Behold! My Servant

Introduction: We ended the last chapter with the Pharisees off conspiring with the Herodians as to how they were going to destroy Jesus Christ (12:14). Why? Because He chose to do good on the Sabbath day by healing the man with the withered hand. In this chapter we going to look at the greatest of all servants, Jesus Christ. Jesus doesn’t go and hide from the Pharisees. No, He goes out and continues to carry on the purpose of why He came – to reach and redeem people.

The Bible tells us repeatedly that Jesus Christ came to serve and not to be served (Mark 10:45; Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus set a wonderful example for all of us when He washed His disciple’s feet (John 13:1-16). Will we learn to serve like Jesus Christ? Or will we demand that others serve us? It has been said that people spell service one of two ways:

1. Service

2. Serve Us

How do you spell service? The way you spell it will determine how Christ like you are. We are all called to serve others.

If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, you must learn to be a servant of all. (I think there is a song along those lines).

What do we discover in our text?

I. Jesus withdrew from there – 12:15

15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.

There is so much for us to learn just in this verse alone. We read,

But when Jesus knew it,

Here we have the Omniscience of Jesus. He is all knowing. There is nothing He does not know. Jesus knew what the Pharisees were off doing. They didn’t catch Jesus off guard. He can see what is happening inside the human heart (After all, He made the human heart).

He withdrew from there.

Although Jesus withdrew from there (“their synagogue” 12:9) He did not withdraw from ministry. Even though He knew that the Pharisees were plotting against Him to destroy Him (12:14), Jesus didn’t withdraw from the multitudes. No, He was engaging the crowds.

And great multitudes followed Him,

And the multitudes didn’t forsake Jesus either. The multitude kept following Him. No doubt they enjoyed His teaching and seeing His miracles.

In the parallel passage in Mark’s Gospel (Mark 3:7-8), he reported where the many who followed Him came from. They came from Galilee (northern Israel), Judea (southern Israel) and the city of Jerusalem, the region of Idumaea (further south of Judea, beyond the Jordan in Perea), and from the Mediterranean coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon to the northwest. This means that the people who followed Him originated from a radius of a hundred miles or more.[1]

and He healed them all.

The ability to heal through a touch or just a spoken word would surely demonstrate divine power. And the fact that Jesus stuck with the hurting demonstrated His divine love for all humanity. Jesus had compassion for hurting people. Jesus had empathy for people. This should be a virtue that we should seek to adopt from Jesus.

Jesus didn’t heal some. No, He healed them all – all those who needed to be healed. You have got to love this. Apparently, the needs were great, but Jesus was greater!

As I looked at this verse, I couldn’t help but to think that Jesus went where He could do the most good. He withdrew to a greater need. People mattered to Jesus, and they should matter to us.

II. Jesus warns them not to make Him known – 12:16

16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known,

The word “warned” can also be translated, charged, or ordered.

This is not the only time Jesus told the people not to make Him know. We see this back in Matthew 8:4 when Jesus healed the leper, and in 9:30 when He healed the two blind men. Why did Jesus not want the crowd to make Him known? I have read that “the Jewish people expected a conquering king. And that perhaps Jesus did not want the crowd to give a false impression of his messiahship (cf. 16:20; 17:9) or perhaps he did not want a premature confrontation with the authorities.”4

I also think it is because human nature is curious and the crowd would have come out to see the miracles, but not necessary to hear the message of the one doing the miracles.

Are you aware that some people come to church for the show, and not necessarily for the sermon. Why did you come today? Several years ago, a man left SLBC to attend another church. A few years later the church folded, and the man came back to SLBC. After church service was over, he walked up to me and said, “I’m back because you’re the best show in town.”You see, there are some people who go to church for the show. Please don’t be one of them.

Do you understand why Jesus came? He came to reveal to us His Father (see John 1:18). The healing and the miracles authenticated the man, the ministry, and the message. Yes, Jesus Christ was sent by God.

Jesus wasn’t seeking to be noticed, but to get the Father noticed.

III. Jesus knew that He was fulfilling Scripture – 12:17-21

17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,

My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed He will not break,

And smoking flax He will not quench,

Till He sends forth justice to victory;

21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.”

Yes, Jesus understood that He was the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. In this case the prophet Isaiah. Jesus Christ was a compassionate Messiah. His character was impeccable. Here Jesus quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 written 700 hundred years before these events were unfolding. This is the longest quote from the Old Testament found in Mathew’s Gospel. What do we learn about Jesus from the Prophet Isaiah? We learn the following:

A. Jesus was a servant of God… and His Father was well pleased – 12:17-18

17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,

My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

· Jesus is called “My Servant.”

I want you to underline the words,

Behold! My Servant

John MacArthur writes that the Greek word, Pais (Servant) is not the usual word for “servant” and is often translated “son.” In secular Greek it was used of an especially intimate servant who was trusted and loved like a son. In the ancient Greek edition of the Old Testament (the Septuagint), pais is used of Abraham’s chief servant (Genesis 24:2), of Pharaoh’s royal servants (Genesis 41:10, 38), and of angels as the Lord’s supernatural servants (Job 4:18).[2]

· Jesus was “chosen” by the Father.

Whom I have chosen,

God choose to send His Son into the world. It was a decision that God made to send forth His only begotten Son (John 3:16). To do what God did took great love for His creation.

· Jesus is called “My Beloved.”

My Beloved

Jesus was very dear to His Father. As earthly dads we can we relate to this? We fathers know how dear our sons are to us.

· God was “well pleased” with Him.

in whom My soul is well pleased

Are you aware that at both the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:17), here in this passage, and at the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:5), God declared, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him”

Three times we are told that God is well-pleased with His Son.

· God Spirit was placed upon Him (at His baptism).

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

This occurred in eternity past, at His birth, and at His baptism. The Holy Spirit is the divine stamp of God’s approval. The Holy Spirit in Scripture is pictured as a seal (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). We know that Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father are in perfect unity (by the way, don’t miss the Trinity here in these verses). Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father are called, the Godhead. In theology we often hear them referred to as the Three-in-one. You might place a Triangle in the margin of your Bible as a reference mark for you that these verses teach the Trinity.

· Jesus would declare justices to the Gentiles. His mission would extend beyond the Jews.

And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

What this is telling us is that Jesus would have more than just a ministry among the Jews. Jesus would have a ministry among the nations (or all people), and not just the Jews. Gentiles would also be a part of His public ministry (which includes all of us).

B. Jesus was a servant to sinners… and He cares for hurting people – 12:19-20

19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed He will not break,

And smoking flax He will not quench,

Till He sends forth justice to victory;

As I read those two verses, I saw the following insights:

· Jesus was steady in sharing His message.

He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Jesus didn’t argue or fight with the Pharisees. The word “quarrel” used here in our text carries the idea of wrangling, hassling, or even brawling. That wasn’t Jesus’ style – He spoke with grace and truth. Scripture tells is that He was meek (another word that could be used is gentle). He was a gentle shepherd!

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

Jesus wasn’t overly loud. He didn’t go about screaming (like a barking dog) or making a nuisance of Himself. This comes across to me that Jesus may have been very soft spoken (after all Scripture tells us that God speaks in a still small voice – 1 Kings 19:12).

· He will be sensitive towards people who are bruised and battered by life and all its troubles.

20 A bruised reed He will not break,

And smoking flax He will not quench,

Till He sends forth justice to victory;

What is meant by bruised reed and smoking flax? Well, J.C. Ryle writes,

“What are we to understand by the battered reed and smoldering wick? The language of the prophet no doubt is figurative. What is it that these two expressions mean? The simplest explanation seems to be that the Holy Spirit is here describing believers whose grace is at present weak, whose repentance is feeble, and whose faith is small. Towards such people the Lord Jesus Christ will be very tender and compassionate. Weak as the battered reed is, it shall not be broken. Small as the spark of fire may be within the smoldering wick, it shall not be quenched. It is a standing truth in the kingdom of grace that weak grace, weak faith, and weak repentance are all precious in our Lord’s sight.”[3]

We must always remember that Jesus Christ specializes in people who feel as if they have been beat up and left for dead. He specializes in coming along side of people who feel as if their candle has burned out. Jesus rebuilds and restores the castaways and the down and outs. People throw people away as objects, but Jesus claims the throwaways! Praise God that Jesus does all this.

C. Jesus was the servant to the Gentiles… and they will trust in His Name – 12:21

21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.”

Pastor Charles Swindoll writes, “One last implication of Matthew’s quotation of Isaiah 42 needs to be mentioned. It’s a theme already materializing in the background of Matthew’s Gospel and that is about to be moved to center stage: Israel’s rejection of their Messiah. Notice the double reference to the Messiah’s mission to the Gentiles. Not only would Jesus “proclaim justice [or righteousness] to the Gentiles” (Matthew 12:18), but they would actually hope in His name (Matthew 12:21). When Matthew wrote his Gospel sometime in the AD 60s, it was a well-known fact that the leaders of Israel had rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Most of the religious leaders were also rejecting the subsequent proclamation of the apostles, while many Gentiles, on the other hand, were trusting in Jesus as their Savior. In the next few scenes, Matthew points out how these developments began in Jesus’ ministry when the Jewish leaders who refused to bow to King Jesus were actually making it possible for the gospel to go forth to the Gentiles. Ironically, by trying to destroy the Messiah’s mission, the Pharisees were, in fact, promoting it!”[4]

If you are not Jewish, then you are a Gentile. Have you trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation? I hope you have. Do you know any Gentiles that need to trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation? Speak to them about Jesus Christ and invite them to attend Church with you. Reach out and offer hope to Gentiles.

Conclusion: So, what are the spiritual truths that we can take away from this section of Matthew 12? There are seven of them. They are:

1. Jesus knows all our thoughts – we hide nothing from Him.

2. Jesus withdrew from places, but not from people.

3. Jesus heals both physical and spiritual hurts.

4. Jesus is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy spoken 700 years before His birth.

5. Jesus is a servant to God, and He pleased His Father.

6. Jesus is a servant to sinners and cares for the battered and bruised. Do you and I care for people?

7. Jesus wants Gentiles to walk with Him. Make that decision to do so today.

[1] https://thebiblesays.com/commentary/matt/matt-12/matthew-1215-21/ [2]MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1985). Matthew(Vol. 2, p. 297). Moody Press. [3] Ryle, J. C. Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Matthew [Updated Edition]: A Commentary (pp. 107-108). Aneko Press. Kindle Edition) [4]Chuck Swindoll, Matthew 1-15