Matthew 12 Questions


1. Read Matthew 12:1-2. What were the disciples doing that the Pharisees said was unlawful to do on the Sabbath? Why did they consider what the disciples did as unlawful?


2. Read Matthew 12:3-8. Why do you think Jesus made a reference to David taking the sacred bread from the Temple from 1 Samuel 21:1-9? How does this relate to the accusation that the Pharisees made?


3. What is Jesus referring to in Matthew 12:5? How did the Priests desecrate the Sabbath?


4. What do you think the Pharisee's response would be to the statement that something greater than the temple is here?


5. Why do you think Jesus includes in here the quote from Hosea 6:6 that He desired mercy, not sacrifice. If the Pharisees had followed this teaching, what would they not have done?


6. Why did Jesus claim to be the Lord of the Sabbath? Why is this true?


7. Read Matthew 12:9-14. From the grainfield, where did Jesus go? What question did they ask Jesus and why?


8. What was Jesus's response to the question? What example did Jesus use to answer the Jews?


9. According to Mark 3:4 & Luke 6:9 Jesus asked the Pharisees if is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it? What was the Pharisees response?


10. How did Jesus view healing? How did the Pharisees view healing?


11. What value did Jesus put on a person? How did He show that?


12. What was the Pharisees response to Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath? (see also Luke 6:11)
Why do you think the Pharisees acted so viciously?


13. How do you view the Sabbath Day? Do you ever struggle with what is ok to do on our day of rest? According to Scripture what is appropriate?


14. Read Matthew 12:15-17. What was Jesus response to the plots against His life?


15. Why do you think Jesus warned the people not to tell others about their healings?


16. What does Matthew 12:18-21 which is taken from Isaiah 42:1-4 tell us about the Messiah? Did Jesus fulfill all of the prophesies recorded in this section of scripture?


17. How many prophesies of the Messiah were fulfilled in Jesus?


18. Read Matthew 12:22-24. How had the demon affected the man?


19. What was the response of the people to the driving out of the demon and the man's healing?


20. How did the Pharisees explain Jesus' power?


21. Can Satan do these kinds of miracles?


22. Read Matthew 12:25-28. How did Jesus defend himself against the accusations - explanations of the Pharisees?


23. What did Jesus mean with Matthew 12:29? Who is the strong man? Who is the robber?


24. Read Matthew 12:30-32. What are the only 2 possible relationships with God?


25. What kind of things can be forgiven? What cannot be forgiven?


26. How can one blaspheme or speak against the Holy Spirt?


27. Read Matthew 12:33-37. What does Jesus mean when He says to make a tree good or bad?


28. Who else called the Pharisees a "brood of vipers"? (Matthew 3:7)


29. Why did Jesus call the Pharisees a brood of vipers?


30. How do we fill our heart (the seat of thought and will, that which represents the character of a person) with good things so that good will come out? Philippians 4:8


31. How can we find, discover, identify any evil thoughts or ideas that we might have in our heart?


32. How do we get rid of evil thoughts or ideas?


33. What do we have to give an account for on the day of judgment?


34. What do you consider to be careless words?


35. What kind of words will condemn a person? What kind of words will acquit a person - set them free on the day of judgment?



In light of these sobering verses, what should be our prayer? (Psalm 141:3)

36. Read Matthew 12:38-42. Why did the Pharisees and teachers of the law want to see a miraculous sign from Jesus?


37. Are there people today that are looking for miraculous signs - to prove that the Bible is true, that Jesus is who He said He is, etc.? Is a sign necessary?


38. What was the "sign" that Jesus said that He would give them? How was this fulfilled?


39. What kind of claims did Jesus make about Himself? See also Matthew 12:6, 8


40. What do these verses suggest about the judgment to come?


41. Read Matthew 12:43-45. Is only moral transformation sufficient?


42. Read Matthew 12:46-50. How does verse 46 show that the teaching that Mary, the mother of Jesus, remained a virgin to be false?


43. What is the criteria for becoming a "relative" of Jesus?


44. If you had to summarize what Matthew teaches in this chapter what would the main points be?


45. How do these form a cohesive argument?