Matthew 12:11

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?

And {G1161} he said {G2036} unto them {G846}, What {G5101} man {G444} shall there be {G2071} among {G1537} you {G5216}, that {G3739} shall have {G2192} one {G1520} sheep {G4263}, and {G2532} if {G1437} it {G5124} fall {G1706} into {G1519} a pit {G999} on the sabbath day {G4521}, will he {G2902} not {G3780} lay hold {G2902} on it {G846}, and {G2532} lift it out {G1453}?

But he answered, "If you have a sheep that falls in a pit on Shabbat, which of you won't take hold of it and lift it out?

He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

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?

Commentary

Matthew 12:11 records Jesus' insightful question to the Pharisees, challenging their rigid interpretation of Sabbath law. This verse is part of a larger discourse where Jesus defends His actions and those of His disciples concerning activities on the Sabbath day.

Context

This verse follows the Pharisees' criticism of Jesus for allowing His disciples to pluck grain on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-2) and immediately precedes His healing of a man with a withered hand (Matthew 12:10-13). The Pharisees, deeply entrenched in their oral traditions and strict interpretations, often accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. Here, Jesus uses a common, practical scenario from their everyday lives to expose the hypocrisy and lack of compassion in their legalistic approach.

Key Themes

  • Compassion Over Legalism: Jesus highlights that common sense and mercy should always override overly strict, burdensome interpretations of religious law. The immediate need to save a life, even an animal's, demonstrates a higher principle than ceremonial observance.
  • The Spirit of the Law: Rather than abolishing the Sabbath, Jesus clarifies its true intent. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). This verse underscores the principle that acts of necessity and mercy are permissible and even commanded on the Sabbath.
  • Value of Life: Jesus' argument implies that even an animal's life is valued, illustrating that God's law intends to preserve and bless life, not restrict it to the point of harm.

Linguistic Insights

The term "pit" (Greek: phrear - φρέαρ) refers to a well or cistern, suggesting a deep, dangerous hole from which a sheep would likely not escape on its own. The action of "lifting it out" (Greek: airō - αἴρω or anaireō - ἀναιρέω, depending on manuscript variations) emphasizes the immediate and necessary rescue effort. Jesus' question is rhetorical, designed to make His accusers confront their own practices and inherent understanding of compassion, as they themselves would perform such a rescue for their own property.

Practical Application

Matthew 12:11 serves as a timeless reminder to prioritize mercy and human (and even animal) welfare over rigid adherence to rules that lack compassion. It challenges us to examine our own attitudes towards religious laws and traditions, ensuring that they reflect the heart of God, which desires mercy, not sacrifice (Matthew 9:13). This principle applies to all areas of life, encouraging us to act with kindness and practical help when faced with genuine need, even if it means bending conventional interpretations or challenging established legalism that might hinder true service and love.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 22:4

    Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift [them] up again.

  • Luke 14:5

    And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

  • Luke 13:15

    The Lord then answered him, and said, [Thou] hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or [his] ass from the stall, and lead [him] away to watering?

  • Luke 13:17

    And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

  • Exodus 23:4

    If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.

  • Exodus 23:5

    If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
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