Mt 12:12

Chapter 12

12

Is a human being less deserving of help than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Commentaries

12:1 - 12:15

Jesus and the Sabbath.

In chapter 12, Matthew describes the Pharisees’ increasing hostility toward Jesus. The debates that follow help clarify aspects of his mission: the Sabbath (1-21), the source of his miraculous power (22-37), and the demand for a sign to prove his mission (38-45). This passage shows two times when Jesus challenges the Sabbath law for the benefit of individuals: hunger (1-8) and illness (9-14). In both cases, the Pharisaic mindset placed the rules of the Sabbath above the needs of the sick and hungry.

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