Matthew 12:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

NIV: How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.'

NASB: How much more valuable then is a person than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.'

CSB: A person is worth far more than a sheep; so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath."

NLT: And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.'

KJV: How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

NKJV: Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

The Pharisees are hoping to trap Jesus: to catch Him healing on the Sabbath and thus breaking their interpretation of the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8–10). The problem is their trap supposes their interpretation of "work" carries the same level of authority as the law of Moses. Jesus is showing it does not (Matthew 12:9–11).

Presented with a man who has a withered hand, Jesus has asked a question: Who would not lift one of their sheep from a pit if it fell in on the Sabbath? In other words, who would allow their sheep to suffer instead of doing the work of pulling it out of the pit, even on the Sabbath? Jesus' question assumes that most everyone would choose to show mercy to the sheep instead of woodenly following the letter of the law, rather than the intent of it.

Now Jesus brings that point home: How much more valuable is a man than a sheep? That's why, He concludes, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. The good in this case is showing mercy to a person if it is in your power to do so. Jesus will demonstrate in the following verses that this is within His power.

Jesus puts the question a little differently in Mark's version of the story: "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil?" That question implies that choosing not to do good, in the sense of showing mercy on the Sabbath, might be considered evil (James 4:17).

It's important to understand that Jesus is not teaching that observing the Sabbath is wrong. Nor is He suggesting that the literal meaning of any law is unimportant. The Sabbath was one of God's great gifts to Israel. However, the requirement not to work was intended to bring God's people rest—not to add to their burden. Jesus is objecting to how the Pharisees have twisted God's commands. Again, He shows that they don't understand that God desires mercy, not sacrifice (Matthew 12:7).

Matthew 12:9–14 finds Jesus and His disciples in the synagogue, encountering a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees once again attempt to trick Jesus. They ask if it's lawful to heal on the Sabbath, since healing is "work," and the law supposedly forbids it. Jesus asks if they would leave one of their sheep in a pit if it fell in on the Sabbath, emphasizing that people are more valuable than sheep. Jesus insists that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath and fully heals the man's hand in an instant. The Pharisees walk out and deepen their conspiracy to destroy Jesus.

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.

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.