Matthew 12:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;

NIV: A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.

NASB: A BENT REED HE WILL NOT BREAK off, AND A DIMLY BURNING WICK HE WILL NOT EXTINGUISH, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY.

CSB: He will not break a bruised reed,and he will not put out a smoldering wick,until he has led justice to victory.

NLT: He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.

KJV: A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

NKJV: A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory;

Isaiah 41:1–4 is the source of this quotation by Matthew, who applies it to Jesus as a fulfillment of prophecy. Isaiah, quoting God, now writes that the servant of whom God speaks will go so gently in His mission that He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick. But He will also bring "justice to victory" (Isaiah 42:1–4).

This description does not fit the Messiah many in Israel were hoping for. They wanted a conquering Savior who would triumphantly overthrow Israel's enemies and set the nation back on the road to glory and prosperity. This description does fit Jesus the Messiah, however, who came to earth to bring salvation through His own death for the sins of others. In this way, the Savior will bring victorious justice to all who trust in Him. Judgment on the enemies of God would come much later.

Matthew 12:15–21 shows Jesus withdrawing away from the Pharisees, who want to destroy Him. The crowds persist in following Him, though, and He continues to tell those He heals not to make Him known. Matthew declares that Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 42:1–4. Isaiah quotes God referring to His promised servant using the same terminology God used of Jesus at His baptism. This servant is gentle, refusing to call attention to Himself, but is also the One who will bring justice to victory and in whom the Gentiles will hope.

Matthew 12 features confrontations between the Pharisees and Jesus over several issues. Among these are working on the Sabbath, healing on the Sabbath, and the source of His power to cast out demons. Jesus counters each argument and rebukes the Pharisees sharply for their obstinate unbelief. He even notes that those who maliciously ascribe His miracles to demons are unforgivable. He warns them, and the rest of their current generation, about the judgment to come. Jesus calls the Pharisees a brood of vipers and rejects their demand for another miracle. All they'll be promised is the sign of Jonah. The Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days. Jesus also states that all who do His Father's will are His family.

Matthew 11 depicted Jesus preaching and teaching after sending out His chosen disciples in pairs in chapter 10. Chapter 12 immediately picks up with more confrontation with the Pharisees. Jesus responds to those criticisms and rebukes their evil hearts as the source of their evil words. In the following chapter, Matthew will shift His focus onto Jesus' parables.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/5/2024 4:18:13 PM