Matthew 12:21

“And in his name will the nations (Gentiles) hope.”

The words are cited from LXX. As we have suggested above this latter is probably connected with Isaiah 51:5 LXX where we find ‘in My arm will the Gentiles hope' (MT - ‘on my arm will they hope/trust') which in Isaiah 51:5 parallels ‘the isles will wait for me'. The latter is similar to the MT reading which parallels Matthew 12:21. But Matthew did not want attention focused on the Law, he wanted it focused on Jesus.

The ‘arm of the Lord' always indicates His personal intervention, and that is also included in the thought of His Name being there. (Compare 1 Kings 8:42; Psalms 118:10; Isaiah 30:27 with 30). The Ark which went before Israel (Numbers 10:35) was also closely connected with His Name (1 Chronicles 13:6)). For His Name would act powerfully among the nations (Matthew 28:19). There is possibly here a bringing in of Isaiah 12:4 where we have the command to ‘call upon His Name'. But what is important is that the Servant will bring hope to all nations, including the Gentiles. This is building up towards His ministry in Gentile territories which we will discover shortly, and the final sending out of the Apostles to the nations (Matthew 28:19) to take to them the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as described and taught by Jesus in the Gospel.