Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 12:15
But when Jesus knew [it,] he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
15. he withdrew himself from thence ] See ch. Mat 10:23. Jesus follows the principle which He laid down for His disciples’ guidance.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 15. Jesus – withdrew himself from thence] It is the part of prudence and Christian charity not to provoke, if possible, the blind and the hardened; and to take from them the occasion of sin. A man of God is not afraid of persecution; but, as his aim is only to do good, by proclaiming every where the grace of the Lord Jesus, he departs from any place when he finds the obstacles to the accomplishment of his end are, humanly speaking, invincible, and that he can not do good without being the means of much evil. Yield to the stream when you cannot stem it.
Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all] The rejection of the Gospel in one place has often been the means of sending it to and establishing it in another. Jesus healed all that followed him, i.e. all who had need of healing, and who desired to be healed; for thus the passage must be understood: – and is he not still the same? No soul shall ever implore his healing power in vain; but let it be remembered, that only those who follow Christ, and apply to him, are healed of their spiritual maladies.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Here is nothing in these two verses but what we have before met with: the multitudes have followed Christ in all his motions, from his first beginning to preach and to work his miraculous operations.
He healed them all, must be understood of those that were sick. The charge he gives is the same which we have often met with, of which no satisfactory account can be given, further than that, knowing his time was not yet come, and he had much work to do before his death, he useth all prudent means to preserve his life, reserving himself for the further work which his Father left him to do. The publishing of his miracles would have made a great noise, and possibly have more enraged the Pharisees against him; neither did he seek his own glory, but the glory of him that sent him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. But when Jesus knew it, hewithdrew himself from thencewhither, our Evangelist says not;but Mark (Mr 3:7) says “itwas to the sea“to some distance, no doubt, from thescene of the miracle, the madness, and the plotting just recorded.
and great multitudes followedhim, and he healed them allMark gives the followinginteresting details: “A great multitude from Galilee followedHim, and from Judea and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and frombeyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, whenthey had heard what great things He did, came unto Him. And He spaketo His disciples, that a small ship”or “wherry””shouldwait on Him because of the multitude, lest they should throng Him.For He had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon Him for totouch Him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they sawHim, fell down before Him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son ofGod. And He straitly charged them that they should not make Himknown” (Mr 3:7-12).How glorious this extorted homage to the Son of God! But as this wasnot the time, so neither were they the fitting preachers, as BENGELsays. (See on Mr 1:25, and compareJas 2:19). Coming back now toour Evangelist: after saying, “He healed them all,” hecontinues:
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But when Jesus knew it,…. Their consultation against him, as he did, not by any discovery made to him by men, but as the omniscient God; he withdrew himself from thence; from the synagogue and city, where he was, to the sea of Galilee, and his disciples with him, as Mark observes; not through fear, but because his time was not yet come, that he must suffer and die for his people; he had some other work to do first, and therefore rightly and wisely provides for his safety. And great multitudes followed him; from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and from beyond Jordan; and were joined by another multitude of people, who came from about Tyre and Sidon, as Mark relates: so that his departure was not so very private; nor was he forsaken by the common people, though the Pharisees were so offended with him. And he healed them all; that stood in need of healing, as many as had plagues and unclean spirits; practising agreeably to his doctrine, that it was lawful to do good on the sabbath day, and to heal the bodies as well as the souls of men.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Perceiving (). Second aorist active participle of . Jesus read their very thoughts. They were now plain to any one who saw their angry countenances.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
JESUS WITH A MULTITUDE AT TIBERIAS
V. 15-21
1) “But when Jesus knew it,” (ho de lesous gnous) “Then Jesus knowing what they were doing or attempting,” not because of anything they said, but because of his omniscience – because He knoweth (continually) what is in man, Joh 2:25; 1Jn 3:20.
2) “He withdrew himself from thence:” (anechroresen ekeithen) “Went out and away from that place;” Mr 3:7 says “to the sea,” or toward the sea, some distance from the synagogue, scene of the miracle of healing and subsequent plotting of the Pharisees and Herodians.
3) “And great multitudes followed him,” (kai ekolouthesan auto polloi) “And there were many who followed him,” who moved after Him, in the direction He was going, toward the sea. The time came when He did not withdraw, Joh 7:6; Joh 7:8; Joh 7:30; Joh 8:20; Joh 10:31; Joh 11:8.
4) “And he healed them all;” (kai etherrpeusen autous pantas) “And he healed them, all of them;” His works of mercy were not withheld from the needy, because of plots against His life, as He withdrew to a place near the sea of Galilee, for this further episode of healing and helping the needy, Mat 10:23; Mr 3:7-12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Section 27
JESUS THE HEALING SERVANT OF JEHOVAH
(Parallel: Mar. 3:7-12)
TEXT: 12:1521
15.
And Jesus perceiving it withdrew from thence: and many followed him; and he healed them all,
16.
and charged them that they should not make him known:
17.
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through 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 shall declare judgment to the Gentiles.
19.
He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets.
20.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory.
21.
And in his name shall the Gentiles hope.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS
a.
How does this passage harmonize with those instances where Jesus told some of the healed to spread the good news of their healing?
b.
How does this passage harmonize with those great public sermons that Jesus delivered where thousands of disciples and multitudes of listeners were present and so stirred up as to decide to make Him their King? What is the difference between Jesus methods and the tactics described in this text as not to be used by the Messiah? How are we to harmonize them?
c.
Did Jesus ever fail to heal anyone? How do you harmonize your answer with the fact that at Nazareth, for example, He could not heal many because of their unbelief? (See Mar. 6:5)
d.
Isaiah had predicted that the Messiah would not use any of the methods that great world leaders knew are absolutely necessary to promote great movements in human society. How, then, could Jesus possibly hope to succeed without using those methods? Now, after answering that question, deal with this one: how far has the church followed her Lord and how far has the Church let herself be victimized by the belief that success in this world is to be measured by the worlds standards and gained by use of this worlds methods?
PARAPHRASE AND HARMONY
Aware that the Pharisees and Herodians were plotting against Him, to arrest and ultimately kill Him, Jesus walked out of the synagogue, where He had healed the man who had had a shrivelled hand, and took His disciples down to the lakeshore of the Sea of Galilee. People in great numbers followed Him down there and He healed everyone. They kept coming from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, from the district beyond the Jordan and from as far away as Tyre and Sidon up in Phoenicia! This vast multitude came because they had heard about his wonderful ministry. Then Jesus suggested to His disciples to keep a boat just offshore ready for Him to board, because of the mob of people. He had healed so many people that the crowd kept coming, crowding around Him, trying to touch Him. Whenever people possessed by demonic spirits caught sight of Jesus, they would fall down before Him, screaming: You are Gods Son! Repeatedly Jesus sternly warned them that they must not interfere with His own revelation of Himself by their ill-timed revelations. Nor were the freed demoniacs to make Him any more famous than He was.
This all resulted in the fulfillment of what the prophet Isaiah had written (Isa. 42:1-4):
Observer what kind of Servant I have chosen for myself:
Notice my Beloved who pleases me well!
I have chosen to put the fulness of my Holy Spirit bodily in Him.
As a result, He will be qualified to announce true justice to all people, even to the Gentiles.
But He will not argue and shout.
Nor will He make loud speeches in the streets.
He will never crush the weak nor destroy the smallest amount of faith.
He will not stop until He has won the victory, making justice to triumph!
He will be the hope of the world!
SUMMARY
So many people followed Jesus, despite His growing enmity with the religious leaders, that the people mobbed Him. Yet He kept helping them, keeping an escape route ready in event of necessity to finish His task. Among those who came for healing were demoniacs whom Jesus forbade to reveal His real identity and create more sensational news than His ministry at this point required. This total picture of Jesus at work brought to fulfillment something Isaiah had said about Gods Servant: The Servant of Jaweh, fully acceptable to God would be filled with Gods own Spirit, thus qualified to announce His judgments. His appearance on earth would be unassuming, quiet and helpful to the weakest. He would not give up nor fail without having accomplished Gods purpose. Even the lowly Gentiles could have reason for hope because of Him
NOTES
A. SITUATION: JESUS MAKES A STRATEGIC WITHDRAWAL (12:15, 16)
Mat. 12:15 And Jesus perceiving it, withdrew from thence. Here is exemplified in Jesus own practice the very tactic He urged upon His men: Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, (Mat. 10:16; cf. also Mat. 10:23) His retreat in the presence of growing opposition is doubly motivated;
1.
He steps away quietly from the immediate hostility and danger of the religious leaders plotting His untimely murder. He knew that He must eventually go to the cross and carefully prepared His disciples to face that hour, but His hour is not yet come. Here He follows His own prudent advice given the Apostles earlier, whereby He may live to fight another day, Rather than destroy His enemies with a single word of power which would have blasted them into eternity, He patiently withdrew, giving them more time to reconsider His message and credentials. By His leaving, He took the pressure off of them, permitting them occasion for cooler reflection. In this we see the real meekness of our Teacher,
2.
He withdraws, not merely to save His own skin, but in order to be free to continue ministering to the needs of people while there is yet opportunity. (Cf. Joh. 11:8-10; Joh. 9:4-5) This motivation becomes clear, not only from the fact that He continued to meet peoples needs, but especially from the strict injunction to silence He laid upon the healed. (Mat. 12:16) Actually, the greater amazement is that Jesus was able to carry on His teaching ministry so well as He did, so famous had His healing ministry become! And, despite the time-consuming hindrance represented by the multitudes as their needs cut into His available teaching time, still He sent none away without helping them. (Cf. Mat. 15:30; Mat. 19:2; Mat. 8:16; Mar. 3:7-12; Luk. 6:17-19)
And many followed him; and he healed them all. (For details, see Mar. 3:7-12; Luk. 6:17-19) Why should the crowds flock around Jesus, whereas their own rabbis lost their crowds? What was the magnetic drawing power that brought these thousands from distant areas? Was it merely His wonderful power to work miracles?
1.
His miracles are a concentrated exercise of divine power unknown even among the miracle-working prophets of the old dispensation. The great signs and wonders of ministries such as those of Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah and Moses, though directly connected with the giving of the ancient revelations, were not nearly so compactly concentrated in the daily labors of any one of these great men. By contrast, Jesus daily activities multiplied evidences of Gods immediate, personal intervention into Jewish history. This excited the tired, disillusioned hearts of despairing Hebrews who longed for some word from Jehovah, some evidence of His concern for His people after 400 years of silence broken only by the now all-but-silenced voice of John the Baptist.
2.
But something else, itself as soul-stirring as the miracles, proved just as marvellous and just as successful a gatherer of crowds as the working of signs and wonders. Jesus had proven Himself to be absolutely Universal: He was every mans Savior and Friend. He had recognized no classes, separated Himself from no mans need. Time and again He had shown Himself quite independent of the exclusivistic prejudices of ecclesiastical Judaism. He not only worked miracles and preached thrilling sermons. He acted like a God who cares about us. Despite the frustrations surrounding the teaching of His Apostles, because of the limited time left Him before the ultimate crises culminating in the cross, still He chose to teach His Apostles how to minister to people by being available when people had need. His example made His teaching easier to catch, so He really taught more effectively even though all seemed to conspire against His efforts.
Mat. 12:16 And charged them that they should not make him known. (See on Mat. 8:4; cf. also Mat. 9:30; Mar. 5:43; Mar. 7:36; Mar. 8:30; Luk. 4:34-35; Luk. 4:41; Luk. 8:56) This order that they keep these things secret was absolutely essential if He were to remain free to continue His work. How little the common people really understood the pressure under which Jesus was operating. Pressure from the murderous religious leaders, pressure from the Zealots to establish a worldly kingdom, pressure from the crowds themselves to give them endless help of all kinds, and pressure from ignorant friends and disciples who thought they knew best. (cf. Mat. 16:22; Mar. 3:21; Joh. 7:3-4)
Though the Master had specific goals to meet within the time limits of His earthly mission, yet here again we see a total absence of selfish ambition. There is not a foolish seeking after a greater notoriety so often found among leaders who would consolidate their popularity and support. Jesus knew that this would only counteract against all that contributed to the real success of His ministry. But even more notable than the absence of selfish ambition here is the stern prohibition of that unwanted publicity, But the undesirableness of that notoriety stems from two different reasons:
1.
It is not the moment of truth for the final showdown with the ecclesiastical leaders which must ultimate in His death, Jesus does not confuse recklessness with courage.
2.
Popular movements with their shallow, though high-running, enthusiasms have a way of trampling upon important truth, glossing over significant distinctions and ignoring some people as unimportant. This was even more true with the nationalistic movement of the Zealots and their fellow-travelers, to whom a wonder-working favorite son would mean the genius to spark political rebellion and revolution in which men would grind Gods great ideas of Messiahship down into inflammatory slogans and uselessly extinguish precious lives.
B. RESULT: FULFILLMENT OF Isa. 42:1 ff.: JESUS IS JEHOVAHS HEALING SERVANT (12:1721)
Notice how Matthew has organized his material: he places this evaluation of Jesus in the busy midstream of His ministry. Whereas before (Mat. 8:17 et al.) he had gently suggested the Messiahship of Jesus on the basis of His fulfillments of ancient predictions, here he challenges the reader to reflect on all that he has previously included as evidence. The fact that he includes this evaluation here at a critical turning point in Jesus relationship to ecclesiastical Judaism, throws into sharper contrast the Messiah who was really prophesied would come and the popular concepts that tended to deny certain features undeniably predicted in this undoubted Messianic prophecy.
Mat. 12:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying. that (hina) may express purpose, in which case it expressed what God had intended should occur, or it may mean result, in which case it expressed merely that Jesus actions resulted in this fulfillment, not that it was His conscious intention to fulfill the prophecies to defraud or deceive the Jewish public.
Here is evidence contrary to the theory, popular in some theological circles, that some unknown prophet (or even uninspired editor) prepared the latter portion of Isaiahs book, chapters 4066. This so-called Second Isaiah, or Isaiah II, according to scholarly imagination, is supposed to have lived in Babylon during the famous exile there, or even sometime over the indefinite span of several hundred years. (For fuller explanations of the Isaianic debate, see the critical introductions to the OT in general and special introductions to Isaiah.) It is a popular theory which affects not only ones view of the prophecy of Isaiah, but also ones view of inspiration in general. This is because what is involved here is not merely the unity, inspiration and authority of Isaiah, but also the inspiration and authority of the NT Apostles is deeply immersed in this scholarly imbroglio. (See John Ransoms study Jesus Witness to Old Testament Inspiration at the conclusion of this chapter.) How is this so? Because the authors of the NT cite specific OT texts, not merely a few times in passing allusions, but often, giving specific credit to the OT author. In not a few cases, the NT scribe introduces his quotation naming the ancient prophet and claiming that the passage is the production of the Holy Spirit who spoke through the prophets. For those who accept the inspiration and authority of the NT writers, this affirmation is not only conclusive but also signifies:
1.
that the OT book referred to was actually written by the author mentioned by the NT writer;
2.
that the OT writer was actually moved by God to produce what is now in our possession as the OT library or canon;
3.
that to deny either inspiration or genuineness of authorship to the entire volume of any OT book cited by the NT writers is to doubt the inspiration and authority of the NT men themselves.
It is fashionable in some scholarly circles, however, to wave these propositions aside by saying that the NT authors do not delve into the technical problems of critical introduction, and therefore, based their own affirmations upon the opinions about OT authorship universally held up until their time. It remained until more recent times for modern scholarship to open these questions and search for answers to questions that did not even arise prior to the birth of German scholarship in the 1700s.
Notwithstanding this pride in human accomplishment, the evolutionary prejudices that fostered the conclusions may be dealt with by referring to the following evidence that no such evolutionary development in the history of the book of Isaiah (that we have today) has taken place:
1.
It is gratuitous to assume that the spate of writing that began to flow out of eighteenth century Europe is the only attempt to delve into the critical questions that revolved around the authorship of the OT books. If the Holy Spirit were not trying to tell us something by moving the NT writers to cite OT authors by name, often attributing their work either to God or to the Holy Spirit, what purpose could be served by deception at this point? Honesty impels us to confess that, if the OT situation is not that pictured in the NT, then a pious fraud has been perpetrated upon the believing Church by the very authors of the Book that documents that Churchs divine origin and mission. But if we accept the divine origin of the NT, by that act we are committed to accept the critical information provided in the NT, especially on the subject of OT authorship and inspiration, matters which even in that first century after Christ were no longer easy to research. Who can adduce proof that the Holy Spirit did not intend, by the very manner in which He cites the OT, to provide exactly the critical information that we need on these vital questions concerning the OTs origin, unity and consequent authority?
2.
Many of the citations themselves point not merely to the book that was then circulating under the name of a given prophet. They speak directly about the author himself and quote the message of some passage in his writings:
a.
Study the manner of quotation, for example, in Joh. 12:38-41 where the emphasis is placed upon the great personal vision of Isaiah himself. Young (Introduction, 218), after noticing that quotations are cited from both first and second Isaiah (Isa. 53:1; Mat. 6:9-10), points out that particular event in the prophets life which proves John to be attributing these two prophecies to the man Isaiah as author.
b.
Note Pauls practice in Rom. 9:27-33; Rom. 10:16-21. A concordance study of NT citations from Isaiah will demonstrate how the NT writers regarded Isaiahs prophecy.
3.
But that Jesus and the Apostles were neither accommodating themselves to the level of critical knowledge of that day nor refusing to pronounce judgment upon the controversial questions which engage those who study the OT, is perceived by Young (Introduction, 30):
Jesus Christ is the Truth, and when He spoke, He spoke words of truth. It is true that in His human nature our Lords knowledge was limited, as may clearly be seen from a passage such as Mar. 13:32. But this does not mean that He was subject to error. As man His knowledge may have been limited, but, as far as it went, it was true. Our Lord did not speak upon those subjects of which in His human nature He had no knowledge. All that He spoke was true. If our Lord was in error in questions of criticism and authorship, how do we know that He was not in error when He spoke of His saving death at Jerusalem? Admit error at one point, and we must admit it all along the line. In this present work the authority of Jesus Christ is accepted without reserve. He was, we believe, correct when He spoke of His substitutionary death, and He was correct when He spoke upon the nature of the Old Testament.
That which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet is not literally reproduced verbally from the text either of the Septuagint Greek translation nor is it even an independent translation of the Hebrew text, as a comparison of Marthews citation which either of those texts will prove. In fact, Matthew provides here an interpretative rendering which shows its meaning or fulfillment along with the citation itself. And, since he bases no doctrine upon a peculiar rendering, no Jewish scholar can complain that his liberties taken with the text are unfair to the meaning of Isaiah or dishonest in the use he makes of it. Such summarizing of Scripture texts in such a way as to show their meaning is called by the rabbis targuming. Thus, if the scribes themselves gave such interpretative paraphrases of their Scriptures, we should not be scandalized if Matthew uses the same teaching method. But, aside from good Jewish practice, when the divine authority of Matthew as an inspired Apostle is remembered, the modern reader can be certain that we have in this text the right use and correct meaning of Isaiahs original message.
Mat. 12:18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen. Delitzsch (Isaiah, II, 174) notes:
In Isa. 41:8 this epithet was applied to the nation, which had been chosen as the servant and for the service of Jehovah. But the servant of Jehovah who is presented to us here is distinct from Israel, and has so strong an individuality and such marked personal features, that the expression cannot possibly be merely a personified collective. Nor can the prophet himself be intended; for what is affirmed of this servant of Jehovah goes infinitely beyond anything to which a prophet was ever called, or of which a man was ever capable. It must therefore be the future Christ. . . . Still there must be a connection between the national sense, in which the expression servant of Jehovah is used in Isa. 41:8, and the personal sense in which it is used here. The coming Savior is not depicted as the Son of David, as in ch. 712, and elsewhere, but appears as the embodied idea of Israel, i.e. as its truth and reality embodied in one person.
Study these diagrams suggested by Delitzsch, comparing also the notes on Mat. 2:15 (Vol. I, 72) and comments on Hos. 1:11 (Vol. I, 83).
As at the apex of the pyramid, so also at the center of the circle is Messiah who is the embodiment of all that Israel stood for, since it was Gods purpose to unite EVERYTHING and bring everything to its full fruition in Him. (Cf. Eph. 1:3 to Eph. 2:22)
So, as Lenski (Matthew, 472) shows, if these diagrams represent significant OT truth, then even the LXX addition of the words Jacob my servant, and Israel my chosen to this text is explicable, thus lending no support either to rabbinical or modern naturalistic exegesis that would deny Isaianic reference to the Christ.
Remember Gods announcement using these words! (Mat. 3:17; cf. Mat. 17:5) Did the early Christians mean to call Jesus the Servant of Jehovah when they referred to Him as the servant or child (ho pas)? (cf. Act. 3:13; Act. 3:26; Act. 4:27; Act. 4:30) Nevertheless, it is significant that this NT paraphrase of Isaiahs word chooses this word which admits a double meaning: son or servant, even though the Hebrew clearly said avdi, my servant, slave. In this gospel paraphrase is suggested that nice union of a servants obedience and the preciousness of a son, both ideas being perfectly bound up in the person of Jesus. (Cf. Heb. 5:8; Heb. 10:7; Php. 2:7-8; Joh. 10:17)
2. HIS AUTHORITY AND TASK (12:18b)
I will put my Spirit upon him (epautn, cf. Mat. 3:16; Luk. 3:22; Joh. 1:32-33) Thus, the literal fulfilment of this prophecy took place at His public anointing as Gods Messiah. (See Notes on Mat. 3:16-17, Vol. I, 117ff.; kindred prophecies: Isa. 11:1-2; Isa. 61:1) Prom the point of view of Jews not yet capable of comprehending incarnation, this promise is essential to guarantee the unquestionably divine authority of the coming Prophet to do all that is here affirmed of Him. But this inspiration is not merely incarnation per se, because, besides Pauls telling us that Jesus divested Himself of equality with God to take upon Himself the form of a man, a servant (Php. 2:5-11). Peter also asserts that the Lord went about doing what He did under the power of the Holy Spirit (Act. 10:38). It is Jesus alone who has the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 3:1), the power of God without measure (Joh. 3:34). Jesus claimed to have this power of the Spirit (Luk. 4:18-21), and His whole life and ministry was that claims highest demonstration.
And he shall declare judgment to the Gentiles. Judgment (krsin in Greek and mishpt in Hebrew), while signifying the act of judging, the result of judging, justice, right, acquittal, or righteousness (when seen as the sum total of ones judgments, his character), derives its sense from the actual message that the Christ actually taught. For the Jewish parochialism, judgment meant that in the Kingdom of the Messiah the Gentiles would only be (1) completely annihilated, (2) merely punished and subjugated to the Jewish Messiah and His people; or (3) converted to Judaism. (Study the apocryphal apocalyptic literature of the intertestamental period to appreciate this.) But as we learn from the Gospel of the Messiah as it was ultimately proclaimed by Himself and His Apostles, the judgment declared to the Gentiles is of a far different character.
To the Gentiles: what a contrast to that Jewish exclusiveness that would keep Gentiles from ever getting real justice. By contrast, Isaiah had revealed that the Messiah alone is qualified by Gods Spirit to deal out true justice to the pagan nations. (See below on Mat. 12:21 and Notes on Mat. 8:11-12 and Mat. 10:18.) While it is possible to take Gentiles in the pejorative sense (cf. Mat. 18:17; Mat. 5:46-47 which link ethniks and telns, to mean the most godless unbelievers, perhaps we see the fiery judgments of the Messiah to be poured out upon the wicked. This is not too likely, since later in this same paragraph Isaiah speaks of Messiah as being the hope of these same pagans. (Mat. 12:21; cf. also Rom. 15:8-12)
3. His METHOD (12:19)
Mat. 12:19 He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets. Strive (erzo, Arndt-Gingrich, 309: quarrel, wrangle; cf. ris: strife, discord, contention) Like Master like servant. (2Ti. 2:24) Delitzsch (Isaiah, II, 175) summarizes the Messiahs approach:
Although he is certain of His divine call, and brings to the nations the highest and best, His manner of appearing is nevertheless quiet, gentle and humble; the very opposite of those lying teachers, who endeavored to exalt themselves by noisy demonstrations. He does not seek His own, therefore denies Himself; He brings what commends itself, therefore requires no forced trumpeting.
How characteristic of Jesus ministry that He got so much done without fanfare and rabble-rousing! His quiet success shames the many who seem to be doing a great deal (if we may judge from the noise they make), but yet produce so little, or even no results.
If we take seriously Jesus fulfilment of this part of Isaiahs prophecy, the figure of Jesus the Revolutionary as an indiscriminate destroyer of the Establishment is unpardonably misrepresentative of His program, deeply ignorant of His real intentions and manifestly false. Violence, the pulse-beat of the Zealots and the Assassins, was to play no role on the Messianic stage, except as in the plan of God the Messiah Himself should have justice snatched violently from Him as He gave His life a ransom for many. (Ironically, even if we admit the exclusive application of this prophecy to the Jewish nation, those Zealots for nationalistic Judaism of every age, who plotted incendiary revolution, stand condemned by this their own Scripture. For, according to those rabbis who see no Messiah in these words of Isaiah, Israel must conquer by meekness, never by agitation and violence! What shall we say more of lightning war, heavy armaments and astute diplomacy rather than total dependence upon the leadership of the anointing Spirit?)
4. His GENTLENESS (12:20a)
Mat. 12:20 a A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench. Bruised (suntetrimminon, Arndt-Gingrich, 801: shatter, smash, crush, break, acquires the meaning of bent or bruised when used in reference to anything the strength and usefulness of which depends upon its being straight, as in our case a cane reed,) Reed (klamos, Arndt-Gingrich, 399: reed; staLk. staff; measuring rod; reed pen) In what character are we to see this symbolic reed?
1.
As a simple cane growing wild along the riverbank? (Cf. Mat. 11:7; Luk. 7:24) If so, how would that attract the attention and interest of the Messiah? Is the emphasis here on the common people whose very commonness could normally be expected to lay no claim on the Messiahs attention, and yet He would really care?
2.
As a staff with which one walks? It is not difficult to see that, once the fiber walls of the cane are bruised, crushed or broken, the staff becomes useless to the one who used it as his support while walking. Is there a sense in which God had been depending upon Israel, but who in the times of the Messiah would be practically useless to Him?
3.
As a measuring rod (remember Rev. 11:1; Rev. 21:15 f. in Greek)? Is the sense of this symbol to be based upon the normative character of Israel as the people of the Law of Jehovah, now not only badly broken but hideously distorting their witness to God before the world? This idea is roughly parallel to the smoking flax seen as a smoldering lamp.
4.
As a reed pen (Cf. 3Jn. 1:13; Psa. 44:2 LXX), the point of which has been crushed or, at least, bruised beyond the point where it can any longer be used as a writing instrument?
Perhaps the solution is not so much to be found in precisely determining which use of the word best describes the service to the owner, as in the recognition that the main feature of all uses is its instrumentality in his hands. Further, it is very likely that the bruised reed and the smoking flax will be parallel ideas. Lnon tufmenon may be flax or linen or something made of them. Here the application is to a lamp-wick that is smoldering. (Arndt-Gingrich, 476) These metaphors vividly describe the unfortunate, down-trodden, suffering humanity in contrast to the proud, self-sufficient, self-serving great of earth who have no need of God. Ironically, it has always been the bruised reeds, those who confess themselves no better than a smoking flax that have really turned to Jesus for help, confiding their trust in Him, leading them to admit their failure and seek His transforming power. Those who view themselves as the brilliant, the powerful, the wise, beautiful people have very little motive to come to Jesus for help. (See on Mat. 9:9-13)
Morgans (Matthew, 128) insistence, that Jesus must be talking only about sinners who deserve judgment but from whom Jesus restrains immediate, inexorable justice or punishment, instead of referring to imperfect humanity in general, is pointless, since there is no fundamental difference between the two. Any admission of imperfection on our part is sufficient to damn us, since absolute perfection is the standard. (Mat. 5:48) This prophetic text promises that the Messiah will deal gently and mercifully with this inadequacy and failure of any man in whom the light of faith burns low and who is broken, unable to stand erect for whatever reason. As the King, Israel might have expected Him to dispense with or dispose of all that was imperfect in the land, leaving only a race of moral supermen surrounding Him. But not Jesus. His mercy will not hear to treading down anyone or trampling upon the slightest evidence of faith in any individual, however imperfectly he expresses it. This verse marks the moral chasm that separates Jesus Christ from the rest of us self-interested sinners. We are ready to leap on the bandwagon of the strong, the successful, the prosperous, whereas Jesus attention was directed to the weak, the failures, the no-accounts. We are embarrassed by the presence of the relatively unfit for our noble company, but it is by this very group that the Messiahs great heart was stirred to do something about their condition. (See on Mat. 9:35-38) And, greater still, He would not break even a bruised Phariseen reed nor quench a smoking Sadducean wick! He did not make use of the world-shaking power available to Him at His immediate call, in order to destroy the opposition. Even late in His ministry He was still trying to bring about that stupendous miracle of miracles: the conversion of Pharisees!
5. His RESULTS (12:20b)
At this point Matthews quoting becomes considerably freer and more intepretative in light of the fulfillment which he desires to indicate. While he may leave out two lines of a whole verse and translate rather freely part of another, it will be seen that he has lost none of the essential meaning. Whereas Matthew has unto victory (eis nkos), Isaiahs Hebrew text had in truth (leemeth, translated by LXX eis altheian) Our Evangelist apparently made this change for very good reasons:
1.
Emeth, or truth in Hebrew has several splendid nuances all of which enrich Isaiahs meaning: Permanency, durability, firmness, stability, perpetuity, security; truth. (Cf. Gesenius, 63; Bagster, 19; Scerbo, 15) Any or all of these terms picture a Messiah whose zeal will not be extinguished, nor will anything break His strength, till He shall have succeeded in establishing justice so permanently, so truly that nothing else can disturb or hinder or change it. That, says Matthew, is nothing short of total victory! (Contrast Hab. 1:4; Isa. 59:9-14; Isa. 5:7)
2.
Another of Matthews reasons may have been that the first part of Isa. 42:4 contains a Hebrew word-play, which, while translatable into Greek, can also be summarized simply by the word victory.
a.
The Hebrew puns have obvious relation to what was earlier affirmed of the Messiah: He will not burn dimly nor be bruised, which means: He will succeed.
b.
Another evidence that Matthew is simply telescoping Isaiahs two verses (Isa. 42:3 b, Isa. 42:4) into one is the fact that he begins his citation of Isa. 42:3 b (or Mat. 12:20 b) with till (hs n) whereas Isaiah had no conjunction whatever and the LXX inserts but (all). The word till obviously comes from Isa. 42:4 b where it introduces a clause similar in meaning to Isa. 42:3, and correctly summarizes the meaning of the intervening material.
3.
Matthews free quoting of the Hebrew text should pose no obstacle, since as Edersheim (Life, I, 206) has pointed out, the common practice of the day was to give an interpretative quotation. The distinct difference between Matthew and the rabbis, of course, consists in the divine authority which he brings to these interpretations by virtue of his own inspiration as Christs Apostle.
4.
In the ultimate analysis, what is the difference between truth as a concept, and victory, meaning success or results? If apprehension of reality be the only truly functional view of the universe, then only what recognizes that truth, or reality, can succeed. The ultimate pragmatism can be based only upon ultimate truth. Temporary victories based upon limited reality can never claim finality, for only total truth, or complete reality, can prevail, because this is just the way things really are. Or, to put it another way, only that can succeed which abides by Gods rules.
Unto victory, applied to the Messiahs work in context with the murderous hate of the Pharisees, tolls the death knell for every form of opposition that dares rear its head against Gods Anointed Servant!
6. His UNIVERSALITY (12:21)
Mat. 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles hope. Comparison with Isaiahs original reveals that Matthew has omitted the first two lines of Isa. 42:4 : He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth. As suggested above, he probably intended to synthesize the meaning of the two verses into one, thus shortening the quotation without losing any of its essential meaning. Isaiah had also written: And the isles shall wait for his law, (Isa. 42:4 c), whereas the LXX translates, with only one minor variant, exactly as Matthew has it: And upon his name shall the Gentiles hope. What was the link that the LXX translators and Matthew see between the Messiahs law and His name?
1.
The Messiahs Torah (his law) is the revelation He brings to the nations.
2.
His name is not merely some personal name, but, as in the case with the various names of God, is a special term expressing some grand revelation about Himself. The name suggests all that the Messiah will be. Consequently, the Gentiles will find hope in all that His name reveals about His office, His doctrine, His standards, etc.
Gentiles: see also Isa. 42:6-7 where the description continues of Messiahs personality and work for the people and the nations. The complete fulfilment of this prophecy regarding a ministry to the Gentiles was not realized until some time after Jesus earthly ministry was terminated by His ascension. Nevertheless, as explained at Matthew 10, the work of the Apostles, and of the Church born of their preaching, is simply the extension of the ministry of Christ in the world, especially among the Gentiles. But Jesus was not insensitive to the problems or faith of pagans even during His earthly work. Matthew has already touched very gently upon the Messiahs universality that ignores racial barriers. Besides inserting the names of at least three Gentiles into Jesus genealogy, he recorded the visit of the presumably Gentile Magi (Mat. 2:1-12), documented Jesus interest in Galilee of the Gentiles (Mat. 4:12-17), examined His cure of the Roman centurions slave (Mat. 8:5-13) and described the disciples later witness as to be before Gentiles (Mat. 10:18). Is there any hint, however, that among the crowds that assembled around Jesus from Idumea, beyond the Jordan, Tyre, Sidon and Syria, were any Gentiles present in significant numbers? (Cf. Mat. 4:24-25; Mar. 3:7)
In his name shall the Gentiles hope. Is this to be construed as evidence of a world-wide expectation, anticipating the coming of Christ to the Gentile world? Does Isaiah mean to suggest that the pagans would long for the birth of Jesus?
1.
Taken subjectively, probably not, since many turned their backs upon Him when He did appear, and many flatly rejected the Gospel of a crucified Savior preached by His emissaries. (1Co. 1:18 ff.) The world would certainly be longing for something or someone who could fill the vast moral void and bring light to the intellectual darkness of their hopeless existence. That is, having scoured the earth for answers to their deepest problems, the Gentiles would collapse in hopelessness because of the apparent futility of living even another day. Yet, because they do manage to suffer another day, they sense the blind hope arising in them that there must be some sense to life, despite all the madness that surrounds them. But where is it to be found? It is into this spiritual vacuum and desperation that Messiah will come with answers, life and joy, direction and spiritual power.
2.
Objectively, whether the pagans realized it or not, or whether the Jews wanted it or not, Christ was to be the hope of the world!
FACT QUESTIONS
1.
Why did Jesus retreat before those who began to declare themselves openly as His enemies?
2.
Show how Jesus ministry was a complete fulfilment of the prophecy cited in this section. Identify the prophecy and show its meaning.
3.
Explain how Jesus ministry fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would bless the Gentiles, even though, as a group, there were few Gentiles who ever really were contacted by Him personally. List all the specific incidents in which Jesus deliberately and personally helped Gentiles. Then list all the hints and overtones that indicate Jesus interest in the salvation of the Gentiles, as well as the Jews.
4.
Tell the meaning of the description of the Messiah: He shall not strive nor cry aloud; Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets. How was this fulfilled in the way Jesus carried on His work? Did Jesus ever defend Himself by exerting His supernatural strength?
5.
Explain the beautiful picture of Jesus, expressed under the figure of someone who would not break a bruised reed nor quench a smoking flax. Who or what is represented by the reed and the flax?
6.
What tactic did Jesus use when near the Sea of Galilee, in order to make possible better crowd control when they crowded Him too closely?
7.
Where did all the people come from? Of what significance is this fact in showing how Jesus began more fully to fulfil the prophecy of the Messiahs ministry to Gentiles?
8.
Trace in outline form the larger fulfilment of Isaiahs prophecy through the Christs ministry to the Gentiles by means of the Churchs evangelistic efforts after Pentecost.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(15) He withdrew himself from thence.The coalition of the two dominant parties led to a temporary retirement from Capernaum as the usual scene of His labours. In this matter He was setting forth in act, as an example, the rule which He had previously given as a precept (Mat. 10:23).
He healed them alli.e., all that had need of healing, and fulfilled its conditions.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And Jesus perceiving it withdrew from there, and many followed him, and he healed them all, and charged them that they should not make him known.’
Jesus, perceiving the attitude of the Pharisees, withdrew from that place. But the crowds continued to follow Him and He ‘healed them all’, in both body and spirit. Then He charged them not to make a great fuss about it. He did not want to arouse attention. He wanted His ministry to go forward quietly (compare Mat 12:19-20) benefiting those who sought Him, without drawing the attention of those who were not interested, and even antagonistic.
Note the way in which this introduction (which is possibly an abbreviation of Mar 3:7-12) thoroughly prepares for the quotation that follows. It summarises what has preceded it, describes the new change of direction that is coming, and outlines what will follow. The quotation from Isaiah, which comes after it, then also does the same demonstrating that what He is doing is in fulfilment of Scripture.
(Mat 12:1). Jesus withdraws from the Jews of the area. This continues Jesus’ estrangement from the Jews, which as we have seen has been emphasised, which will eventually lead towards His later Gentile ministry, a ministry now being prepared for in the quotation. See Mat 12:18; Mat 12:21. The failure of the Jews to respond will result in His going out to the nations (see below). (Mat 12:2). Many ‘follow’ Him because He is the successful Servant of YHWH (Mat 12:20). The lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mat 9:36; Mat 10:6) are gathering to Him. (Mat 12:3). He heals all who come to Him because as the Servant (Mat 12:18) He is the One Who bears their afflictions and carries their diseases (Mat 8:17). The ‘all’ indicates that even those who do not need bodily healing, find healing in Jesus (Mat 9:12). (Mat 12:4). But He desires no publicity, for His ministry is to be quietly conducted, as in the quotation in Mat 12:19. He has come for those whom His Father has given Him (Joh 6:37; Joh 10:29).
And as we have seen above what now follows looks back to the beginning of His ministry, outlines His present ministry, and then looks forward to what lies ahead, especially His movement to preaching in Gentile territories.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
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 Mat 11:1 to Mat 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 (Mat 8:17; Mat 20:28).
Thus, having demonstrated the Satanic influence on Israel (Mat 12:22-32; Mat 12:43-45), and having further condemned Israel’s unreceptiveness (Mat 12:41-42), and having rejected all human relationships in favour of those with the new people of God (Mat 12:46-50), He will reveal in parables a ministry that is to reach to the whole world (Mat 13:32; Mat 13:38; Mat 13:48-49) because Israel has refused to see and hear (Mat 13:14-15) as prophesied by Isaiah. Rejected even by His own home town (Mat 13:53-58), and in order to escape Herod (Mat 14:1-13), He goes into the wilderness (compare Mat 2:15; Mat 4:1-11) where He gathers together His new congregation and feeds them with bread from Heaven in a covenant meal (Mat 14:13-21), which foreshadows His final covenant meal (Mat 26:26-29). Then citing Isaiah, again by name, He draws attention to the unresponsiveness of Israel (Mat 15:8-9), and goes into Gentile territory, where He makes clear the terms on which He will offer mercy to the Gentiles (Mat 15:21-28). He continues on in Gentile territory and parallels there the previous feeding of His new congregation (Mat 15:29-39), 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 (Mat 16:13-20), and reveals His coming suffering at the hands of the Jews (Mat 16:21). This is then followed by the manifestation of His glory on Gentile territory (Mat 17:1-8).
Returning to Galilee it is only in order to stress His coming death and resurrection (Mat 17:22-23) and His rejected kingship (Mat 17:24-27), before laying down the principles on which the new congregation is to operate (Mat 18:1 to Mat 19:1), and at this point He leaves Galilee for Jerusalem on His way to His death (Mat 20:17-18), where He will fulfil the Servant’s destiny (Mat 20:19-20). However, from now on His actions are no longer those of the Servant but of the King (Mat 21:5). Here He will symbolically cleanse the Temple, giving it its final opportunity (Mat 21:12-17), before declaring it cursed in His withering of the fig tree (Mat 21:18-22). Challenged by His enemies He reveals His sonship and the expectations that He has of what His destiny will be as the Son (Mat 21:33-39), before declaring what is to happen to those who rid themselves of Him (Mat 21:40-42). As a result the Kingly Rule is to be taken away from them and given to a new nation which will produce its fruits (Mat 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 (Mat 5:6; Mat 6:33; Mat 7:7-11; Mat 13:43; Mat 25:37; Mat 25:46) and forgiveness (Mat 6:12; Mat 9:6; Mat 18:21-35), the uniform of the Kingly Rule of Heaven. Only those who wear it will be safe at the judgment (Mat 25:31-46). They, like the Servant, are the chosen (Mat 22:14), who will be gathered to Him in the final day (Mat 24:31).
He is tested by His enemies (Mat 22:15-33) before declaring the foundation principles of the new community (Mat 22:34-40) and His own great superiority to David as David’s LORD (Mat 22:41-46). Then He declares the final judgment of God on the Scribes and Pharisees (Mat 12:23) and on Jerusalem (Mat 12:24-25) 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; Mat 10:20; Mat 10:29; Mat 10:33; Mat 11:25-28), and of the Son (Mat 3:17; Mat 11:25-28; Mat 17:5; Mat 21:37; Mat 22:2) and of the Holy Spirit (Mat 3:11; Mat 10:20; Mat 12:28-31). They will thus enjoy all the blessing brought by the King and Servant (Mat 28:18-20). ‘In His Name will the Gentiles hope’ (Mat 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 Mat 3:3 to Mat 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 (Mat 3:3); then as the light Who has shone from darkness resulting in the coming King of Isa 9:6-7 (Mat 4:14-16) ; then as the Servant of YHWH Who has come bearing their afflictions and carrying their sicknesses (Mat 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 Mat 15:7-9; Mat 20:28.
This quotation from Isaiah is widely reflected in the wider context. For ‘Behold My Servant Whom I have chosen, My beloved’ see Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5. For ‘in Whom My soul is well pleased’, see Mat 3:17; Mat 11:26. For ‘I will put My Spirit upon Him’ see Mat 3:11; Mat 3:16; Mat 12:28. For ‘He will declare judgment (righteous truth) to the nations’ see Mat 8:11; Mat 21:43; Mat 22:9-10; Mat 24:14; Mat 28:19; also potentially in Mat 11:21; Mat 12:41-42. For ‘He will not strive, nor cry aloud, nor will any one hear His voice in the streets’ see Mat 6:5; Mat 11:16; Mat 12:16. For ‘a bruised reed will He not break’ see Mat 11:7; for ‘smoking flax will He not quench’ see Mat 11:28-30. For ‘until He sends forth judgment (righteous truth) unto victory’ see Mat 13:30; Mat 13:41-43; Mat 19:28; Mat 24:30-31; Mat 25:31-46; Mat 26:64; Mat 28:18-20. For ‘and in His name will the nations hope’ see Mat 2:1-2; Mat 8:11; Mat 13:32; Mat 15:27; Mat 15:31; Mat 24:14; Mat 28:19.
The quotation is mainly based on Isa 42:1-4, 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 Isa 43:10 or Isa 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 Isa 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 Mat 3:17. In line 7 Matthew translates as ‘declare’ instead of ‘bring forth’, possibly, on the basis of Isa 12:4; Isa 42:9; Isa 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 Isa 25:8 as cited by Paul (1Co 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 Isa 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 Isa 12:4 where we have ‘call upon His Name’ (note how Mat 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 Rom 3:10-18, and Mark incorporates two citations into one in Mar 1:2-3, 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 Mat 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 Mat 12:15-21 .
a
b And many followed Him, and He healed them all (Mat 12:15 b).
c And He charged them that they should not make Him known (Mat 12:16).
d That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “Behold, My servant whom I have chosen” (Mat 12:18 a).
e My beloved in whom My soul is well pleased (Mat 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 (Mat 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 (Mat 12:20).
a And in His name will the nations hope (Mat 12:21).
.
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 (Isa 42:6; Isa 49:6). Centrally in ‘e’ attention is focused on the Beloved in Whom God is well pleased.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy Regarding Man’s Response to the Kingdom of God When Jesus knew of the plans of the Jews to kill Him, He withdrew Himself in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Mat 12:15-21). The response of Jesus Christ to persecutions by withdrawing Himself and continuing His public ministry to the people rather than opposing the Jewish leaders is a fulfillment of Isa 42:1-4. The importance of this passage lies in the fact that this prophecy establishes the theme of narrative material found in Mat 11:2 to Mat 13:52 on man’s response to the Kingdom of God. This passage explains why Jesus did not try to make Himself known, but told many people whom He healed to not make Him known. The fulfillment of the prophecy of Isa 42:1-4 here says that Jesus will not quarrel and cause strife. So, here He withdraws from the Pharisees. He is not trying to have a loud, boisterous ministry. He will encourage and heal the weak as prophesied in verse 20 of this passage. So, He healed all of the sick and feeble. In the end, Jesus will fulfill the prophecy of justice and judgment. Ironically, the one released by the people at Jesus’ trial, Barabbas, had stirred up a rebellion and a revolution to the point of committing murder. Jesus, who was crucified, and thus showing the injustice of the people, had not strived like Barabbas, but conducted a peaceful ministry.
Mat 12:15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
Mat 12:15
Jesus withdrew from a hostile, negative environment on numerous occasions. He first withdrew from Judea into Galilee when John the Baptist was cast into prison (Mat 4:12). The people in His hometown of Nazareth tried to kill Him, and He supernaturally passed through the crowd, and moved His residence to Capernaum (Luk 4:30-31). He passed through hostile crowds miraculously on a number of other occasions (Joh 8:59; Joh 10:39). The people of the country of the Gergesenes asked Him to depart, and He did so (Mat 8:34 to Mat 9:1). He was persecuted while in Galilee and withdrew Himself (Mat 12:14-15). He hid himself several times from those who were hostile (Joh 5:13; Joh 12:36). He stopped His public ministry in Judea because the Jewish leaders sought to kill Him (Joh 7:1). Jesus once escaped across the Jordan River because of persecution (Joh 10:39-40). At one point Jesus stopped His public ministry and withdrew Himself into the wilderness (Joh 11:53-54). Jesus taught His disciples to do the same (Mat 10:23).
Mat 4:12, “Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;”
Luk 4:30-31, “But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.”
Joh 8:59, “Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”
Joh 10:39, “Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,”
Mat 8:34 to Mat 9:1, “And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.”
Mat 12:14-15, “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;”
Joh 5:13, “And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.”
Joh 12:36, “While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.”
Joh 7:1, “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.”
Joh 10:39-40, “Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.”
Joh 11:53-54, “Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.”
Mat 10:23, “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.”
Each time Jesus saved His own life, He knew that His time was not yet, and so He deliberately avoided being killed (Joh 7:30; Joh 8:20); for this power was in His hand and no man could take His life. However, when His time had come, He willingly gave Himself over into the hands of man (Joh 10:17-18).
Joh 7:30, “Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.”
Joh 8:20, “These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.”
Joh 10:17-18, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
Mat 12:15 Comments Testimonies of Jesus’ Extesive Public Healing Ministry – Jesus Christ ministered healing to the multitudes throughout His earthly ministry, as each narrative section of Matthew’s Gospel testifies. Jesus began His public by healing the sick in the first (Mat 4:23) and second (Mat 8:1 to Mat 9:38) narrative sections, and Matthew records similar accounts during His travels in the third (Mat 12:15), fourth (Mat 15:29-30), and fifth (Mat 19:2) narrative sections.
Mat 4:23, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”
Mat 12:15, “But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;”
Mat 15:29-30, “And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:”
Mat 19:2, “And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.”
The ten miracles recorded in Matthew 8-9 demonstrated the manner in which Jesus healed as a way of training His disciples to go forth in the next chapter to do the same. Each miracle that Jesus performed followed the pattern of healing recorded in Matthew 8-9. In other words, these healing were not strickly a divine work without the involvedment of man’s will to receive. The healing of the multitudes that Jesus performed followed the same distinct principles of healing time and again that Jesus demonstrated to His disciples in Matthew 8-9. Matthew simply chose ten distinct miracles in order to prepare the New Testament church to follow in the same footsteps and training as the Twelve.
Mat 12:16 And charged them that they should not make him known:
Mat 12:17-21
Isa 42:1-4, “ Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth . He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law .”
Matthew appears to quote from the LXX rather than the Hebrew text; for the Hebrew text of Isa 42:4 uses the word “isles,” while Mat 12:2 uses the word “Gentiles,” which is used in the LXX.
Brenton’s English Translation of Isa 42:1-4 in the Septuagint, “ Jacob is my servant, I will help him: Israel is my chosen, my soul has accepted him; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up [his voice], nor shall his voice be heard without. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench; but he shall bring forth judgment to truth . He shall shine out, and shall not be discouraged, until he have set judgment on the earth: and in his name shall the Gentiles trust .”
In addition, Matthew’s quote is slightly shorter than the LXX or the Hebrew text. Therefore, Kahle believes that Matthew quoted from an ancient translation of the LXX which differs from the Christian LXX that we know of today. [457]
[457] F. F. Bruce, The Books and the Parchments (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1963), 154.
Mat 12:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Mat 12:17
[458] A tenth Matthean formula can be found in Matthew 27:35 in the KJV. However, the rules of modern textual criticism require the omission this phrase from the UBS 4 because it is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts. Thus, only nine formulae will be considered in this commentary.
Mat 12:18 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 shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
Mat 12:19 Mat 12:20 Mat 12:20
“‘Here, O God, is a fallen being. Sin is the violation of Your law. This sinner has presumed upon Your government and has touched the flaming sword (Gen 3:24) with impious hands; he has dared vengeance, trifled with Your will, and contended with eternal and irrevocable justice. He has fallen. He lies bruised, mangles, and dying. Yet, Ol God, You have created him an immortal being. His is intellectual and therefore accountable. He is spiritual, and because of sin he lies on the verge of a bottomless abyss, where, if he falls, he will feel immortal pangs and dwell in unremitting woe. The reed is bruised, but not entirely broken; the flickering blaze of the smoking flax, though expiring, still exists . (Isa 42:3) Mercy is my name. Mercy is an attribute of Your throne. To You, O God, belong Justice and Mercy. Let Your love descend, O Eternal One! And you, Justice, spare this fallen being! Spare him, though he has sinned and has traded his eternal good for a morsel!’ (Heb 12:16-17)” [459]
[459] Marietta Davis, Caught Up Into Heaven (New Kensington, Pennsylvania: Whitaker House, 1982), 110-1.
She says the phrase “a bruised reed He will not break” means that He will not harm the helpless and “the smoking flax He will not quench” means that He will not extinguish the life or hope of man. Mat 12:20 implies that Jesus Christ will come to man who is at the edge of his own destruction, weak and unable to help himself, and in His mercy He will rescue him. Jesus did not turn down anyone who came to him with a need. He welcomed all of suffering humanity.
Mat 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
Jesus retires:
v. 15. But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence; and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all,
v. 16. and charged them that they should not make Him known,
v. 17. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
v. 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 shall show judgment to the Gentiles.
v. 19. He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.
v. 20. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory.
v. 21. And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.
The hour of Jesus had not yet come in which He would be delivered into the hands of His enemies, so He left the city in which He had had the encounter with the Pharisees. The spell of His personality and of His words was still upon the people, who followed Him in crowds. And His Savior sympathy went out to them in the same miraculous manifestations, in works of healing. But more than ever He disliked and discouraged publicity, since it was bound to do harm to His work at this stage. He therefore begged them with an almost threatening attitude not to reveal Him. He wanted to perform His ministry, for the present, almost in concealment. And herein was the prophecy Isa 42:1-4 fulfilled. The servant of Jehovah is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who, according to His human nature, had received the Spirit of God at His baptism, who, at the same time, had been acknowledged as the Son of God, whose Gospel-message was to be the light of the Gentiles till the ends of the earth. His spirit would be neither that of contention nor of blatant self-advertising after the manner of preachers that bring their names to the front, but forget the Gospel they were sent to preach. So gentle, sympathetic, and kind would His spiritual ministry be that those that are weak, whose faith was at the point of extinction, could depend upon His help. The bruised reed is carefully bound up until the contusion is healed; the weak Christian receives strength from above. The lamp of faith which is at the point of expiring will receive fresh oil from the Gospel. By this manner of working in and through the Gospel the Messiah will lead His Gospel to victory over all the forces of Satan and man’s pride, and the Gentiles themselves, at present still far from the testimonies of promise, will learn to trust in His name. A short, but comprehensive statement concerning the Messianic work of Christ, the miracles of His prophetic office.
Mat 12:15. But when Jesus knew it But Jesus knowing it withdrew.
Mat 12:15 ff. Mat 12:17-21 are peculiar to Matthew.
] all the sick who were among the multitudes. Indefinite expression. On the condensed style of Matthew , 15 f., comp. Mar 3:7 ff.; Luk 6:17 ff.
Mat 12:16 . He gave them strict injunctions , in order that, and so on (Mat 16:20 , Mat 20:31 ); for He did not wish, by creating too great a sensation, to provoke His enemies to proceed to extremities before the time. Comp. on Mat 8:4 .
Mat 12:17 . This . was designed, in accordance with the divine order in history, to fulfil the prophecy that the Messiah was to act without anything like ostentatious display in His proceedings. On the silent majesty of Jesus, comp. Dorner, Jesu sndlose Vollkommenh . p. 28 ff.
2. Royal administration of Christ among the people in His retirement. Mat 12:15-21
15But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself11 from thence: and great multitudes16[many]12 followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known: 17That it might be fulfilled13 which was spoken by Esaias 18[Isaiah] the prophet, saying, Behold my servant [son],14 whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall shew [announce] judgment to the Gentiles. 19He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21And in his name15 shall the Gentiles trust (Isa 42:1-3).
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
General Survey.The reference of the Evangelist in this section to the more private activity of the Lord, applies to the whole period of His retirement from the persecutions of the Jewish hierarchy. It commenced at the festival of Purim, in 782, and closed with His public appearance on leaving the wilderness of Ephraim, before the Passover of 783. In the interval, He enjoyed only temporary seasons of rest, especially in Pera. The following took place during this period: (1) The return over the Sea of Galilee to Gaulonitis, on the occasion of His coming to Galilee from the festival of Purim, when he was informed of the execution of John the Baptist ( Matthew 14); (2) a quiet journey through the country during the Easter festival, extending probably as far as Bethany, and return to Galilee (chs. 12 and 13); (3) a journey from Galilee, through the territory of Tyre and Sidon, and the northern highlands, to the eastern and western shores of the Lake of Gennesareth ( Matthew 15); (4) the return from Magdala, and over the lake, to the eastern mountains: (5) a secret journey through Galilee and the country, terminating in His sudden appearance at Jerusalem, at the Feast of Tabernacles, in the year 782 ( Matthew 16; Mat 17:1-21); (6) the last appearance of Jesus at Capernaum, and journey to Pera through the country lying between Samaria and Galilee; (7) the first stay of Jesus in Pera, and going up to Jerusalem to the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple; (8) the second stay in Pera, and going to Bethany to raise Lazarus; (9) the retirement of Jesus to the wilderness of Ephraim, under the ban of the Sanhedrim, till the last Easter festival. The statement of the Evangelist refers more particularly to this period, although it applies, in general, to the whole life of Jesus.
Mat 12:15. He healed them all.By healing their sick, He restored the people generally. Living connection between the healthy and the diseased.
Mat 12:16. And charged them.This does not refer to their keeping the place of His residence secret, but to the duty of reserve in publishing His deeds and dignity as the Messiah. He was desirous of arresting for a time an open rupture between His carnal followers and His enemies.
Mat 12:17. In order that () it might be fulfilled, Isa 42:1.Freely quoted from the original Hebrew. The expression, , servant of Jehovah, in the second portion of the prophecies of Isaiah, must refer to the Messiah. As the idea of a personal Messiah had been clearly expressed in the first portion of these prophecies, the hermeneutical rule here applies, that a biblical doctrine can never pass from a definite to a more indefinite form. The interpretation of the Sept., applying the term to Jacob and Israel, only shows the peculiar Alexandrian tendencies of the translators. Possibly they may have been misled by the expression in Isa 8:14, although even there the terms, Jacob and Israel, should be taken in an ideal rather than a literal sense. The Chaldee Paraphrast and Kimchi apply the passage to the Messiah (comp. Isa 11:1 sqq.). The prophecy reads as follows: Behold My servant, whom I establish (place firmly); Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth: I have put My Spirit upon Him; judgment to the nations (Gentiles) shall He bring. He shall not cry, nor be loud (lift up the voice, strain) and He shall not cause His voice to be heard outside (in the street, outside the camp). A bruised reed shall He not break, and the dimly-burning flax shall He not quench: according to truth (unto truth) shall He manifest (bring forth, complete) judgment. He shall not keep back (being wearied) nor (prematurely) break through (, transitive), till He have planted judgment on the earth: and the isles (the uttermost ends of the earth) shall wait for His law.This prophecy, then, is a verbal prediction in the strictest sense.16
Mat 12:18. Judgment.Decisive final judgment, Joh 3:36.To the Gentiles.The multitudes which follow the Lord, in disregard of the condemnation of the Pharisees, were an emblem of the Gentiles. [Alford: In these words the majesty of His future glory as the Judge is contrasted with the meekness to be spoken of: And yet He shall not bruise.P. S.]
Mat 12:20. A bruised reed and smoking flax.An emblem of the people bowed and broken under the load of traditionalism.17 The poor people (or, in general, the poor in spirit, are not to inherit death, despair, and perdition in judgment, but) are to receive from the Lord, both spiritually and physically, a new life.
Till He send forth judgment unto victory [ , exire jusserit, cause it to issue in victory, so that no further conflict will remain].An abbreviation and paraphrase of Isa 42:3 (, etc.) and 4 (, etc.). The judgment is to be transformed into a victory of truth, or into an absolute victory. This was implied in the expressions used by the prophet, but is brought out more distinctly in the text of the Evangelist. The word (comp. Mat 9:38) indicates great power, overcoming all resistance.
Mat 12:21. In His name.In the original, . The Sept. renders it as in Matthew, substituting name for law.18 The name of the Messiah implies the principle, the summary of His doctrine. Meyer: The Gentiles will trust, on the ground of what His name as the Messiah implies. This view is supported by the use of the dative, .
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. The breach between the Messiah and His people widens. The King is rejected, and His sufferings approach a crisis. This implied, at the same time, a breach between the enemies and the adherents of Jesus in Israel, which in turn typified that which would ensue between unbelieving Israel and the believing Gentiles. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Christs retirement from His enemies a solemn sign,1. not of fear or weakness; but, 2. of power, of wisdom, of compassion, and of judgment.The Lord can never want a Church.Jesus; or, perfect patience amid an impatient world.The patience and meekness of Jesus as predicted by the prophets.Christ the Elect of God.Christ the Root of the elect.Patience, endurance, and perseverance, the evidence of election.The Elect the servant of God.Gods beloved Son His perfect Servant. 1. As Servant, the Redeemer of the world; 2. as Son, the ground and object of the worlds redemption.Christ the true Friend of the people.Jesus the Saviour of nations.The patience and meekness of Christ overcoming the world.
Starke:Quesnel: It is good sometimes to remain concealed with Christ, whether it be from humility or from necessity.Jesus Christ above all the Servant of God, and alone worthy to serve Him.Oh, how lovable is meekness in the servants of Christ! He who loves strife and debate cannot be His.Zeisius: Christ in the form of a servant, Php 2:7-8.Let our courage never fail, truth must prevail.Christ the hope, not only of Israel, but of the Gentiles.
Gossner:It is characteristic of the Lord that He quietly proceeded on His way and accomplished His work without noise and commotion. Many seem to do a great deal and yet accomplish nothing.If we hold a smoking flax to the fire, it is easily kindled again.
Heubner:Where there is even a germ of good, there is still hope.The bruised reed: a soul bowed down under a sense of sin.Smoking flax: a soul in which a spark of the Divine life is still left.
Footnotes:
[11] Mat 12:15.[. : Jesus knowing it, i.e. (as Lange inserts in the text in small type), that they sought to destroy His life, withdrew Himself.P. S.]
[12] Mat 12:15.Lachmann, on the authority of Cod. B. and the Latin Vulgate, omits . The omission was probably exegetical, to avoid the appearance of exaggeration in what follows. [Cod. Sinait. sustains Lachmann and, like the Vatican Cod., in Mais and in Buttmanns edition, reads simply .P. S.]
[13] Mat 12:17.[This is the proper transl. of (or ) . Not: and thus was fulfilled, as Webster and Wilkinson in loc. explain, which is superficial and ungrammatical. is not to be taken , but ; it signifies not simply the result, but the divine purpose and aim. Comp. Meyer on Mat 1:23, and Lange in the Exeg. note on Mat 12:17P. S.]
[14] Mat 12:18.The Lord (as also the Sept. in the passage alluded to, Isa 42:1) uses the word , not the more usual , for the Hebrew , a significant change, which Dr. Lange overlooks, as he translates: mein Knecht. See Exeg. note on Mat 12:17, etc.P. S.]
[15] Mat 12:21.[Text. rec.: . But Lachmann, Tischendorf, Alford, Wordsworth, etc., omit , on the best critical authorities. Meyer: is an addition, as also in Euseb. and some minuscule MSS. This is the only case in the N. T. where is constructed with the simple dative, although it is good Greek (comp. Thucyd iii. 97) and signifies the cause and object of hope. Elsewhere, as in the LXX, the verb is constructed with , , or .P. S.]
[16][Dr. Wordsworth calls this quotation, Mat 12:17-21, a remarkable specimen of the manner in which the Holy Spirit, speaking by the evangelists, deals with the prophecies of the Old Test. in order to interpret them. (or ) , is the form used by the evangelists when this process of divine exposition is performed. It is the title of an evangelical targum or paraphrase. For the Hebrew , my servant, the Lord does not say , my servant (as the Septuagint usually translates, though not in this passage), but , which admits of a double sense, servant and son (comp. Act 3:13; Act 3:26; Act 4:27; Act 4:30), and suggests the union of the obedience of the servant and the dearness of the son in the person of Christ. In a similar way Wordsworth explains the other modifications of the words of the prophecy here quoted.P. S.]
[17][A proverbial expression for. He will not crush the contrite heart, nor extinguish the slightest spark of repentant feeling in the sinner. Alford.P. S.]
[18][The LXX renders: , Matthew, according to the true reading: , without preposition. Both followed another Hebrew reading: for .P. S.]
15 But when Jesus knew it , he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
Ver. 15. Great multitudes followed him ] Maugre the malice of earth and hell. They lose their labour that seek to quell Christ, and subvert his kingdom: “Yet have I set my king upon mine holy hill of Sion,”Psa 2:6Psa 2:6 ; “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence,” Mat 11:12 . Or (as Melancthon rendereth that text), Vi erumpit, procedit, enititur: vi scilicet spirituali, ut sol enititur per nubes: ergo irriti hostium conatus. It bursts through all, .
15 21. ] Peculiar in this form to Matthew . See Mar 3:7-12 .Luk 6:17-19Luk 6:17-19 .
15. ] : see similar expressions, ch. Mat 19:2 : Luk 6:19 ; i.e. ‘ all who wanted healing .’
Mat 12:15-21 . Jesus retires; prophetic portraiture of His character . Mat 12:15-16 are abridged from Mar 3:7-12 , which contains an account of an extensive healing ministry. The sequel of the Sabbatic encounter is very vague. The one fact outstanding and noteworthy is the withdrawal of Jesus, conscious of having given deep offence, but anxious to avoid tragic consequences for the present. It is to that fact mainly that the evangelist attaches his fair picture of Jesus, in prophetic language. It is happily brought in here, where it gains by the contrast between the real Jesus and Jesus as conceived by the Pharisees, a miscreant deserving to die. It is not necessary to suppose that the historical basis of the picture is to be found exclusively in Mat 12:15-16 , all the more that the statement they contain is but a meagre reproduction of Mar 3:7-12 , omitting some valuable material, e.g. , the demoniac cry: “Thou art the Son of God”. The historic features answering to the prophetic outline in the evangelist’s mind may be taken from the whole story of Christ’s public life as hitherto told, from the baptism onwards. Luke gives his picture of Jesus at the beginning (Mat 4:16-25 ) as a frontispiece, Matthew places his at the end of a considerable section of the story, at a critical turning point in the history, and he means the reader to look back over the whole for verification. Thus for the evangelist Mat 12:18 may point back to the baptism (Mat 3:13-17 ), when the voice from heaven called Jesus God’s beloved Son; Mat 12:19 to the teaching on the hill (Mat 12:5-7 ), when the voice of Jesus was heard not in the street but on the mountain top, remote from the crowd below; Mat 12:20 to the healing ministry among the sick, physically bruised reeds, poor suffering creatures in whom the flame of life burnt low; Mat 12:21 to such significant incidents as that of the centurion of Capernaum (Mat 8:5-13 ). Broad interpretation here seems best. Some features, e.g. , the reference to judgment, Mat 12:20 , second clause, are not to be pressed.
The quotation is a very free reproduction from the Hebrew, with occasional side glances at the Sept [73] It has been suggested that the evangelist drew neither from the Hebrew nor from the Sept [74] , but from a Chaldee Targum in use in his time (Lutteroth). It is certainly curious that he should have omitted Isa 42:4 , “He shall not fail nor be discouraged,” etc., a most important additional feature in the picture = Messiah shall not only not break the bruised reed, but He shall not be Himself a bruised reed, but shall bravely stand for truth and right till they at length triumph. Admirable historic materials to illustrate that prophetic trait are ready to our hand in Christ’s encounters with the Pharisees (Mat 9:1-17 , Mat 12:1-13 ). Either Matthew has followed a Targum, or been misled by the similarity of Isa 42:3-4 , or he means Mat 12:20 to bear a double reference, and read: He shall neither break nor be a bruised reed, nor allow to be quenched either in others or in Himself the feeble flame: a strong, brave, buoyant, ever-victorious hero, helper of the weak, Him self a stranger to weakness. (Mat 12:18 ), an Ionic form in use in Hellenistic Greek, here only in N. T., often in Sept [75] = . Hesychius under gives as equivalents , , , . . (Mat 12:19 ), late form for . Phrynichus, p. 337, condemns, as illiterate, use of instead of . On the words . Pricaeus remarks: “Sentio clamorem intelligi qui nota est animi commoti et effervescentis”. He cites examples from Seneca, Plutarch, Xenophon, etc. is late for . Verbs expressing organic acts or states have middle forms in the future ( vide Rutherford, New Phrynichus , pp. 138, 376 412). , Mat 12:20 , followed by subjunctive, with , as in classics, in a clause introduced by referring to a future contingency. , Mat 12:21 , dative after ; in Sept [76] , Isa 42:4 , with . This construction here only in N. T.
[73] Septuagint.
[74] Septuagint.
[75] Septuagint.
[76] Septuagint.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 12:15-21
15But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, 16and warned them not to tell who He was. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
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 shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19He will not quarrel, nor cry out;
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20A battered reed He will not break off,
And a smoldering wick He will not put out,
Until He leads justice to victory.
21And in His name the Gentiles will hope.”
Mat 12:15 “aware of this” It is difficult to ascertain the source of Jesus’ knowledge.
1. over heard
2. knew the human heart
3. informed by the Spirit
This question cannot be answered because of Jesus’ unique combination of the human and the divine (i.e., incarnation).
“and He healed them all” There is such power, compassion, and fulfilled OT prophecy expressed in this phrase. Jesus cared for people, all people. It must be remembered that physical healing, even exorcism, did not automatically involve spiritual restoration or salvation.
The verses that speak of Jesus’ healing ministry express the extent of it in different ways.
1. sometimes they say “all,” (cf. Mat 8:16; Mat 12:15; Luk 4:40; Act 10:38)
2. sometimes they say every “kind,” not every “one” (cf. Mat 4:23; Mat 9:23)
3. sometimes they say “many” not “all” (cf. Mar 1:34; Mar 3:10; Luk 7:21)
4. often they imply that He healed all (cf. Mat 14:14; Mat 15:30; Mat 19:2; Mat 21:14)
Mat 12:16 “and warned them not to tell who He was” This is related to the Messianic secret (esp. of Mark’s ospel). Jesus implored people not to share His miracles, but to share His message which was still in process. The gospel was not yet finished. This Messianic secret was a common theme of the Synoptics (cf. Mat 8:4; Mat 9:30; Mat 17:9; Mar 1:44; Mar 3:12; Mar 5:43; Mar 7:36; Mar 8:30; Mar 9:9; Luk 4:41; Luk 8:56; Luk 9:21). Jesus did not want to be known as just another itinerant healer!
Mat 12:17 “Isaiah the prophet” Mat 12:18-21 are a quote from Isa 42:1 ff. It does not exactly follow the Masoretic Hebrew text or the Greek Septuagint. It clearly showed Jesus’ Messianic consciousness.
Mat 12:18-21 This is a quote from Isa 42:1-4 (but not the LXX), which is the first of the “Servant Songs” of Isaiah.
Notice the characteristics of the Coming One which are being displayed in Jesus.
1. called
a. My (YHWH) Servant
b. whom I have chosen
c. My Beloved
d. in whom My (YHWH) Soul id well-pleased
2. YHWH’s Spirit upon Him
3. proclaim justice to the Gentiles
4. personal characteristics
a. will not quarrel
b. will not cry out
c. will not hear His voice in the streets
5. personal actions
a. will not break the battered reed
b. will not put out the smoldering wick
c. will lead justice to victory
d. in His name Gentiles will hope
Mat 12:18 “My Servant”This was a special honorific title (cf. Act 3:13) used of Moses, Joshua, and David in the OT. Because of the special poems in Isa 42:1-9; Isa 49:1-7; Isa 50:4-11; Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:12, called “the Servant Songs,” it took on Messianic connotations. This Messianic element climaxes in Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:12, the “Suffering Servant.” The Jews of Jesus’ day did not expect a suffering Messiah but a supernaturally empowered military Messiah. This explains why the Jewish leaders did not accept Jesus’ message (even John the Baptist did not understand, cf. Mat 11:3).
The Jews have always understood these Servant Songs to refer to the nation of Israel and this is surely true (cf. Isa 41:8; Isa 42:1; Isa 42:19; Isa 43:10; Isa 49:3-6). However these songs are individualized into one ideal righteous Israelite (cf. Isa 52:14 (LXX), 15 (LXX); Isa 53:1-12). Israel had failed (cf. Isa 42:19; Isa 53:8) in her world mission task (cf. Gen 12:3; Exo 19:5-6) because of continued violations of the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-28). Therefore, instead of blessing, all the world saw was the judgment of God. Therefore, YHWH Himself had to enact a new covenant focusing on His actions and faithfulness (cf. Eze 36:22-38).
“My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased” This phrase was also used at the baptism and the Transfiguration of Jesus (cf. Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5). The Father was pleased with the ministry of the Son. This title combines the royal emphasis of Psalms 2 and the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 40-53.
The use of “soul” to describe God is a metaphor to express that He is a living being (cf. Heb 10:38). This description of God in human terms is called anthropomorphism. See Special Topic at Mat 6:4.
“I will put My Spirit upon Him” Do you see the three persons of the Trinity (see Special Topic at Mat 3:17) in the quote from Isa 42:1?
Jesus and the Spirit have a combined theological relationship. See Special Topic following.
SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS AND THE SPIRIT
Mat 12:18; Mat 12:21 “He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. . .in His name the Gentiles will hope” The statement that the Kingdom was open to the Gentile believers was shocking to the Jews (cf. Isa 2:1-4; Isa 45:22; Isa 49:6; Isa 60:3; Isa 66:18; Isa 66:23; see Paul’s statement at Eph 2:11 to Eph 3:13).
Mat 12:19 “He will not quarrel, nor cry out” This described the manner of Jesus’ ministry before the governmental leaders of Palestine (cf. Isa 53:7) like Pilate and Herod.
Mat 12:20 “A battered reed He will not break off,
And a smoldering wick He will not put out,
Until He leads justice to victory” This could mean (1) Jesus treated sinners with gentleness or (2) Jesus’ kingdom looked so weak and small, yet it would fill the earth with joy (cf. Mat 13:31-32).
Mat 12:21 “in His name” See Special Topic at Mat 18:20.
“hope” This is surprisingly the only occurrence of the word “hope” in Matthew and even here it is in an OT quote from Isa 42:4. It does appear three times in Luke (cf. Luk 6:34; Luk 23:8; Luk 24:21). The word becomes an eschatological pointer in Paul’s writings, who uses it nineteen times.
SPECIAL TOPIC: HOPE
from thence = thence, as in Mat 12:9.
15-21.] Peculiar in this form to Matthew. See Mar 3:7-12. Luk 6:17-19.
Mat 12:15. , He departed This is especially referred to in Mat 12:19. Our Lord avoided noise.
the Testimony of Deeds of Mercy
Mat 12:15-23
A reed is not of much account. You may see hundreds of them encircling a stagnant pond and bending before the breeze. A bruised reed is still more worthless to the eye of the world. Yet the Master does not despise a bruised or broken reed. No, He bends over it and tries to restore its shape. He makes out of it a reed-organ for music, or the paper manufacturers weave it into paper on which are printed His messages.
Flax does not burn readily. It only smolders. The spark runs feebly up the fibers; and anything like a flame is impossible. Such is our poor love. It sometimes seems but a spark. Yet Jesus does not despise it. So far from quenching it, He breathes on it, places it in the oxygen of His love, and screens it from the wind that would extinguish it.
How gentle, quiet and unobtrusive is our Masters behavior! He is so frugal of His resources, so careful that nothing be wasted, so eager to make the most of us. And it is out of such materials that He makes His ever-victorious army.
he withdrew: Mat 10:23, Luk 6:12, Joh 7:1, Joh 10:40-42, Joh 11:54
great: Mat 4:24, Mat 4:25, Mat 19:2, Mar 3:7-12, Mar 6:56, Luk 6:17-19, Joh 9:4, Gal 6:9, 1Pe 2:21
Reciprocal: Mat 8:1 – great Mat 14:13 – General Mar 3:10 – he had Luk 6:11 – communed Joh 6:2 – General Act 10:38 – who
2:15
Jesus always knew what was going on and prevented the wicked designs of the Pharisees by leaving the scene. He was not intimidated from continuing his good works, for when the multitudes followed him he healed all that were afflicted.
Mat 12:15. Withdrew. Not from fear, but to carry out His ministry without interruption from these plotters.
Many. Multitudes is to be omitted. It is evident that our Lord did not wish to avoid the people.
He healed them all, i.e., all who needed healing, possibly, including spiritual healing also. This verse seems to refer to a definite occasion, and not to be a general description of frequent withdrawals, extending over a considerable period. The very detailed account of Mark (Mar 3:7-12) opposes the latter view.
XL.
JESUS HEALS MULTITUDES BESIDE THE
SEA OF GALILEE.
aMATT. XII. 15-21; bMARK III. 7-12.
a15 And Jesus perceiving it withdrew bwith his disciples afrom thence: bto the sea [This was the first withdrawal of Jesus for the avowed purpose of self-preservation. After this we find Jesus constantly retiring to avoid the plots of his enemies. The Sea of Galilee, with its boats and its shores touching different jurisdictions, formed a convenient and fairly safe retreat]: aand many followed him; band a great multitude from Galilee followed; and from Juda, 8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and beyond the Jordan, and about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came unto him. [Iduma was the land formerly inhabited by the Edomites. It is a Greek word from “Edom,” which was another word for Esau ( Gen 25:30), and means red. This land was originally the narrow strip reaching from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea, lying between the Arabah on the west, and the desert on the east, being about one hundred miles long and fifteen or twenty broad. During the Babylonian captivity, however, the Edomites took possession of the southern portion of Juda, and Strabo says that they encroached as far as to the city of Hebron. They were conquered by John Hyrcanus, one of the Asmonan princes about 120 B.C., and were by him made subservient to the law and incorporated with the Jewish people. As before [217] noted, Herod the Great sprang from this people. Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean seacoast, westward from the Lake of Galilee.] aand he healed them all, 16 and charged them that they should not make him known: 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet [ Isa 42:1-4. Partly taken from the LXX and part an original translation], 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 shall declare judgment to the Gentiles. [The word translated “servant,” means also son, but it is rightly translated “servant” here, for the Father uses another word when he would designate Jesus as specifically his Son ( Mat 3:17, Mat 17:5). Jesus was a servant in form ( Phi 2:7), and in obedience ( Heb 10:9). The word “judgment,” as used in the Old Testament, from which it is here translated, means rule, doctrine, truth. It is usually here understood as meaning that Jesus would reveal the gospel or the full truth of the new dispensation to the Gentiles.] 19 He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory. [These two verses find their fulfillment in the events of this paragraph. Jesus did not strive nor quarrel with the Pharisees, but having victoriously put them to silence, he meekly and quietly withdrew from their presence, and the healing of the multitudes which followed him as aptly fulfilled the prediction about the reed and the flax, for these two words, symbolic of weakness ( Isa 36:6) and patience-trying annoyance ( Pro 10:26), fitly represented the sick and lame and blind–sinners who, by affliction, had been made contrite and poor in spirit, remorseful and repentant, and who were brought to Jesus to be healed. If the hollow cylinder of the reed is bruised, its strength is gone, and it is no longer able to stand erect. Flax was then used where we now use cotton, as wicking for lamps. Imperfection in the fiber of it would cause it to smoke. A violent [218] man, irritated by the fumes of the smoking wick, would put it out, and cast it from him. But the Lord’s servant would patiently fan it to flames. The statement that he would not break these bruised reeds, nor quench this smoking flax, was an emphatic declaration, by contrast, that he would heal their bruises and fan their dying energies and resolutions into a flame, until he sent forth judgment unto victory; i. e., until the gospel–the authoritative announcement of the divine purpose or will–shall be sent forth and advanced to its final triumph. Christ shall show patient mercy and forbearance until the gospel shall practically exclude the need of it, by triumphing over Jewish opposition and Gentile impiety so as to bring about universal righteousness.] 21 And in his name shall the Gentiles hope. [This verse sets forth the breadth of Christ’s conquest over all nations. It reaches beyond our times into a future which is yet to be. But it was partially fulfilled by the presence of Idumans and citizens of Tyre and Sidon in the multitudes which Jesus healed–unless we say that only Jews from these quarters are meant, which is not likely.] b9 And he spake to his disciples, that a little boat should wait on him because of the crowd, lest they should throng him: 10 for he had healed many; insomuch that as many as plagues pressed upon him that they might touch him. [Literally, they “fell upon him;” such was their eagerness to be healed by touching him.] 11 And unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 12 And he charged them much that they should not make him known. [Because this was not the right time, nor were they the right witnesses to make him known.] [219]
[FFG 217-219]
CHAPTER 15
THE FIRST AND SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
Mat 12:15-21. And Jesus, knowing, departed thence [i.e., when He ascertained that the Pharisees and Herodians were counseling to kill Him, He departed from that place where He had healed the withered hand on the Sabbath]; and many multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. What a wonderful Physician we have! He never fails to cure the patient, our own faith being the measuring-line of His efficiency, whether for soul or body. When your work is done, and the Lord is ready to take you to heaven, though you will have abundance of faith for your soul to sweep into glory, you will have no faith for your body to be healed. That will be a glorious day, because heaven is so much better than health.
He charged them that they may not make Him known, i.e., the notoriety of His mighty works would excite the multitude to crown Him King, as the Jews all understood that Christ was to be their King, and they were so tired of the Roman yoke, which they had carried thirty years. O how they longed for Messiah to come and break it off their necks!
In order that the word spoken by Isaiah the prophet may be fulfilled, saying, Behold My Servant, whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom my soul delighteth; I will place My Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim judgment to the Gentiles. This is a beautiful prophetical allusion to the glorious coming of our Lord, when He shall girdle the globe with the splendors and triumphs of His Millennial Theocracy, all the nations of the earth gladly bowing down to His benignant, equitable, and heavenly administration, bringing back the bright days of Eden, which have so long lingered only in the memories of the past, while the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks, and learning war no more. The sad memories of the long, bloody ages, which have ground down the nations of the earth into the dust of degradation and oppression, and whitened the plains, will be forgotten, amid universal peace, prosperity, philanthropy, and happiness, all nations delighted with the mild and amiable reign of the glorious King of kings and Lord of lords.
He shall not strive, nor scream, neither shall any one hear His voice in the streets. Paul says, It does not behoove the man of God to strive. Hence, in harmony with Jesus and Paul, while we should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, we should not do it in a controversial spirit, but love predominating, having no desire for self- aggrandizement, but only the glorification of God in the proclamation and vindication of truth. There is nothing in this passage against street- preaching, which Jesus and His apostles practiced all their lives. While the people of God preach on the streets, and everywhere else, they are characterized by meekness, humility, and love, in contradistinction to the selfish and uproarious manner of worldly people, shouting aloud, advertising their merchandise, and prosecuting their various secular employments. There is a quietness, resignation, and humiliation peculiar to the saints, most decisively contrastive with the rush and precipitation peculiar to the worldly rabble. This verse lucidly describes Jesus in His humiliation, contrastively with the preceding, which describes Him in His glorious dominion.
The bruised reed, He will not break. This is a beautiful symbolism of the humble penitent, crying to God with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. He will not quench the smoking flax. Here we have a vivid symbolism of the struggling soul, crying to God for the sanctifying baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. Until He may send forth judgment unto victory. Here we have both works of grace in beautiful juxtaposition the former, describing the agonizing penitent under the strong figure of a bruised reed, which Satan is trying to break and destroy forever; and the hatter, under the vivid metaphor of the flax, smoking and trying to burn, and the enemy throwing on it the chilling waters to put it out, thus beautifully typifying the seeker after a clean heart, longing for the sin consuming fires of the Holy Ghost from heaven to fall. In both of these cases, it is here certified that our Savior will send forth judgment unto victory in the case of the poor sinner seeking pardon i.e., the bruised reed; since He has bled and died, and paid all the debt He owes, in the full light of heavenly jurisprudence, He can give an eternal judgment of acquittal, thus justifying Him freely through the atonement. The fact is equally pertinent in the case of the Christian seeking full sanctification by the refining fire going through the heart in sin-consuming flames i.e., the smoking flax; instead of extinguishing with the cold water of dead formality, He fans it into a roaring flame, wrapping the soul in the copious baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. As the complete expurgation of every sinful taint has been abundantly provided for in the cleansing blood and the refining fire, He can, in the full light of heavenly jurisdiction, administer a verdict in favor of the entire sanctification of all who approach Him by way of complete consecration and doubtless faith.
And in His name shall the Gentiles hope. (Isa 42:1.)
He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, whose roaring reverberates round the world, His tread shaking every hand, and His power breaking every chain, and liberating the captive nations whom Satan has bound through the ages.
Mat 12:15-21. Miracles of Healing (Mar 3:7-12*, Luk 6:17-19).Mt. first condenses five verses of Mk. into one (the compression makes Jesus heal all who followed Him), and, fixing attention on Jesus avoidance of publicity (Mat 8:4*), expands one verse of Mk. into six by a quotation (Isa 42:1-4) from his handbook of Messianic testimonies (Mat 1:22*). This identification of the Servant of Yahweh with the Messiah (as portrayed e.g. in Isaiah 11) is found in the Targum. The preaching of judgment (Mat 12:18) and hope (Mat 12:21) to the Gentiles was not part of Jesus work as He conceived it (cf. Mat 15:24, Mat 28:19). Mat 12:19 is the link with the narrativeJesus avoids strife with the Pharisees by going away, and advertisement by His prohibition. With Mat 12:20; cf. Mat 11:30; the crushed reed and the smouldering wick are those who are morally all but powerless.unto victory: Hab 1:4 (mg.) has here influenced Mt.s quotation; it is essential for him to predict the triumph of the Messianic characteristics he has ascribed to Jesus.
Scriptural vindication of Jesus’ ministry 12:15-21 (cf. Mar 3:7-12)
Matthew concluded the two accounts of the Pharisees’ conflict with Jesus over Sabbath observance. He did so with a summary of His ministry that shows He fulfilled messianic prophecy. Jesus’ tranquility and gentleness in this pericope contrast with the Pharisees’ hatred in the former one.
Jesus withdrew when opposition became intense before His time to go to the cross had arrived (cf. Mat 4:12; Mat 14:13; Mat 15:21).
"This is the pattern of His ministry until His final and open rejection in chapters twenty-one to twenty-seven-opposition, withdrawal, and continued ministry." [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 161.]
He had instructed His disciples to follow a similar procedure (Mat 10:11-14; Mat 10:23-24). He withdrew specifically to avoid open conflict with the Pharisees. [Note: John Henry Bennetch, "Matthew: An Apologetic," Bibliotheca Sacra 103 (October 1946):480.] His extensive ministry continued (cf. Mat 4:23; Mat 8:16; Mat 9:35), as did His encouragements to those He healed to keep quiet about what had happened to them but with no greater cooperation (cf. Mat 8:4; Mat 9:30). His conduct fulfilled Scripture.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
2. On this occasion, the peculiar manner in which Jesus was to administer His kingly office appeared more clearly than ever before. He might now have manifested Himself as Judge, broken the bruised reed and quenched the smoking flax. But instead of that, He retired, and adopted a more private mode of working, in anticipation of His full and final sufferings. Accordingly, the Evangelist most aptly applies the prediction of Isaiah to this period of retirement; because, while characteristic of the activity of Jesus generally, it referred specially to this year of persecution.
3. Christ fled for His enemies, while He retired from them. His was not the flight of fear. He always addressed Himself only to those who were susceptiblei. e., to those who labored and were heavy ladennot to judge, but to save them.The time for His final sufferings had not yet come; there was still ample room for active work, although of a more private character. On this ground He now retired, and dwelt chiefly with the poor people, among whom also He displayed the greatest number of His miraculous deliverances.
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)