably spoke against Jesus more than any man that ever lived but when he heard the gospel under crisis evangelism, he believed in Christ, and his pre-salvation sins were all forgiven.
Matthew 12:33
Ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον καλὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ καλόν, ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον σαπρὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ σαπρόν· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ δένδρον γινώσκεται.
Either make [recognize] the tree [as] good and its fruit [as] good [the ministry of Christ namely his miracles and message], or else make [recognize] the tree [as] corrupt and its fruit [as] corrupt for the tree is known by its fruit.
The tree is the Lord Jesus Christ. Make the tree good: recognize me for what I am. I have performed these miracles, I have cast out demons, I have declared the gospel, recognize me as the absolute good and believe in me.
If one takes good fruit from a tree, then he must recognize the tree as good. Christ wants the Pharisees to understand where they stand. To say the ministry of Jesus is corrupt (his fruit is corrupt) is to say that he is working in the power of Satan. Good fruit indicates a good tree, and the Pharisees must recognize Jesus for what He is through His production; “or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.” In other words, he lays it on the line: I am the tree, either you accept me or reject me, and He points out to them where they are at that point. They have said that the fruit is corrupt by saying that He performs His miracles in the power of Satan and that He casts out demons in the power of Beelzebul. The Pharisees need to understand their absurd position before they can realize the need to change their minds and believe in Him for their salvation.
Matthew 12:34
γεννήµατα ἐχιδνῶν, πῶς δύνασθε ἀγαθὰ λαλεῖν πονηροὶ ὄντες; ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ περισσεύµατος τῆς καρδίας τὸ στόµα λαλεῖ
Offspring of vipers! How can you, being evil [religion is evil], speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Jesus Christ now calls these religious leaders the same as John the Baptist did namely religious vipers. The viper was the most common poisonous snake in Palestine. Every time they open their mouths, they put forth poison, every time the Pharisees speak, out comes poisonous legalism.
Parable:
Matthew 12:35
ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει ἀγαθά, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει πονηρά.
A good man [Jesus] out of the good treasure [in his soul] brings out good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings out evil things.
Jesus is the good man. Notice that doctrine is called intrinsically good treasure, because doctrine is the most valuable thing in the world: “and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” The most valuable thing to the religious unbeliever is evil. That is, his treasure. Human viewpoint is his treasure, salvation by works is his treasure, and therefore he brings forth evil things. By this parable He is saying very simply: You are the ones working for Satan.
Matthew 12:36
λέγω δὲ ὑµῖν ὅτι πᾶν ῥῆµα ἀργὸν ὃ λαλήσουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποδώσουσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγον ἐν ἡµέρᾳ κρίσεως·
But I say to you that every idle word [any statement of salvation by works], whatever men may speak, they shall give account of it [The religious leaders believed and communicated salvation by works, a double indictment] in the day of judgment [a reference to the Great White Throne Judgment].
An idle word is any statement of salvation by works. Any time that someone maligns the Holy Spirit by rejecting the gospel, any system of legalism, any system of religionism, this is the idle word. This is: Out of the evil treasury they bring forth evil things. These Pharisees “shall give an account in the day of judgement.” Why? What is going to be judged in the day of judgement? Good works manufactured from the sin nature. Who says you can be saved by good works? The Pharisees here and, of course, any system of religion. These Pharisees will have to give an account in the Day of Judgment. Good manufactured from the sin nature will be the basis of their indictment at the Great White Throne Judgment. The Pharisees say that one can be saved by good works from the area of strength of the sin nature. They are not only going to be indicted on the basis of their good works as a substitute for the work of the cross but also for teaching the same. This is why the Pharisees are called twice the sons of hell. They get a double condemnation at the Last Judgment.
Matthew 12:37-38
ἐκ γὰρ τῶν λόγων σου δικαιωθήσῃ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου καταδικασθήσῃ. (38) Τότε ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ τινες τῶν γραµµατέων καὶ Φαρισαίων λέγοντες, ∆ιδάσκαλε, θέλοµεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σηµεῖον ἰδεῖν.
For by your words [faith alone in Christ alone] you shall be justified [declared righteous and qualified to go to heaven], and by your words [salvation by works] you shall be condemned [to the Lake of Fire]. (38) Then, certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Teacher [as unbelievers, they call Him ‘teacher’], we want to see a sign [another miracle] from you [wanting another sign is just a way of expressing negative volition toward the gospel].
Miraculous and other Signs:
1. Virgin conception followed by a virgin birth. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22, 23).
Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you all [the Jewish people] a miraculous sign: Behold, a virgin will be pregnant and will bear a son, and she [Mary will recognize that Jesus is the God-Man based on what Gabriel had told her in Luke 1:35, and so she will be the first to use this title] will call His person Immanuel [a title].”
Matthew 1:22, 23, “Now this whole matter occurred in order that what was communicated by the Lord through the prophet [Isaiah 7:14] might be fulfilled saying, “Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant [literally in the Greek: “she will have in the womb”] and she shall give birth to a son and they [Jewish believers] shall call his name Immanuel” which is translated “God with us.”
2. He would be born in Bethlehem, Judah. (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:5, 6)
Matthew 2:5, 6 “They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for in this way, it has been written by the prophet: (6) And you Bethlehem, Land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah for out of you shall come forth a ruler [the Messiah] who will shepherd my people Israel.” [Micah 5:2]
3.The Guiding Star. (Matthew 2:2)
We must assume that at some stage in their history they had been told (presumably by Daniel, having been given a prophecy regarding this matter) of a particular star that would appear at the time of the birth of the Messiah. When their astronomers informed them of this sign that the king had been born, they set out for Jerusalem. It is possible that the entire fraternity came along. Matthew 2:2, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw [calculated that this was] His star in the east [in the land of the ancient Medes] and have come to worship Him.”
4. David’s throne through the Lord Jesus Christ will be forever. (2 Samuel 7:16)
The Jews were given many ways of identifying the Messiah. Two ways pertinent to this passage are as follows: He would be in the royal line of David, and He would come into this world by means of a virgin pregnancy and birth. Although David and Bathsheba had four sons, only the lines of two sons survived. Joseph was in the line of Solomon, and Mary was in the line of Nathan. Thus, their marriage brought the two existing royal lines of David together. The Jews should have realized that this royal marriage could easily have been the marriage in which the humanity of Christ would be born.
2 Samuel 7:16, “Your throne and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever [through the Lord Jesus Christ].”
5. Jesus wrapped in death cloth. (Luke 2:7)
Luke 2:7, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in death-cloths [cloth used for burial] and laid Him in a manger [Isaiah 1:3], because there was no room for them in the inn [due to the Feast of Hanukkah and the census].”
6. Jesus placed in a feeding trough. (Isaiah 1:3; Luke 2:7 above)
Isaiah 1:3, “The ox knows its master, the ass its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”
7. Cured leprosy and many other miracles including the casting out of demons. (Isaiah 35:5, 6; Matthew 11:4, 5)
Isaiah 35:5-6a, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”
Matthew 11:4, 5, “Jesus answered and said to them [John’s disciples], “Go and report to John what you hear [the Lord’s commands regarding the miracles] and see [the results of his commands]: (5). The blind, receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up [resuscitated], and the poor have the gospel preached to them [the poor get what they need the most].
8. He will proclaim the good news to the poor. (Isaiah 61:1a; Matthew 11:5)
Isaiah 61:1a, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”
Matthew 11:5, "The blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up [resuscitated], and the poor have the gospel preached to them [the poor get what they need the most]."
9. Finally, the sign of Jonah. (Jonah 1:17; Matthew 12:39, 40)
Jonah 1:17, “Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Matthew 12:39
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ µοιχαλὶς σηµεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ, καὶ σηµεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ µὴ τὸ σηµεῖον Ἰωνᾶ τοῦ προφήτου.
But He answered and said to them, an evil and adulterous generation [a reference to spiritual adultery] seeks after a sign, and there shall be no sign given to it [this adulterous generation] except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Matthew 12:40
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἦν Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους τρεῖς ἡµέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας, οὕτως ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς τρεῖς ἡµέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so the Son of Man shall be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Every Pharisee believed in Sheol (Hades) which is the heart of the earth. Every Pharisee thought that if he was lucky, and if he performed enough good deeds, he would go to Sheol and be seated next to Abraham in a position of honor. Now, Jesus is saying He will be three days and three nights in Sheol. After which He will come back to be resurrected. These same Pharisees will all be alive within a year and a half when Jesus comes out of the grave. The sign that they are going to get is resurrection.
Matthew 12:41
ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει µετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν· ὅτι µετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγµα Ἰωνᾶ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment against this generation, and shall condemn it, because they changed their thinking [about Christ and believed in Him] at the proclaiming of Jonah and behold One [The Lord Jesus Christ] greater than Jonah is here.
Nineveh, the oldest and most-populous city of the ancient Assyrian empire, situated on the east bank of the Tigris River. In circa 760 BC, the Lord commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, Assyria since nearly everyone was positive at God-consciousness, they would therefore respond to the gospel message and to Jonah’s teaching and so lasted nearly another 150 years. Jonah 1:1, 2, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: (2) Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” However, Jonah who despised the Assyrians boarded a ship headed for Tarshish, Spain to get as far away from Nineveh. A severe storm occurred and Jonah had to be thrown overboard into the sea to save the ship; then a large fish swallowed him and eventually vomited him up on the shore of the east coast of the Med.
Jonah was a type, and Jesus was the antitype. Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of a great fish; Jesus was three days and nights in the heart of the earth. After three days and nights, Jonah came- out of the fish; after three days and nights Jesus came-out of the tomb.
When Jonah went to Nineveh there was a great revival and thousands and thousands of Assyrians believed in Christ as their saviour, and they are going to stand in resurrection bodies and live with God forever, whereas these self-righteous, religious Jews are going to spend eternity in the lake of fire. The sign will be complete, for here on the one hand are resurrected Assyrians who responded to the grace of God and the gospel, and on the other hand you Pharisees who in your self-righteousness and your human good have rejected Christ and blasphemed against the Holy Spirit. Apparently, the Lord will use the example of the Assyrians at the Great White Throne judgment in His case against the Jewish unbelievers. He will use a group of people more despised by the Jews than any people who have ever lived namely the Assyrians in resurrection bodies.
Jonah 3:4-8, “Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he shouted loudly and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown. (5) Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. (6) When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. (7) He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. (8) But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly [believe in Jesus Christ] that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.”
Matthew 12:42
βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει µετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτήν· ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολοµῶνος, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Σολοµῶνος ὧδε
The queen of the south [Sheba, southwestern Arabia; possibly Yemen] shall rise-up in the Judgment against this generation, and shall condemn it, for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth [approximately 1,366 miles through the desert]to hear the wisdom of Solomon, [the gospel] and behold One greater than Solomon is here.
Not only did the Jews despise the Assyrians, but also the Arabs. This would include the Arabic Queen of Sheba who made a long journey from southern Arabia to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, she not only heard the gospel to which she responded, but also learned many things from the wisdom of Solomon. Her testimony will also bring judgment against that generation of Jews for she travelled a long way to hear Solomon whereas the Jews will not listen to the Lord who is in their presence. This testimony will apparently be used by the Lord at the Great White Throne Judgment.
1 Kings 10:1-10, “When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed. 6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.” 10 And she gave the king 120 talents [one talent equals 75 pounds; by todays price this would be approximately 260,000,000 million dollars] of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices [apparently the spice was worth more than the gold] brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
Matthew 12:43
Ὅταν δὲ τὸ ἀκάθαρτον πνεῦµα ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, διέρχεται διí ἀνύδρων τόπων ζητοῦν ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκει.
When the unclean spirit [demon] has gone out of a man, he [ an illustration of all formerly demon possessed Pharisees] walks through dry places [he stays with religion] seeking refreshment [through religion] and finds none [there is no refreshment in religion].
Apparently, some of the Pharisees had been demon possessed but the Lord had removed the demons from all the demon possessed Pharisees so that they could use their volition and believe in Him. Did they exercise their volition through faith and believe in Christ? No, they “walk through dry places,” they stuck with religion. And yet, in their religion they are seeking refreshment and found none. There is no refreshment in religion. Religion is salvation by works or legalism. There is no refreshment in legalism, there is no refreshment in hypocrisy, in salvation or spirituality by works, there is no refreshment in self-righteousness.
Matthew 12:44
τότε λέγει, Εἰς τὸν οἶκόν µου ἐπιστρέψω ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον· καὶ ἐλθὸν εὑρίσκει σχολάζοντα σεσαρωµένον καὶ κεκοσµηµένον
Then he [the Pharisee] said, I will return into my house [the temple representing the principle of legalism] from where I came out. And when he has come [back to the Temple], he finds it empty [of truth], swept [clean of truth], and decorated [with a system of self-righteousness].
Matthew 23:38, “Behold, your house [temple, constructed by Herod the Great] is being left to you desolate [the witness was completely obscured during the 1st Advent and so the temple was destroyed in August of 70 AD]!
The purpose of the temple was to be a witness of Christ, “the tabernacle of witness” (Acts 7:44). Everything in the temple was to testify, teach something about Christ, but since Jesus Christ was not accepted as Savior, his thinking was not in their stream of consciousness. In their souls was only religious thinking; they had accepted the ritual but had rejected the reality. So, the temple no longer taught about Christ, but was a center for teaching religion.
Matthew 12:45
τότε πορεύεται καὶ παραλαµβάνει µεθí ἑαυτοῦ ἑπτὰ ἕτερα πνεύµατα πονηρότερα ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ εἰσελθόντα κατοικεῖ ἐκεῖ· καὶ γίνεται τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων. οὕτως ἔσται καὶ τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ πονηρᾷ
Then, he goes and takes with him seven other spirits [demons] more evil than himself [than the evil Pharisee], and they enter in and live there [in the body of the Pharisee]. And the last state of that man [possessed by seven demons] is worse than the first [possessed by one demon]. Even so it also shall be to this evil generation [that was the case for many in that generation].
These Pharisees were given a period of grace, but since they did not take advantage of this opportunity, their latter state was much worse than their previous state. Though these Jews had an opportunity to seek the Lord, they didn’t. Instead, they went back to legalism as taught in the temple and undoubtedly became involved in Satan’s communion table which involvement led to demon possession. 1 Corinthians 10:21, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord [the Communion table requires fellowship] and the cup of demons [demon influence: living in the cosmic system]; therefore, you cannot partake of the table of the Lord [the Eucharist for this worship requires the spiritual life] and the table of demons [demon influence and possession].
Matthew 12:46-48
Ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος τοῖς ὄχλοις ἰδοὺ ἡ µήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ εἱστήκεισαν ἔξω ζητοῦντες αὐτῷ λαλῆσαι (47) [εἶπεν δέ τις αὐτῷ, Ἰδοὺ ἡ µήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἔξω ἑστήκασιν ζητοῦντές σοι λαλῆσαι. (48) ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν τῷ λέγοντι αὐτῷ, Τίς ἐστιν ἡ µήτηρ µου, καὶ τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ ἀδελφοί µου;]
But while He yet talked with the people, behold, His mother and His brothers [four half-brothers] stood outside, desiring to speak with Him. (47) Then, one said to Him, Behold, Your mother and Your brothers stand outside, desiring to speak with You. (48) And He answered and said to him who told Him, who is My mother? And who are My brothers?
The Lord’s half brothers and sisters were all unbelievers at that time. So, as a family with the exception of Mary there was no eternal relationship. So, what was the Lord’s point in what he had just said? Family-relationships must be set aside for eternal relationships.
Matthew 12:49
καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς µαθητὰς αὐτοῦ εἶπεν, Ἰδοὺ ἡ µήτηρ µου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί µου·
And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples [all 12 were saved including Judas Iscariot] and said, Behold, My mother and My brothers [His true family were made up of believers with whom He had an eternal relationship]!
Jesus compared His family with His apostles namely unbelievers with believers. The phrase, “My mother and My brothers” is an inclusive phrase for family. Even though Mary was a believer, the family as a whole were unbelievers at that time. However, since all the apostles to Israel were believers including Judas Iscariot, He called them His family. If Jesus’s brothers and sisters had been believers at that time, the Lord could not have said what he said!
Matthew 12:50
ὅστις γὰρ ἂν ποιήσῃ τὸ θέληµα τοῦ πατρός µου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς αὐτός µου ἀδελφὸς καὶ ἀδελφὴ καὶ µήτηρ ἐστίν
For whoever shall do the will of My Father in Heaven [believe in Jesus Christ], the same is My brother and sister and mother.
John 6:40, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees [in his soul] the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
The Pharisees, the Sadducees and the scribes were born of aristocratic families and many members of the Sanhedrin. And Jesus is saying once again to the Pharisees that even though you are aristocrats, you cannot be a part of the eternal family of God unless you believe in Me.
