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Selected Verse: Matthew 12:12 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mt 12:12	Strong Concordance	How much [4214] then [3767] is a man [444] better than [1308] a sheep [4263]? Wherefore [5620] it is lawful [1832] to do [4160] well [2573] on the sabbath days [4521].
	King James	How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
How much then is a man better than a sheep?--Resistless appeal! "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast" (Pro 12:10), and would instinctively rescue it from death or suffering on the sabbath day; how much more his nobler fellow man! But the reasoning, as given in the other two Gospels, is singularly striking: "But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life or to destroy it?" (Luk 6:8-9), or as in Mark (Mar 3:4), "to kill?" He thus shuts them up to this startling alternative: "Not to do good, when it is in the power of our hand to do it, is to do evil; not to save life, when we can, is to kill"--and must the letter of the sabbath rest be kept at this expense? This unexpected thrust shut their mouths. By this great ethical principle our Lord, we see, held Himself bound, as man. But here we must turn to Mark, whose graphic details make the second Gospel so exceedingly precious. "When He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man" (Mar 3:5). This is one of the very few passages in the Gospel history which reveal our Lord's feelings. How holy this anger was appears from the "grief" which mingled with it at "the hardness of their hearts."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

How much then is a man better than a sheep?--Resistless appeal! "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast" (Pro 12:10), and would instinctively rescue it from death or suffering on the sabbath day; how much more his nobler fellow man! But the reasoning, as given in the other two Gospels, is singularly striking: "But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life or to destroy it?" (Luk 6:8-9), or as in Mark (Mar 3:4), "to kill?" He thus shuts them up to this startling alternative: "Not to do good, when it is in the power of our hand to do it, is to do evil; not to save life, when we can, is to kill"--and must the letter of the sabbath rest be kept at this expense? This unexpected thrust shut their mouths. By this great ethical principle our Lord, we see, held Himself bound, as man. But here we must turn to Mark, whose graphic details make the second Gospel so exceedingly precious. "When He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man" (Mar 3:5). This is one of the very few passages in the Gospel history which reveal our Lord's feelings. How holy this anger was appears from the "grief" which mingled with it at "the hardness of their hearts."

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day - To save a beast, much more a man.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
How much then is a man better than a sheep? - Our Lord's argument is what is called argumentum ad hominem; they are taken on their own ground, and confuted on their own maxims and conduct. There are many persons who call themselves Christians, who do more for a beast of burden or pleasure than they do for a man for whom Christ died! Many spend that on coursers, spaniels, and hounds, of which multitudes of the followers of Christ are destitute: - but this also shall come to judgment. Wherefore, it is lawful to do well, etc. - This was allowed by a multitude of Jewish canons. See Schoettgen.

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⁵ And [2532] when he had looked round about [4017] on them [846] with [3326] anger [3709], being grieved [4818] for [1909] the hardness [4457] of their [846] hearts [2588], he saith [3004] unto the man [444], Stretch forth [1614] thine [4675] hand [5495]. And [2532] he stretched it out [1614]: and [2532] his [846] hand [5495] was restored [600] whole [5199] as [5613] the other [243].

⁴ And [2532] he saith [3004] unto them [846], Is it lawful [1832] to do good [15] on the sabbath days [4521], or [2228] to do evil [2554]? to save [4982] life [5590], or [2228] to kill [615]? But [1161] they held their peace [4623].

⁸ But [1161] he [846] knew [1492] their [846] thoughts [1261], and [2532] said [2036] to the man [444] which [3588] had [2192] the withered [3584] hand [5495], Rise up [1453], and [2532] stand forth [2476] in [1519] the midst [3319]. And [1161] he arose [450] and stood forth [2476].
⁹ Then [3767] said [2036] Jesus [2424] unto [4314] them [846], I will ask [1905] you [5209] one thing [5101]; Is it lawful [1832] on the sabbath days [4521] to do good [15], or [2228] to do evil [2554]? to save [4982] life [5590], or [2228] to destroy [622] it?

¹⁰ A righteous [06662] man regardeth [03045] the life [05315] of his beast [0929]: but the tender mercies [07356] of the wicked [07563] are cruel [0394].