Matthew 12:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

NIV: If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

NASB: But if you had known what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, RATHER THAN SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

CSB: If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.

NLT: But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’

KJV: But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

NKJV: But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

Matthew has quoted Jesus referring to this Old Testament passage once before. In that case, the Pharisees were asking Jesus' disciples why He ate with tax collectors and sinners. Then, as here, Jesus referred to the distinction between mercy and sacrifice (Matthew 9:9–13). This citation comes from Hosea 6:6.

Again, Christ seeks to hold the Pharisees accountable for failing to do their job. They should have been providing spiritual care and leadership to the people of Israel. Jesus applies the quote from Hosea to their leadership. He insists their job is to show mercy to the people of God instead of weighing them down with burdensome rules and regulations that went far beyond a clear reading of God's requirements in the Law.

Jesus tells these Pharisees their accusation of lawbreaking against His disciples for plucking and eating grain on the Sabbath is more evidence they don't grasp God's will. They don't understand the heart of God for His people. They still hold religious rule-following, a wooden and thoughtless adherence to tradition and literalism, as a higher value than showing mercy to the people under their care.

Matthew 12:1–8 finds Jesus' hungry disciples breaking the heads off grain and eating as they walk through a field with Him on the way to the synagogue. Some Pharisees tell Jesus this is unlawful. In their interpretation, this is a violation of the command not to work on the Sabbath. Jesus counters the accusation with a series of questions, showing their manmade restriction cannot stand. Their legalistic, expanded view doesn't reflect God's intended meaning of the Sabbath. The Pharisees must learn that God desires mercy, not sacrifice. He declares Himself greater than the temple, and Lord of the Sabbath.

Matthew 12 features confrontations between the Pharisees and Jesus over several issues. Among these are working on the Sabbath, healing on the Sabbath, and the source of His power to cast out demons. Jesus counters each argument and rebukes the Pharisees sharply for their obstinate unbelief. He even notes that those who maliciously ascribe His miracles to demons are unforgivable. He warns them, and the rest of their current generation, about the judgment to come. Jesus calls the Pharisees a brood of vipers and rejects their demand for another miracle. All they'll be promised is the sign of Jonah. The Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days. Jesus also states that all who do His Father's will are His family.

Matthew 11 depicted Jesus preaching and teaching after sending out His chosen disciples in pairs in chapter 10. Chapter 12 immediately picks up with more confrontation with the Pharisees. Jesus responds to those criticisms and rebukes their evil hearts as the source of their evil words. In the following chapter, Matthew will shift His focus onto Jesus' parables.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.