Matthew 12 :: 15 - 21 Jesus - God’s Chosen Servant; The Hope of the Nations

Fulfillment of Isaiah’s Prophecy B.C. 700 years.

Mat 12:15  Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.

Mat 12:16  But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,

Mat 12:17  that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,

Mat 12:18  "THIS IS MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN, MY DEARLY LOVED ONE IN WHOM MY SOUL TAKES PLEASURE. I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE WILL ANNOUNCE JUSTICE TO THE NATIONS.

Mat 12:19  HE WILL NOT WRANGLE OR RAISE HIS VOICE, NOR WILL HIS VOICE BE HEARD IN THE BROADWAYS.

Mat 12:20  A CRUSHED REED HE WILL NOT UTTERLY BREAK, NOR WILL HE QUENCH THE STILL SMOULDERING WICK, UNTIL HE HAS LED ON JUSTICE TO VICTORY.

Mat 12:21  AND ON HIS NAME SHALL THE NATIONS REST THEIR HOPES."

Introduction.

Although the Pharisees are mounting a concerted attack against the Lord He does not retaliate in kind,

but takes the quiet and lowly path of the true Servant of Jehovah. Jesus withdraws away from the opposition but continued to heal the sick. He told them not to publicize who He was.

Matthew quotes from Isaiah 42:1-4.

Pharisaic Opposotion

The Jews, and the disciples also at first, expected that the Messiah would be a conqueror, and vindicate himself from all his enemies. When they saw him retiring before them, and, instead of subduing them by force, seeking a place of concealment, it was contrary to all their previous notions of the Messiah. Matthew by this quotation shows that “their” conceptions of him had been wrong. Instead of a warrior and an earthly conqueror, he was “predicted” under a totally different character. Instead of shouting for battle, lifting up his voice in the streets, oppressing the feeble - “breaking bruised reeds and quenching smoking flax, as a conqueror” - he would be peaceful, retiring; would strengthen the feeble, and would cherish the faintest desires of holiness. This appears to be the general meaning of this quotation here.Barnes

Mat 12:15  Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.

Notes

Aware of this,[the plot of the Pharisees] But His reaction is completely unexpected. He retires from the scene.

a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.

Jesus healed all who came to Him in faith. He had no failures. It was not hit and miss .

As many who came to Him for healing, received it. L.M.

Mat 12:16  But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze abroad His doings,

Notes

Jesus never wanted or sort publicity. He preferred to do His work quietly without any fuss from the Paparatzii. of His day.

The Prophet Isaiah  700 years before Christ

Mat 12:17  that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,

For Matthew He saw that it was important that their be Scriptural support for what Jesus did.

Matthew’s Characteristic Appeal to Prophecy by Leon Morris

Mat 1:22  All this took place in fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken through the Prophet,

It was characteristic of Matthew to Appeal to prophecy and to see in it a fulfillment of what God had said long ago. This is found again and again in Matthew.: 2:15,17, 23; 4:14; 8:17 etc

Notice that Matthew says that this was ‘in fulfillment of what the LORD had spoken through the prophet’. Matthew took prophecy very seriously and showed that Jesus actually did fulfill the Old Testament.

Mat 12:18  "THIS IS MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN, MY DEARLY LOVED ONE IN WHOM MY SOUL TAKES PLEASURE. I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE WILL ANNOUNCE JUSTICE TO THE NATIONS.

Notes

THIS IS MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN see Isaiah 7:14

Servant : pais paheece

Perhaps from G3817; a boy (as often beaten with impunity), or (by analogy) a girl, and (generally) a child; specifically a slave or servant (especially a minister to a king; and by eminence to God): - child, maid (-en), (man) servant, son, young man.

Selected or Chosen G140 Strong’s αἱρετίζω aihretizō hahee-ret-id'-zo

From a derivative of G138; to make a choice: - choose.

These are the words of God the Father, speaking to the church, concerning Christ, as mediator; who, as such, is God's servant, employed by him, and obedient to him, in the work of man's salvation; and is a righteous, faithful, prudent, and diligent one; whom he, from all eternity, had chosen to this service, and in the fulness of time sent him to do it, and supported and upheld him in it; for it is whom I uphold, in the Hebrew text. John Gill

MY DEARLY LOVED ONE IN WHOM MY SOUL TAKES PLEASURE.WNT

my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. KJV

Beloved G27 ἀγαπητός agapētos Strong’sag-ap-ay-tos'

From G25; beloved: - (dearly, well) beloved, dear.

“who always was the object of his love, not only as his own and only begotten Son, but as in his office capacity, as mediator; in regard to which he was his elect, as it is in Isaiah; and, as such, he was always delighted in his person, well pleased with his office, and the discharge of it, and which he declared more than once by a voice from heaven, as at his baptism, and at his transfiguration on the mount:” John Gill

Mat 3:16  and Jesus was baptized, and immediately went up from the water. At that moment the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him, 

Mat 3:17  while a voice came from Heaven, saying, "This is My Son, the dearly loved, in whom is My delight." 

I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM,

I will put my Spirit upon him; as he did without measure, whereby he was abundantly qualified for his whole work, and particularly for preaching the Gospel, being richly anointed with gifts and graces, above his fellows; of which the descent of the Holy Spirit upon him, as a dove at his baptism, which immediately preceded his public ministry, was a symbol. John Gill

AND HE WILL ANNOUNCE JUSTICE TO THE NATIONS.

And he shall show judgment unto the Gentiles; meaning, not the general judgment, at the last day, which is committed to him; nor the laws of Justice and equity; but the Gospel, which is the produce of the God of judgment; best informs the judgment of men about the business of salvation; gives an account of the righteous procedure of God in justifying sinners, by the righteousness of his Son; and teaches men to live soberly, righteously, and godly: this Christ brought forth, and showed, at this time, to the Heathens, the Idumeans, Tyrians, and Sidonians; who flocked unto him; whereby this part of the prophecy had its fulfilment: in the Hebrew it is, "he shall bring forth"; that is, out of his heart and mouth, and is the same as "show" here. John Gill

Mat 12:19  HE WILL NOT WRANGLE OR RAISE HIS VOICE, NOR WILL HIS VOICE BE HEARD IN THE BROADWAYS.

A.Clark .The spirit of Christ is not a spirit of contention, murmuring, clamor, or litigiousness. He who loves these does not belong to him. Christ therefore fulfilled a prophecy by withdrawing from this place, on account of the rage of the Pharisees.

Mat 12:20  A CRUSHED REED HE WILL NOT UTTERLY BREAK, NOR WILL HE QUENCH THE STILL SMOULDERING WICK, UNTIL HE HAS LED ON JUSTICE TO VICTORY.

Notes

Mat 12:20  A reedG2563 being brokenG4937 he shall notG3756 break away,G2608 andG2532 [2flaxG3043 1smoldering]G5188 he shall notG3756 extinguish,G4570 untilG2193 wheneverG302 he should cast forthG1544 [2intoG1519 3victoryG3534 G3588 1equity].G2920

A bruised reed shall he not break - A reed is, in Scripture, the emblem of weakness, Eze_29:6; and a bruised reed must signify that state of weakness that borders on dissolution and death.

NOR WILL HE QUENCH THE STILL SMOULDERING WICK,

Smoking flax - This refers to the wick of a lamp when the oil is exhausted - the dying, flickering flame and smoke that hang over it. It is an emblem, also, of feebleness and infirmity. He would not further oppress those who had a little strength; he would not put out hope and life when it seemed to be almost extinct. He would not be like the Pharisees, proud and overbearing, and trampling down the poor. It is expressive, also, of the languishing graces of the people of God. He will not treat them harshly or unkindly, but will cherish the feeble flame, minister the “oil” of grace, and kindle it into a blaze.

Mat 12:21  AND ON HIS NAME SHALL THE NATIONS REST THEIR HOPES."

Notes

And in his name ... - The Hebrew in Isaiah is, “And the isles shall wait for his law.” The idea is, however, the same.

The “isles” denote the Gentiles, or a part of the Gentiles - those out of Judea. The meaning is, that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and that they should receive it. See the notes at Isa_41:1 for an explanation of the word “islands,” as it is used in the Bible.