Matthew 12:23

23 And all the crowds were amazed and said, Is this [man] the Son of David?

Matthew 12:23 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 12:23

And all the people were amazed
At the cure; it was such an instance of divine power, and so glaring a proof, that the person who wrought it was more than a man, and must be the Messiah. This is to be understood of the greater part of the people, not of every individual, and of the common people only; for it had a different effect upon the Pharisees, as hereafter appears; but in these it not only produced admiration, but conviction, faith, and confession:

and said, is not this the son of David?
or the Messiah; for (dwd Nb) , "the son of David", is a character of the Messiah, well known among the Jews; (See Gill on Matthew 1:1) because he was promised to David, was to be raised up of his seed, and to spring from his loins. This question they put, not as doubting of it, but as inclining, at least, to believe it, if not as expressing their certainty of it: and is, as if they had said, who can this person be but the true Messiah, that has wrought such a miracle as this? for from his miracles they rightly concluded who he was; though the Jews since, in order to deprive Jesus of this true characteristic of the Messiah, deny that miracles are to be performed by him F14.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 Maimon. Hilch. Melacim, c. 11. sect. 3.

Matthew 12:23 In-Context

21 and on his name shall [the] nations hope.
22 Then was brought to him one possessed by a demon, blind and dumb, and he healed him, so that the dumb [man] spake and saw.
23 And all the crowds were amazed and said, Is this [man] the Son of David?
24 But the Pharisees, having heard [it], said, This [man] does not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub, prince of demons.
25 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not subsist.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.