Tool Beta
The Ancient World Behind the Text
Pick a passage anywhere in the New Testament. See the customs and ideas a first reader knew without being told.
Matthew 12:22-50, Beelzebul, the strong man, Jonah and his true family
When Jesus heals a blind and mute man, the crowds wonder if he is the Son of David and the Pharisees say he works by Beelzebul. Jesus answers with the strong man, refuses a sign except Jonah's, and names his true family.
Matthew 12:22-50, in every translation this tool compares.
After Jesus heals a blind and mute man, the crowd wonders if he is David's promised son, while the Pharisees claim he gets his power from the ruler of demons. Jesus replies that Satan would not fight himself, and that freeing captives shows their strong master has already been tied up. He warns that slander against the Spirit's work cannot be forgiven, refuses any sign except Jonah's, and says pagans who repented will condemn his generation. When his family comes looking for him, he names those who do God's will as his true relatives.
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/unclean-spirits\/","n":"Unclean spirits and exorcists","s":"Spirits that defiled and harmed people. Exorcists of the day used names, oaths, spells and foul smells to drive them out. Jesus gave an order.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/the-satan\/","n":"The satan, the tempter","s":"The accuser, tempter and deceiver of Jewish belief, seen as the power behind human and political evil. In the Gospels he tests Jesus and is the strong man Jesus binds, and John calls him the ruler of this world.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/blasphemy\/","n":"Blasphemy","s":"Speech that dishonored God, including claiming what belonged to God alone. Under the law the penalty was death.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/family-first\/","n":"The family's name","s":"Families lived, worked and stood together. Walking out of the family business or putting kin second was a public offense.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/messiah\/","n":"The Messiah, son of David","s":"The anointed king most Jews expected from David's line, who would free Israel from its enemies. Nobody expected him to be killed.","r":""}
Keener points out that David was the only exorcist in the Old Testament, when he played for Saul, which fits the crowd's question. Your sons means members of your own group, who also drove out spirits (Keener). Repentant Gentiles testifying against the unrepentant at the judgment was a known theme, and the desert was a familiar haunt of demons. The name Beelzebul is read as master of the house (Keener), lord of the flies (Wright) or, from the Ugaritic title, prince Baal of the underworld (Heiser), and Heiser grants that scholars disagree on its origin; Wilkins adds a link with Baal Shamayim, whose worship Antiochus IV brought into the temple, and notes that the Testament of Solomon calls Beelzeboul ruler of the demons. On three days and three nights, the rabbis counted part of a day and night as the whole (Wilkins).
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Matthew 10:24-25, 12:22-23, 12:24, 12:27, 12:29, 12:38-41, 12:42 and 12:43-45
- NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Matthew 12:27, 12:29, 12:39-42 and 12:47-50
- N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, ch. 10, section (a) The Beelzebul Controversy
- N. T. Wright, Matthew for Everyone, Part One, Glossary, entry the satan
- Michael S. Heiser, Reversing Hermon, ch. 6, The Sin of the Watchers and the Ministry of Jesus, section The Gates of Hell
- Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm, ch. 40, Foe from the North, and its endnote on Beelzebul
- Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew, in Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, on Matthew 12:24 and 12:40
