Matthew 12:23

23 The crowds were all amazed and said, "Can this man be 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 The nations will have hope because of him."
22 Then some people brought Jesus a man possessed by a demon. The demon made the man blind and unable to talk. Jesus cured him so that he could talk and see.
23 The crowds were all amazed and said, "Can this man be the Son of David?"
24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man can force demons out of people only with the help of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons."
25 Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. And every city or household divided against itself will not last.
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