Page 3 - December 2025 - Truth & Tidings

" e will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor He had healed] not to make him known.

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the
will anyone hear his voice in the
Hstreets; a bruised reed he will not
I have chosen …. He will not quarrel or
break, and a smoldering wick he will not prophet Isaiah: ‘Behold, my servant whom
quench” (Mat 12:19-20). cry aloud …’” (vv16-19). His request for
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Bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. secrecy fulfills part of Isaiah’s prophecy.
They represent broken, weak, hurting This interpretation is consistent with
people who need the gentlest of care. Or what our Savior often told people after He
do they? Yes, the Lord Jesus was the perfect had healed them, that is, not to make Him
Servant who was gentle, kind and careful known. So, what point can be emphasized
in His treatment of others. But is that what about all this? The Lord Jesus did the most
this text is saying? I certainly don’t want incredible works. In fact, two miracles sur-
to be a sermon spoiler, but is it possible round this text in Matthew. In verses 9-13,
that what Matthew (and Isaiah, whom he He healed a man with a withered hand.
is quoting) is emphasizing is the Savior’s In verse 22, He healed a demon-possessed
stealth as He carries out His mission? The man who was blind and mute. These were
Servant walked cautiously through the definitely attention grabbers. He per-
reeds, careful not to even break one that formed the most astounding miracles. And
is bruised so as not to leave a trail His en- yet He did so without any fanfare or desire
emies could use to track Him down. The for attention. How different from us God’s
Servant would creep by so carefully that Servant is! We want to tell the world when
His draft would not extinguish a smoking we perform the smallest acts of service for
wick. You would hardly know He had the Lord. To use the metaphor, we blaze an
been there. obvious trail through the reeds, breaking
To support this possible interpretation, nearly all of them. We move so quickly to
notice the immediate context: “He will not announce our good works that our draft
quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear would extinguish a thousand candles.
his voice in the streets.” The Servant is not Everyone knows where we have been and
self-assertive; He is not attention-seeking. what we have done. Oh, that we might be
He carries out His mission quietly and more like God’s Servant – not broadcast-
with exceeding care. Also notice the larger ing, not publishing, not announcing, not
context within Matthew 12. The Pharisees holding up our deeds so that others might
“conspired against him, how to destroy see them and be impressed, but simply,
him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from quietly, carefully fulfilling our mission
there” (vv14-15). He wanted to avoid detec- until our work is done.
tion by His enemies. Then Matthew gives Yes, the Lord Jesus is the gentle, caring Ser-
us an important link between the actions vant. Please don’t stop preaching that. But He
of the Servant and the quotation from Isa- was the careful Servant, quietly finishing the
iah. The Lord Jesus “ordered them [those work His Father sent Him to do. No wonder
God said of Him, “my beloved with whom
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the ESV. my soul is well pleased” (v18).

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