Truth and Love [Matthew 12]

14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

 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.
    19"HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT;
         NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS.
    20"A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF,
         AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT,
         UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY.
    21"AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE."

 

The Pharisees did not like that Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath.  Jesus even told them that "the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." They began to conspire against Him, plotting how they might destroy Him.

 

I love that He was aware of their plotting and left to go somewhere else but the crowds kept following Him and He kept healing them.  As He warns them not to tell who He was in order to fulfill what Isaiah had prophesied years ago, we see more revealed about Jesus and His Father's relationship.

  • Jesus is the Father's beloved
  • The Father's soul is delighted by Jesus
  • Jesus will proclaim justice to the ones who are not Jews (me)
  • He will not be heard in the streets arguing and shouting
  • Even the Gentiles will hope in His name
Once again we see that He came with authority but it was a quiet, serving authority.  Remember the King that came to serve as a Shepherd?  It is hard to keep those two thoughts together but Jesus is consistently blending them together in all He does and says.  Truth and love at the same time. Justice and hope.  Judgment about sin and at the same time compassion and mercy. 

May we learn from Him today as we observe this incredible combination.  He will heal us as we embrace both His truth and His love.
Verna McCrillis, 1/14/2009