Matthew 12:23

23 And all the people wondered, and said, Whether this 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 and heathen men shall hope in his name.
22 Then a man blind and dumb, that had a fiend [having a devil], was brought to him; and he healed him, so that he spake, and saw.
23 And all the people wondered, and said, Whether this be the son of David?
24 But the Pharisees heard, and said, He this casteth not out fiends, but in Beelzebub, prince of fiends [+This casteth not our fiends, no but in Beelzebub, prince of devils].
25 And Jesus, witting their thoughts, said to them, Each kingdom parted against itself, shall be desolated [shall be desolate], and each city, or house, parted against itself, shall not stand.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.