JESUS and the Answer (Matt.12)

It was on a Sabbath, and Jesus and His disciples were picking the heads of grain in order to eat.  Some Pharisees saw this and accused them of working on the Sabbath.  But doing this sort of thing was actually permitted (Deut.23:25);  it is doing "regular" work that is not permitted on the Sabbath (Ex.20:10).  The Pharisees had added many, many of their own laws to what God had given them.  Wow!  Here is God in the flesh - right in front of them - and they are accusing Him of breaking HIS Law - when actually Jesus was only breaking the man-made laws, which were an attempt to be "more religious".  This is a classic move on the part of mankind. They prefer their own tedious efforts, thinking that this could "earn their way to heaven"???  This is impossible to do.  We need Jesus!!!  The answer was standing right in front of them, and Jesus kept pointing this out to them...

(Matthew 12:3-8)  But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, 4 how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? 5 Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? 6 But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.  7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.  8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Pharisees were following Jesus around, trying to catch Him doing something wrong.  After Jesus had healed a few people, and after the Pharisees had tried to accuse Jesus, and after Jesus had challenged them with truth - some of the scribes and Pharisees approached Jesus saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You."  Jesus didn't comply, but He did give them some very valuable information...

(Matthew 12:39-42)  But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here...”

The Pharisees should have recognized that the kingdom of God was at hand.  How easily mankind gets distracted.  How easily mankind thinks that they know better.  Like, people thinking that the mother Mary has some sort of power to help save them.  What we see next in this chapter should clear that up...

(Matthew 12:46-50)  While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 Someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”  48 But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

Even though they grew up with Jesus, His own (half) brothers were not believers until after Jesus rose from the dead.  Here, the brothers probably wanted to talk some sense into Jesus because they were probably angry at Jesus for stirring up so much "trouble" (perhaps they felt it was an embarrassment to them and the family) and probably thought Jesus would sooner listen to His mother so they brought her along with them... Well, that didn't work, did it!  Mary has no power.  She was not and is not any sort of deity - she is human.  This was to provide the human-entity for Jesus to be fully man while still being fully God.  Mary was a believer!  Like any other "saint" - "believer" - "Christian" - "child of God" - "brother and sister in Christ"...

People can keep inventing their own religions, or changing or adding to what God intended, but that is futility.

There is only one way to heaven and to God, and that is through God, Himself!  THE HOLY TRINITY: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - working together!!!  One God - providing the one way to heaven - providing a relationship that is closer than any kind of earthly relationship we could ever have!!!  The following verses actually sums up Matthew 12 quite n nicely...

(Romans 8:26-34)  In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.