Matthew 12:39   Jesus is reminding the Jews of their unfaithfulness to the Lord God. They wanted a sign because their fathers had killed the prophets. They were not willing to believe his miracles. They were not willing to consider the evidence from Scripture. Thus, they had committed spiritual adultery against Almighty God. Bible Reading: Leviticus…

Matthew 12:38   It is very important not to miss what is being asked for here. The Jewish leaders were well aware that Jesus had performed miracles. However, they were not asking for miracles specifically. They were asking for a sign. In other words, they wanted him to do something specifically for his own benefit. This…

Matthew 12:37   Our words are heard by others. Our words are heard by Almighty God. Our words can likely be heard by the devil and his minions. Our words can be head by angels if God permits it. Thus, our words are very important. They reflect our heart, our thoughts, and our will. It is…

Matthew 12:36   We have all heard the old adage, if you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all. Well, this verse gives us good reason to heed that advice. If you have nothing good to say, be sure you’ll hear what you did say again. This verse lets us know that what we…

Matthew 12:35   Though this verse does negate the fact that we are all sinners, it does show that it is possible to have a life that is ruled by good things. Though our hearts are by their nature wicked, with faith in God, we may store up (‘treasure’) good things there. This is what the…

Matthew 12:34   Jesus speaks against the entire generation here not because it was the only evil generation. We are all evil without the mercy and grace of God given to us through salvation. Our hearts are wicked and are in need of his saving grace. So, these men that Jesus was talking to were not…

Matthew 12:33   Jesus is using a simple illustration to drive his point home. Trees bear a certain kind of fruit. You can’t get oranges from apple trees, or apples from orange trees. The same applies to the Truth. You have to either accept it for what it is, or reject it completely. Thus, with Almighty…

Matthew 12:32   A great example of what Jesus is here explaining is the Apostle Paul. Paul, when he was Saul, did much sin against Jesus Christ. He thought of Christ in no greater light than did the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day. Thus, he sinned against the Son of man. However, when Jesus appeared to…

Matthew 12:31   To understand the implications here, one must understand the true nature of sin. Sin is not simply that which is morally incorrect. It is not simply that which is taboo or against cultural mores. It is not simply unethical and poor choices. Sin is an affront to God Almighty. The definition of sin…

Matthew 12:30   The ‘all or nothing’ principle of Christ is not popular. However, it is extremely honest. Jesus wants people to know the rules. He makes the standard clear so that nobody will be misled. He realizes, whether we do or not, that our very lives are at stake in this. Those who serve him must serve…