Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 12].
"the Son of man" here Jesus involves the claim of Messiahship,
but as the Representative Man he affirms his solidarity with
mankind, "standing for the human interest" (Bruce) on this
subject.
12:10 {Is it lawful?} (\ei exestin\). The use of \ei\ in direct
questions is really elliptical and seems an imitation of the
Hebrew (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 916). See also Mt 19:3. It is
not translated in English.
12:12 {How much then is a man} (\pos•i oun diapherei anthr•pos\).
Another of Christ's pregnant questions that goes to the roots of
things, an _a fortiori_ argument. "By how much does a human being
differ from a sheep? That is the question which Christian
civilization has not even yet adequately answered" (Bruce). The
poor pettifogging Pharisees are left in the pit.
12:13 {Stretch forth thy hand} (\ekteinon sou t•n cheira\).
Probably the arm was not withered, though that is not certain.
But he did the impossible. "He stretched it forth," straight, I
hope, towards the Pharisees who were watching Jesus (Mr 3:2).
12:14 {Took counsel against him} (\sumboulion elabon kat'
autou\). An imitation of the Latin _concilium capere_ and found
in papyri of the second century A.D. (Deissmann, _Bible Studies_,
p. 238.) This incident marks a crisis in the hatred of the
Pharisees toward Jesus. They bolted out of the synagogue and
actually conspired with their hated rivals, the Herodians, how to
put Jesus to death (Mr 3:6; Mt 12:14; Lu 6:11). By "destroy"
(\apoles•sin\) they meant "kill."
12:15 {Perceiving} (\gnous\). Second aorist active participle of
\gin•sk•\. Jesus read their very thoughts. They were now plain to
any one who saw their angry countenances.
12:17 {That it might be fulfilled} (\hina pl•r•th•i\). The final
use of \hina\ and the sub-final just before (verse 16). The
passage quoted is Isa 42:1-4 "a very free reproduction of the
Hebrew with occasional side glances at the Septuagint" (Bruce),
possibly from an Aramaic collection of _Testimonia_ (McNeile).
Matthew applies the prophecy about Cyrus to Christ.
12:18 {My beloved} (\ho agap•tos mou\). This phrase reminds one
of Mt 3:17 (the Father's words at Christ's baptism).
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MT12.RWP.html (2 of 6) [28/08/2004 09:03:08 a.m.]