The Meaning of Matthew 12:11 Explained

Matthew 12:11

KJV: And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

YLT: And he said to them, 'What man shall be of you, who shall have one sheep, and if this may fall on the sabbaths into a ditch, will not lay hold on it and raise it?

Darby: But he said to them, What man shall there be of you who has one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and raise it up?

ASV: And he said unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he said  unto them,  What  man  shall there be  among  you,  that  shall have  one  sheep,  and  if  it  fall  into  a pit  on the sabbath day,  will he  not  lay hold  on it,  and  lift [it] out? 

What does Matthew 12:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 12:1-14 - The Right Use Of The Sabbath
The Pharisees had introduced a large number of minute and absurd restrictions on Sabbath observance; so our Lord set Himself to recover the day of rest for the use of the people. He never hesitated, therefore, to work miracles of healing on that day, and so set at defiance the Pharisees and their evil amendments. He contended also that all ritual observance must take the secondary place, and that the primary concern must always be the deep and pressing claims of humanity. Thus it was perfectly legitimate for David to eat the showbread.
Even if a sheep should fall into a pit on the Sabbath, it would be lifted out by the most punctilious of ritualists. How absurd and illogical it was to prohibit deliverance to this man with his withered hand! Notice that this man's condition is symbolic of many who pose as good Christians, but do nothing. They have the power, but do not use it and it becomes atrophied. That power can be given back by Jesus. Dare to act and you will find yourself able to act. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 12

1  Jesus reproves the blindness of the Pharisees concerning the Sabbath,
3  by scripture,
9  by reason,
13  and by a miracle
22  He heals a man possessed that was blind and mute;
24  and confronting the absurd charge of casting out demons by Beelzebub,
32  he shows that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall never be forgiven
36  Account shall be made of idle words
38  He rebukes the unfaithful, who seek after a sign,
46  and shows who is his brother, sister, and mother

What do the individual words in Matthew 12:11 mean?

- And He said to them What will there be among you man who will have sheep one and if falls it on the Sabbaths into a pit not will he take hold of it will raise [it] up
δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Τίς ἔσται ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἕξει πρόβατον ἕν καὶ ἐὰν ἐμπέσῃ τοῦτο τοῖς σάββασιν εἰς βόθυνον οὐχὶ κρατήσει αὐτὸ ἐγερεῖ

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἔσται  will  there  be 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἄνθρωπος  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἕξει  will  have 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
πρόβατον  sheep 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: προβάτιον 
Sense: any four footed, tame animal accustomed to graze, small cattle (opp. to large cattle, horses, etc.), most commonly a sheep or a goat.
ἕν  one 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
ἐμπέσῃ  falls 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐμπίπτω  
Sense: to fall into.
τοῖς  on  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σάββασιν  Sabbaths 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Plural
Root: σάββατον  
Sense: the seventh day of each week which was a sacred festival on which the Israelites were required to abstain from all work.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
βόθυνον  a  pit 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: βόθρος 
Sense: a pit, ditch.
κρατήσει  will  he  take  hold  of 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κρατέω  
Sense: to have power, be powerful.
ἐγερεῖ  will  raise  [it]  up 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐγείρω  
Sense: to arouse, cause to rise.

What are the major concepts related to Matthew 12:11?

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