Matthew 12:31-50

12:31-32 | The Jews of Jesus’ day knew of two ages: the age in which they lived and the coming, promised age when the Messiah would rule His kingdom. (They did not anticipate the advent of the current “church age” occurring between the two.) If they attributed the messianic works of Jesus to Satan during their age, then their unbelief and blasphemy would prevent them from being saved in their time or being spiritually ready to enter the age to come, the kingdom.

12:34-37 | Whatever is in the heart eventually comes out of the mouth (15:18; Isa. 32:6). Abundance means “excess or overflow” and refers to the core nature a person that ultimately surfaces (Luke 6:45). Those in the crowd who attributed exorcisms to the power of Satan had corrupt hearts and therefore could not speak good things or say anything ultimately truthful (James 3:2-12).

12:38-40 | The Pharisees’ demand for a sign was evil because they had already witnessed enough miracles to authenticate Jesus’ diving authority (16:4; Mark 8:11-12; Luke 11:16; John 2:18; 1 Cor. 1:22).

12:41-42 | Jesus presents two examples of eager Gentile faith as counterpoints to the Pharisees’ stubbornness: the repentance of the wicked Ninevites and the queen of Sheba’s (of the South) long journey to hear the wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 11; Jonah 3-4). On judgment day, these Gentile “witnesses” would testify against the religious leaders, for Jesus – who is greater than either Jonah or Solomon – preached to them, and still they refused to listen.

12:43-45 | If people clean up their lives and do not fill them with God, they are left vulnerable to even greater evil than what they were originally exposed to (1 Pet. 5:8; 2 Pet. 2:20-22). True change replaces evil habits with good ones and unrighteousness with righteousness.

12:46-50 | Jesus’ seemingly harsh response to the arrival of His mother and half-siblings (Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21) contains this tough-love message: Christ’s followers reveal themselves to be members of Jesus’ eternal family by their faith in and obedience to the Father (James 2:14-17). Jesus’ primary concern was to fulfill His Father’s will.