Matthew 12:16-20

Mat 12:16 (KJB)
And charged them that they should not make him known:

This is the third time in the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus had instructed the crowd that they were not to make known that it was He who healed them. He was not afraid to become known but it was not yet His time to be revealed as the Messiah nor for the final events to take place, that is, His crucifixion and resurrection.

Mat 12:17 (KJB)
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Then Jesus begins to quote to the people a passage from Isaiah containing the reason He is not to be known at this time. The passage is from Isaiah 42:1-4. (Isa 42:1-4 KJV) 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. {2} He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. {3} A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. {4} He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Mat 12:18 (KJB)
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.

The word for “servant” in the Greek here is also the same word for “son.” The Greek word behind “I have chosen” is used only once in the New Testament and is in the Indicative mood which means it was God who specifically chose the Lord Jesus Christ, being His beloved Son. God the Father states that His soul is well-pleased which also carries the meaning in Greek of “consent, approved, or delight in.” In a few chapters along in Matthew on the Mount of Transfiguration, God will speak those words directly concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. (Mat 17:5 KJV) While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Then the Scriptures state that Jesus would be endued with the power of the Holy Spirit. (Isa 61:1-2 KJV) The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; {2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; Then with that empowerment, the mission of Jesus was to bring the Gospel to the nations and also within the teachings of Grace, there will be the teachings of Justice. That justice will not be one of earthly justice but will be the justice associated with salvation. (Rom 4:25 KJV) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. When one becomes saved in Christ, they will be justified in the sense that judicially they are no longer guilty before God of any sins because they were all taken upon Christ. (Rom 5:18 KJV) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Mat 12:19 (KJB)
He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

Jesus had avoided to the best of His ability all confrontations. In many places in Scripture, you will read where He would leave a situation before it became out of control. (Luke 4:29-30 KJV) And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. {30} But he passing through the midst of them went his way, To cry was to “shout with a loud or clamorous voice.” The only time Jesus had to raise His voice was when He was teaching large crowds such as the Sermon on the Mount. He never raised it in a manner to compete with those who were accusing Him. This was seen vividly at His trial where He did not raise His voice one decibel above normal speech. Hearing His voice in the streets would refer to a person who speaks loud to draw attention to themselves. Have you ever been in a restaurant close to someone who talks loud so they could be heard by others? Jesus did not draw attention to Himself instead His teachings and His works and miracles did the drawing.

Mat 12:20 (KJB)
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

Something which is bruised is near broken and even in that condition, Jesus will be so gentle that the bruised reed will not even be broken. Another example of His gentleness is the fact that a smoking flax represents a fire which has gone out and is very weak, in fact, dying because it has gone from being on fire to just being an ember. His gentleness would not even quench that ember when you could do it with your hand and not get burned. Jesus had fulfilled all these in His earthly ministry as He healed the sick, the lame, the devil possessed, and preached to the crowds. All of this was done in a gentle manner until the time He begins to send out the Gospel and people begin to become saved. They are then empowered by the Holy Spirit and will go out into the world in the power of the Lord evangelizing the world. Then at that time the disciples and all those who come after them will shout the Gospel from the housetops. (Mat 10:27 KJV) What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. Once world evangelism begins, the world will never again be quiet because the kingdom of Satan will be assaulted in every country of the world and that normally brings open confrontation.

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