What does Matthew 12:9 mean?
The Pharisees are eager to catch Jesus doing something unlawful so they can discredit Him. In the previous passage, they confronted Jesus about His disciples plucking and eating heads of grain as they walked through a field on the Sabbath. The Pharisees insisted this was work, harvesting, and a violation of the fourth of the Ten Commandments (Matthew 12:1–8).Jesus corrected them. Not only was their application of the command too restrictive and unreasonable, it proved they did not understand what God meant in saying that He desires mercy, not sacrifice. Legalists like the Pharisees did not care for the people of God in a merciful way. Even worse, they did not recognize that Jesus was the Messiah and, thus, Lord of the Sabbath.
It's unclear whether catching the disciples plucking grain in the field was a set-up or not. In other words, we're not sure if the Pharisees happened to notice the event, or if they were spying on Jesus' followers. What follows, when Jesus and His disciples reach the synagogue on the Sabbath, has every appearance of an arranged encounter. One way or another, these men are determined to catch Jesus in the act of breaking their interpretation of the Law of Moses.
Matthew 12:9–14 finds Jesus and His disciples in the synagogue, encountering a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees once again attempt to trick Jesus. They ask if it's lawful to heal on the Sabbath, since healing is "work," and the law supposedly forbids it. Jesus asks if they would leave one of their sheep in a pit if it fell in on the Sabbath, emphasizing that people are more valuable than sheep. Jesus insists that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath and fully heals the man's hand in an instant. The Pharisees walk out and deepen their conspiracy to destroy Jesus.
Matthew 12 features confrontations between the Pharisees and Jesus over several issues. Among these are working on the Sabbath, healing on the Sabbath, and the source of His power to cast out demons. Jesus counters each argument and rebukes the Pharisees sharply for their obstinate unbelief. He even notes that those who maliciously ascribe His miracles to demons are unforgivable. He warns them, and the rest of their current generation, about the judgment to come. Jesus calls the Pharisees a brood of vipers and rejects their demand for another miracle. All they'll be promised is the sign of Jonah. The Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days. Jesus also states that all who do His Father's will are His family.
