Matthew 12:12

 Matthew 12:12

How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

a. ASV: How much then is a man of more value than a sheep! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day.  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: How much better, therefore, is a man than a sheep? -- so that it is lawful on the sabbaths to do good.'  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: How much better and of more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful and allowable to do good on the Sabbath days. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text:  How much more important is a man than a sheep? It is therefore lawful to do good on the sabbath.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

1. How much then is a man better than a sheep?

a. How much [Strong: 4214. posos pos'-os from an absolute pos (who, what) and 3739; interrogative pronoun (of amount) how much (large, long or (plural) many):--how great (long, many), what.]

b. then [Strong:  3767. oun oon apparently a primary word; (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly:--and (so, truly), but, now (then), so (likewise then), then, therefore, verily, wherefore.]

c. [is a] man [Strong: 444. anthropos anth'-ro-pos from 435 and ops (the countenance; from 3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:--certain, man.]

d. better than [Strong: 1308. diaphero dee-af-er'-o from 1223 and 5342; to bear through, i.e. (literally) transport; usually to bear apart, i.e. (objectively) to toss about (figuratively, report); subjectively, to "differ", or (by implication) surpass:--be better, carry, differ from, drive up and down, be (more) excellent, make matter, publish, be of more value.]

e. [a] sheep [Strong: 4263. probaton prob'-at-on probably neuter of a presumed derivative of 4260; something that walks forward (a quadruped), i.e. (specially), a sheep (literally or figuratively):--sheep(-fold).]

1). We are of more value to God than animals.

a). Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

2). We need to consider also the millions of animals that were slain during the Mosaic Covenant to perpetuate the covering of sin to ensure the path of approach of sinful man to a Holy Savior.

2. “...Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”

a. Wherefore [Strong: 5620. hoste hoce'-teh from 5613 and 5037; so too, i.e. thus therefore (in various relations of consecution, as follow):--(insomuch) as, so that (then), (insomuch) that, therefore, to, wherefore.]

b. [it is] lawful [Strong: 1832. exesti ex'-es-tee third person singular present indicative of a compound of 1537 and 1510; so also exon ex-on' neuter present participle of the same (with or without some form of 1510 expressed); impersonally, it is right (through the figurative idea of being out in public):--be lawful, let, X may(-est).]

c. [to] do [Strong:  4160. poieo poy-eh'-o apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):--abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield.]

d. well [Strong: 2573. kalos kal-oce' adverb from 2570; well (usually morally):--(in a) good (place), honestly, + recover, (full) well.]

e. [on] the [Strong: 3588. [tois] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tois] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

f. sabbath day [Strong: 4521. sabbaton sab'-bat-on of Hebrew origin (7676); the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications:--sabbath (day), week.]