Matthew 12:15-21

Jesus Is The Servant of YHWH As Promised By Isaiah (12:15-21).

The quotation from Isaiah in this passage is the central point in the chiasmus of this whole section from Matthew 11:1 to Matthew 12:50 (as shown above). It is also a turning point in the Gospel. Now that the Jews are turning away from Him He will begin to look further afield. What will now follow is but the working out of these words of Isaiah, together with the idea of the Servant that lies behind them (Matthew 8:17; Matthew 20:28).

Thus, having demonstrated the Satanic influence on Israel (Matthew 12:22; Matthew 12:43), and having further condemned Israel's unreceptiveness (Matthew 12:41), and having rejected all human relationships in favour of those with the new people of God (Matthew 12:46), He will reveal in parables a ministry that is to reach to the whole world (Matthew 13:32; Matthew 13:38; Matthew 13:48) because Israel has refused to see and hear (Matthew 13:14) as prophesied by Isaiah. Rejected even by His own home town (Matthew 13:53), and in order to escape Herod (Matthew 14:1), He goes into the wilderness (compare Matthew 2:15; Matthew 4:1) where He gathers together His new congregation and feeds them with bread from Heaven in a covenant meal (Matthew 14:13), which foreshadows His final covenant meal (Matthew 26:26). Then citing Isaiah, again by name, He draws attention to the unresponsiveness of Israel (Matthew 15:8), and goes into Gentile territory, where He makes clear the terms on which He will offer mercy to the Gentiles (Matthew 15:21). He continues on in Gentile territory and parallels there the previous feeding of His new congregation (Matthew 15:29), before returning to Magadan in Galilee. Back in Galilee He warns against the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees. Then He returns again to Gentile territory at Caesarea Philippi where His Messiahship is declared by Peter and He declares that He is forming a new congregation of the people of God (Matthew 16:13), and reveals His coming suffering at the hands of the Jews (Matthew 16:21). This is then followed by the manifestation of His glory on Gentile territory (Matthew 17:1).

Returning to Galilee it is only in order to stress His coming death and resurrection (Matthew 17:22) and His rejected kingship (Matthew 17:24), before laying down the principles on which the new congregation is to operate (Matthew 18:1 to Matthew 19:1), and at this point He leaves Galilee for Jerusalem on His way to His death (Matthew 20:17), where He will fulfil the Servant's destiny (Matthew 20:19). However, from now on His actions are no longer those of the Servant but of the King (Matthew 21:5). Here He will symbolically cleanse the Temple, giving it its final opportunity (Matthew 21:12), before declaring it cursed in His withering of the fig tree (Matthew 21:18). Challenged by His enemies He reveals His sonship and the expectations that He has of what His destiny will be as the Son (Matthew 21:33), before declaring what is to happen to those who rid themselves of Him (Matthew 21:40). As a result the Kingly Rule is to be taken away from them and given to a new nation which will produce its fruits (Matthew 21:43). In the light of the whole picture this can only be inclusive of the Gentiles.

He then teaches a parable making clear the rejection of God's offer by Israel, and the judgment that will result, leaving the way open for those who are from the highways and byways, the outcasts, who will be provided with a wedding garment, the wedding garment of His saving righteousness (Matthew 5:6; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 7:7; Matthew 13:43; Matthew 25:37; Matthew 25:46) and forgiveness (Matthew 6:12; Matthew 9:6; Matthew 18:21), the uniform of the Kingly Rule of Heaven. Only those who wear it will be safe at the judgment (Matthew 25:31). They, like the Servant, are the chosen (Matthew 22:14), who will be gathered to Him in the final day (Matthew 24:31).

He is tested by His enemies (Matthew 22:15) before declaring the foundation principles of the new community (Matthew 22:34) and His own great superiority to David as David's LORD (Matthew 22:41). Then He declares the final judgment of God on the Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 12:23) and on Jerusalem (Matthew 12:24) prior to His coming in glory for His own. This then leads on to His cross and resurrection, after which He makes clear His enthronement in triumph and His mission to the nations through His Apostles, who will be baptised in the Name of the Father (6-7; Matthew 10:20; Matthew 10:29; Matthew 10:33; Matthew 11:25), and of the Son (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 21:37; Matthew 22:2) and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Matthew 10:20; Matthew 12:28). They will thus enjoy all the blessing brought by the King and Servant (Matthew 28:18). ‘In His Name will the Gentiles hope' (Matthew 12:21).

As we have seen earlier (see especially introductory article on ‘that it might be fulfilled), the prophecy of Isaiah lies latent below the whole of this central section of Matthew's Gospel from Matthew 3:3 to Matthew 20:28. Only in this section are his prophecies cited by name. And emphasis in these prophecies is on Jesus, firstly as the One Who has had the way prepared before Him (Matthew 3:3); then as the light Who has shone from darkness resulting in the coming King of Isaiah 9:6 (Matthew 4:14); then as the Servant of YHWH Who has come bearing their afflictions and carrying their sicknesses (Matthew 8:17); and now as the Servant and Beloved of YHWH Who by His Spirit will reach out to both Jew and Gentile, working patiently and quietly until He has achieved righteous victory. See also Matthew 15:7; Matthew 20:28.

This quotation from Isaiah is widely reflected in the wider context. For ‘Behold My Servant Whom I have chosen, My beloved' see Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5. For ‘in Whom My soul is well pleased', see Matthew 3:17; Matthew 11:26. For ‘I will put My Spirit upon Him' see Matthew 3:11; Matthew 3:16; Matthew 12:28. For ‘He will declare judgment (righteous truth) to the nations' see Matthew 8:11; Matthew 21:43; Matthew 22:9; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19; also potentially in Matthew 11:21; Matthew 12:41. For ‘He will not strive, nor cry aloud, nor will any one hear His voice in the streets' see Matthew 6:5; Matthew 11:16; Matthew 12:16. For ‘a bruised reed will He not break' see Matthew 11:7; for ‘smoking flax will He not quench' see Matthew 11:28. For ‘until He sends forth judgment (righteous truth) unto victory' see Matthew 13:30; Matthew 13:41; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 24:30; Matthew 25:31; Matthew 26:64; Matthew 28:18. For ‘and in His name will the nations hope' see Matthew 2:1; Matthew 8:11; Matthew 13:32; Matthew 15:27; Matthew 15:31; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19.

The quotation is mainly based on Isaiah 42:1, but as supplemented by other references in Isaiah. First let us consider Matthew's text side by side with the Hebrew text (MT) and Greek Septuagint (LXX).

MATTHEW MT LXX Behold, my servant Behold my servant My servant Jacob,  whom I have chosen, whom I uphold I will help him  My beloved in whom My chosen in whom My chosen one, Israel,  my soul is well pleased. my soul delights. my soul has accepted him;  I will put my Spirit I have put my Spirit I have put my Spirit  upon him, upon him upon him  And he will declare he will bring forth he will bring forth  judgment to the Gentiles. judgment to the Gentiles. judgment to the Gentiles.  He will not strive, he will not cry, He will not cry  nor cry aloud, nor lift up, nor lift up his voice,  Nor will any one hear nor cause to be heard nor shall be heard  his voice in the streets. his voice in the streets. his voice without.  A bruised reed A bruised reed A bruised reed  he will not break, he will not break he will not break,  And smoking flax and the smoking flax and smoking flax  he will not quench, he will not quench he will not quench;  Until he send forth he will bring forth but he shall bring forth  judgment unto victory. judgment in truth. judgment to truth.  and in his name and the isles will wait and in his name  will the Gentiles hope. for his law. will the Gentiles hope. In line 2 Matthew has ‘chosen' instead of ‘uphold'. He will replace ‘chosen' with ‘beloved' in line 3 so now takes the opportunity of incorporating it here. Alternatively it may have been incorporated from Isaiah 43:10 or Isaiah 44:1 where the Servant is described as God's chosen one. It is a standard description of the Servant. In line 3 Matthew has ‘my beloved' instead of ‘my chosen'. The idea of the beloved may have been incorporated from Isaiah 41:8 so as to connect with Abraham, or it may be that Matthew wished to connect with the idea of the beloved Son in Matthew 3:17. In line 7 Matthew translates as ‘declare' instead of ‘bring forth', possibly, on the basis of Isaiah 12:4; Isaiah 42:9; Isaiah 45:19, wishing by it to emphasise the evangelistic mission to the Gentiles. In line 9 Matthew translates as ‘he will not strive' instead of ‘he will not cry', possibly to take into account Jesus' striving by voice with the Jews in the previous passage. In line 17 Matthew translates as ‘until he send forth' instead of ‘he will bring forth', again emphasising the mission of the Apostles. In line 18 Matthew has ‘judgment unto victory' instead of ‘judgment in (to) truth', possibly on the basis of a version of Isaiah 25:8 as cited by Paul (1 Corinthians 15:54), so as to incorporate Jesus' victory over death, the final truth. But, of course, the final victory will indicate the success of truth. In lines 19 and 20 Matthew is parallel to LXX. This latter is probably connected with Isaiah 51:5 LXX where ‘in My arm will the Gentiles hope' (MT - ‘on my arm will they hope/trust') parallels ‘the isles will wait for me', possibly being combined with Isaiah 12:4 where we have ‘call upon His Name' (note how Matthew 12:4 also probably affected line 7). It may be that Matthew has brought together these ideas in Isaiah in his quotation so as to emphasise particular points. We can compare how Paul brings together various verses in Romans 3:10, and Mark incorporates two citations into one in Mark 1:2, on the grounds that all are Scripture and can therefore be fused together as Scripture. Or it is possible that he took the quotation from a text or compendium of quotations which had done the same. Note how ‘my beloved in whom I am well pleased' parallels Matthew 3:17. It is clear that Matthew did not use LXX (he only does so when he is also paralleling Mark). So either his quotation is a free translation of the original as seen in the light of other Scriptures, or it is from an unknown source.

Analysis of Matthew 12:15.

a And Jesus perceiving it withdrew from there (Matthew 12:15 a).

b And many followed Him, and He healed them all (Matthew 12:15 b).

c And He charged them that they should not make Him known (Matthew 12:16).

d That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “Behold, My servant whom I have chosen” (Matthew 12:18 a).

e My beloved in whom My soul is well pleased (Matthew 12:18 b).

d I will put My Spirit upon Him, and he will declare righteous truth to the nations (18d).

c He will not strive, nor cry aloud, nor will any one hear His voice in the streets (Matthew 12:19).

b A bruised reed will He not break, and smoking flax will He not quench, until He sends forth righteous truth unto victory (Matthew 12:20).

a And in His name will the nations hope (Matthew 12:21).

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Note how in ‘a' Jesus withdraws from the Jews, and in the parallel is the thought that eventually He will reach out to the Gentiles, or better, the nations. In ‘b' many follow Him and He heals them all, and in the parallel he restores the bruised reed and the smoking flax. In ‘c He charges the crowds not to make Him known, and in the parallel He too goes quietly around His work. In ‘d' the Spirit inspired Isaiah speaks of God's chosen Servant, and in the parallel the Spirit inspires the Servant to declare righteous truth to the nations, which is a recognised ministry of the Servant (Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6). Centrally in ‘e' attention is focused on the Beloved in Whom God is well pleased.