Matthew 12:23 kjv
And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
Matthew 12:23 nkjv
And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"
Matthew 12:23 niv
All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"
Matthew 12:23 esv
And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
Matthew 12:23 nlt
The crowd was amazed and asked, "Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?"
Matthew 12 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 7:12 | When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you... | Davidic Covenant of an eternal kingdom. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | “I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant... Your seed I will establish forever." | God's eternal covenant with David's lineage. |
| Ps 132:11 | The Lord has sworn to David a truth from which He will not turn back: "One of your offspring I will set on your throne." | God's oath for a descendant on David's throne. |
| Isa 35:5-6 | Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. | Prophecy of the Messiah's healing works. |
| Isa 42:7 | to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon... | Prophecy of the Messiah bringing sight and freedom. |
| Mt 9:27 | And as Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, saying, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" | Blind men recognizing Jesus as Messiah. |
| Mt 9:33 | And when the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." | Similar public amazement at healing a mute man. |
| Mt 15:22 | A Canaanite woman cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David..." | Gentile recognizing Jesus as Messiah. |
| Mt 16:13 | Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" | Asking about public perception of His identity. |
| Mt 16:16 | Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." | Disciples' affirmation of Jesus's Messiahship. |
| Mt 20:30-31 | And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" | Another instance of "Son of David" from blind men seeking healing. |
| Mt 21:9 | And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" | Triumphal Entry crowd acknowledging His messianic title. |
| Mt 21:15 | But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!", they were indignant. | Religious leaders' opposition to "Son of David" acclamations. |
| Mk 10:47-48 | And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" | Bartimaeus's cry of faith and recognition. |
| Lk 5:26 | They were all amazed and glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen extraordinary things today." | Amazement and glorification after a miracle. |
| Lk 7:16 | Fear gripped them all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people!" | People's reaction to the raising of Nain's son. |
| Lk 11:14 | And He was casting out a demon that was mute, and it came to pass, when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the crowds marveled. | Parallel account of similar miracle and public wonder. |
| Jn 7:42 | Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David... | Discussions about the Messiah's lineage from David. |
| Rom 1:3-4 | concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power... | Paul's theological assertion of Jesus's Davidic descent. |
| Rev 5:5 | ...Behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. | Jesus identified as the "Root of David" in Revelation. |
| Rev 22:16 | "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright morning star." | Jesus Himself proclaims His Davidic connection. |
Matthew 12 verses
Matthew 12 23 Meaning
Matthew 12:23 captures the dramatic public reaction to one of Jesus's powerful miracles: the healing of a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. The overwhelming nature of this divine act led the multitudes to wonder openly if Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah, often referred to by the traditional messianic title, "the Son of David." This verse marks a pivotal moment where public opinion began to seriously consider Jesus's claim to messianic identity, contrasting sharply with the mounting opposition from religious authorities.
Matthew 12 23 Context
Matthew 12:23 is nestled within a chapter that showcases Jesus's authority and intensifies the conflict with religious leaders. Immediately preceding this verse (Mt 12:22), Jesus heals a man who was possessed by a demon, blind, and mute, demonstrating His absolute power over evil and physical infirmity. This miraculous healing is the direct catalyst for the crowd's question. Following this verse (Mt 12:24), the Pharisees, witnessing the same miracle and hearing the crowd's burgeoning recognition, respond not with praise but with blasphemous accusation, attributing Jesus's power to Beelzebul, the ruler of demons. The entire chapter oscillates between public fascination and the entrenched hostility of the religious elite, presenting a stark choice about who Jesus truly is and the source of His power. Historically, the title "Son of David" carried significant weight for the Jewish people, anticipating a descendant of King David who would restore Israel and rule as the promised Messiah.
Matthew 12 23 Word analysis
- And (Καὶ - Kai): A simple coordinating conjunction, yet here it serves to directly link the powerful miracle in the previous verse to the astonished reaction of the crowd, highlighting a causal relationship.
- all the people (πάντες οἱ ὄχλοι - pantes hoi ochloi): "All the crowds" or "all the multitudes." The use of pantes ("all") emphasizes the widespread nature of the amazement, indicating that it wasn't just a few individuals but the entire assembled crowd that reacted this way. Ochloi often refers to an undifferentiated mass of people, often poor or ordinary folk, distinct from the religious elite.
- were amazed (ἐξίσταντο - existanto): An imperfect indicative form of the verb existēmi, meaning "to stand out," "to be astonished," "to be beside oneself," "to be astounded or utterly dumbfounded." The imperfect tense suggests a continuous or sustained state of astonishment, indicating that their wonder lingered and spread through the crowd. This is a strong word, conveying a profound, almost bewildered wonder, suggesting they had never witnessed such power.
- and said (καὶ ἔλεγον - kai elegon): Imperfect indicative of legō ("to say, to speak"). Similar to "were amazed," the imperfect tense here implies a continuous or repeated discussion among the crowd, indicating that the question was being posed repeatedly or discussed widely, not just a one-time utterance.
- Is not this (Μήτι οὗτος - Mēti houtos): This is a critical grammatical construction. Mēti is an interrogative particle that usually expects a negative answer to a question, conveying an element of doubt. However, it can also introduce a rhetorical question where the expected answer, despite the particle's form, is actually a strong "Yes!" In this context, given their amazement and the miracle's magnitude, the crowd's question likely leans towards an affirmation, almost like "Could it be that this truly is the Son of David?" or "Surely, this is the Son of David, isn't he?" It expresses wonder mixed with a tentative belief.
- the Son of David (ὁ υἱὸς Δαυὶδ - ho huios Dauid): This is a direct and pivotal messianic title rooted in Old Testament prophecy, particularly 2 Sam 7:12-16. It signifies a descendant of King David who would reign as the promised Messiah, a king bringing salvation and re-establishing Israel's kingdom. Its usage by the crowd here indicates their recognition that Jesus's actions (especially His healing and exorcism powers) align with the widely held expectations of the Messiah's works, particularly those described in Isa 35:5-6, which speak of opening blind eyes and enabling the mute to speak. This title links Jesus directly to the covenantal promises concerning the future King of Israel.
Matthew 12 23 Bonus section
The phrase "Is not this the Son of David?" functions as a theological pivot point. It indicates that the common people, observing Jesus's ministry and miracles, were starting to make a crucial connection between the prophecies of the Messiah (particularly His Davidic lineage and predicted acts) and Jesus Himself. This spontaneous popular questioning implicitly challenges the authoritative interpretations of the religious leadership who either denied or distorted Jesus's true identity. The question itself, posed with mēti, while conveying some doubt, more accurately reflects the immensity of the claim they were considering—it was almost too good to be true, yet the evidence was right before them. This communal consideration of Jesus as "the Son of David" directly precedes and instigates the Pharisees' desperate counter-accusation of Him being empowered by Beelzebul (Mt 12:24), underscoring the escalating spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of the Jewish people concerning Jesus's identity.
Matthew 12 23 Commentary
Matthew 12:23 captures the pivotal public response to Jesus's astonishing miracle of healing a demon-possessed, blind, and mute man. The collective "amazement" of the multitudes underscores the undeniable power evident in Jesus's actions. Their subsequent question, "Is not this the Son of David?", is highly significant. It signals a nascent, though hesitant, recognition of Jesus's messianic identity based on His divine power, particularly His ability to heal and cast out demons—works attributed to the long-awaited Anointed One. This query, asked repeatedly amongst the crowd, contrasts sharply with the religious leaders' growing hostility, setting the stage for the dramatic accusation of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit that follows. The use of "Son of David" highlights the crowd's understanding of messianic expectations tied to royal lineage and miraculous capability. This verse illustrates the growing tension between public revelation and established religious opposition, foregrounding the truth of Jesus's person against the backdrop of disbelief.