Matthew 12:1-21
JESUS DOES NOT BREAK A BRUISED REED
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he leads justice to victory."(20)
Now we will study Matthew chapter 12. From this chapter, we can see Jesus collide with the Pharisees, the leaders of the time in several ways. This shows a clear contrast between the Pharisees and Jesus, displaying Jesus' beautiful heart and noble thoughts more vividly.
In today's passage the Pharisees were so legalistic that they were only watching who would violate the law. On the other hand, Jesus loved men rather than be bound by the law and thought of life as precious. This Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross as a ransom for us who deserve to die according to the law. As we study this passage, I pray that we may accept Jesus as my Savior and receive salvation and gain life. Also, I pray that we too may have Jesus' heart.
1. Jesus defends his disciples (1-8)
On the Sabbath in summer, Jesus and his disciples were going through the grainfields to go to the synagogue. Grainfield reminds me of a novel entitled 'The Catcher in the Rye.' The book was written by J.D. Salinger, an American author, in 1951. At that time, World War II ended and America was enjoying materialistic affluence thanks to industrialization and economic development. But Holdon, the main character, was disgusted with the world seeking only materialistic values and wandered. Pebe, his sister, asked him, "Do you mean that you hate all things going on in the world?" He answered, "What are you saying? I just want to be a catcher in the rye who holds small kids so that they may not fall into the deep cliff." Salinger must have written the novel in the hope to hold children falling into the materialistic world.
For Jesus' disciples who were going through the grainfields, however, they could not enjoy their time or romance. They were far from materialistic affluence. Verse 1 says, “His disciples were hungry…” To follow Jesus, the disciples gave up everything including their job. So they had no fixed income. They could have a nice meal on special occasions, for example, when Matthew, a tax collector, held a banquet. But they usually missed a meal. Besides, Jesus took care of people, often skipping a meal, so his disciples also skipped because they could not allow themselves to eat. In today's passage they were still hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.
Right at the moment the Pharisees blew a whistle and came running. They were hiding themselves thus far and now they appeared and spoke to Jesus out of breath, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."(2)
Actually, the disciples' eating some grain itself was not unlawful. According to Deuteronomy 23:25, if they did not pick a sickle to their standing grain but just picked some kernels with their hands, it was no problem. The reason the Pharisees blamed them was it was the Sabbath. They would apply Exodus 34:21 into the disciples, "Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest." It is very important not to miss the right time in plowing and harvesting but even such works were prohibited on the Sabbath. The Sabbath law was that strict. To the Pharisees' eyes, Jesus' disciples 'harvested' by picking some heads of grain and 'threshed' them by separating the grains from the heads with hands. To their eyes, the disciples were vicious criminals who committed 'what was unlawful on the Sabbath'.
What then did Jesus say to the Pharisees? In verses 3-4, Jesus defended his disciples, taking an example of David. David is respected as the greatest king in Israel's history. He holds a significant position in God's redemptive history. In 1 Samuel chapter 21 David and his companions were being chased by King Saul and they were very hungry and tired. David went to a temple to ask for some bread. But there was no bread except the bread of the Presence. According to the law, only priests were allowed to eat the bread of the Presence which was the consecrated bread after making a sacrifice. But the priest gave him the consecrated bread and David ate it. Why then was David not punished even though he broke the law? It was because David and his companions were dying with hunger and there was only the bread of the Presence. In other words, their lives were more important than the law which allowed only priests to eat the bread. Furthermore, it was not that David and his companions were hungry because they were lazy. They were starving as they were being chased and persecuted for righteousness. Protecting those who were persecuted for righteousness was more important than keeping the law.
In verse 5 Jesus takes an example of priests now. At that time priests did several works on the Sabbath, such as killing animals for a sacrifice. On the Sabbath priests worked more than on weekdays. Why then does nobody say that they broke the law? It was because all the works were for serving God and they were done in the temple. Therefore, the Bible says that serving God is more important than keeping the law and that any law is ineffective in the temple.
After defending his disciples through the Bible, Jesus now points out the Pharisees' problems. Look at verse 7. "If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent."
The Pharisees thought they were serving God in the best way, but they did not know 'the will of God' that they served. God called them to make a sacrifice but it was meant for them to love God and men. God gave men the law not to let them keep the letters of the law but to let them keep the spirit of the law. For example, God gave the law, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy."(Ex 20:8) This spirit of the law is to let men work hard for six days and take a rest on the Sevenths day and worship God wholeheartedly so that they could find life and true rest for their souls. The spirit of all the law is to respect life and have mercy.
The Pharisees should have known the will of God. They should have looked at people with love and understood and embraced them. They should have understood the hunger of Jesus' disciples and bought them some bread. But there was no word like mercy or forgiveness in their dictionary. The Pharisees shook men until they saw any dust off their clothes. When they could not see any dust, they hid themselves and watched them until they could find any fault. If they saw any fault, the Pharisees exaggerated it by using several kinds of law and made him or her vicious criminals. Because they knew only the law and had no mercy, the only thing they did was just to make sinners.
But Jesus, our Lord, was different. Jesus did not took it out on his disciples, saying "Because of you guys, I lost face. The Pharisees were always trying to sue me and because of you I came to fall into a danger." Jesus also did not escape the situation, saying to the Pharisees, "My disciples ate the grain. Why are you blaming me?" Instead, Jesus stood before them and defended his disciples eagerly. His disciples were hungry because they were following Jesus to seek righteousness, giving up on everything. They had no time to eat as they were taking care of their flocks. To the Pharisees' eyes, the disciples were just the poor guys who could not buy enough to eat and also the lawless who would not keep the law. To Jesus' eyes, however, they were as great as David and the priests of the time doing God's work. Jesus looked at them with the eyes of love and hope.
This Jesus does not look at us legalistically. According to the law, we are all sinners who deserve to be thrown into hell. But when Satan accuses us, "This guy did what was unlawful.", Jesus defends us, saying, "I died on the cross for this man. I received punishment for him. So now nobody can condemn him."(Rome 8:33,34). Jesus embraces us with mercy, protects us with grace and raises us up with hope.
As Jesus' man, we too should have such love. How much do we compete with men? How much do we envy when we see others' good points? How much are we glad to see others' tiny fault and torture them, using it? But God desires mercy, not sacrifice. If we see others' good points, we should fully praise him. If we see others' fauts, we should bear with them. That is what mercy is like. Of course, we could point out our brother' faults and rebuke him harshly but we should do so with the love and hope to grow him.
Now in verse 8 Jesus says, "For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus is the one who made all the law and embodied the spirit of the law. So Jesus transcends the law and becomes the standard of all kinds of law. In other words, all we have to do is to learn how Jesus did and obey him, rather than being bound by the law. Then what did Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, do on the Sabbath?
2. Jesus heals a man with a shriveled hand (9-16)
Look at verse 9. Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. A man with a shriveled hand - how hard would his life have been? How could he wash his face and wear his pants? How could he tie up his belt and lace his shoes? Most of all, how could he scratch an itchy spot? He must have always felt uncomfortable in his daily life. Furthermore, he was at a disadvantage whenever he had a job interview. Though he had a meeting with a view to marriage, no woman called him after that. When his opponent beat him two times, he could only strike him one time. His life was that uncomfortable, disadvantageous, unfair and sorrowful. What was shriveled was not just his hand but also his heart and life. But on that day he heard that Jesus would come, so in order to be healed of his life problem, he was sitting in the synagogue.
But in verse 10 the Pharisees appeared again. They asked Jesus, "It is lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" They did not ask him the question to learn from him. Verse 10 says they were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus. They were sure that Jesus would heal the man with a shriveled hand. If Jesus did, they planned to accuse him of ignoring the Sabbath law. To get rid of Jesus, they took advantage of the poor man with a shriveled hand, the holy Sabbath law and Jesus' love for the poor. They were so mean that they took advantage of the man they had to help and the most holy God to fill their desire and achieve their purpose.
Jesus asked the Pharisees a question back, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?"(11) Indeed, there was a regulation which says, "If your sheep falls into a pit on the Sabbath, you can lift it out." Such a regulation was made because the spirit of the law is to regard life as precious. So Jesus said sternly, "How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."(12) In verse 13 Jesus ordered the man with a shriveled hand, "Stretch out your hand." To Jesus' eyes, he was like a sheep which fell into a pit. Even on the Sabbath Jesus wanted to lift him out. To lift him out, Jesus said, "Stretch out your hand."
It was shameful for him to stretch out his skinny, shriveled hand before many people. More than that, his hand was shriveled. How could he stretch out the hand? He could not understand it. But he obeyed Jesus' word. Then his hand was completely restored, just as sound as the other. He lifted up both hands and shouted, "Hurrah!"
Jesus was knowing the atmosphere that the Pharisees would accuse him as soon as Jesus violated the Sabbath law. Nevertheless, Jesus healed the man with a shriveled hand. Through this, Jesus showed them what the true meaning of the Sabbath was. He demonstrated that it was lawful to do good even on the Sabbath and that thinking of man's life as precious and saving him are the true goodness and the spirit of all the law including the Sabbath law.
But in verse 14 the Pharisees would not repent in spite of Jesus' teaching. Instead, they became more evil and now plotted to kill him. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick.(15). Though Jesus escaped the collision with the Pharisees, he did not stop to save men. On the Sabbath we could just try to take a good rest or have a negative, legalistic attitude toward the day, focusing on only what we should not do. I pray that we may do good more eagerly on the Sabbath.
3. Jesus does not break a bruised reed (17-21)
Now in verse 18 the author proves that Jesus is 'the chosen servant' prophesied in the Old Testament by quoting the word from the book of Isaiah. "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight."(18a) Jesus is the chosen servant, the one God loves, in whom he delights. What then did God want to do by choosing Jesus as his servant?
First of all, Jesus would receive the Holy Spirit and judge the power of Satan. Verse 18b says, "I will put my Spirit on him and he will proclaim justice to the nations." Regarding this, John 16:8 explains what Jesus will do through the Holy Spirit, "When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." John 16:11 says, "and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned." Here 'the prince of this world' refers to Satan. The word, "He will proclaim justice to the nations" means that Jesus will proclaim the news to the whole world that he will destroy the power of Satan through the Holy Spirit and save us from his grip. Before Jesus came, the whole world was under Satan's ruling. Man commits sin and suffers under Satan's ruling. But as Jesus died and rose again in three days, he broke the power of Satan.
Verse 19 says that though Jesus has such a great power and does a great thing, he will not quarrel or cry out. He does not work with guns and swords. He does neither shout noisily nor instigate people. He works very quietly to the point that nobody hears. Recently, Christians cry out too much unlike Jesus. They take off and fly more than singers or dancing groups. They even quarrel in a disgusting manner. Not only that, they go round the world, crying out in Asia and Africa, "Korea became rich because many believed in Jesus. If you too believe in him, you will be rich." Some boast that they hit the jackpot through investment in stocks, saying, "It was God's blessing." Though Jesus came as the Lord of power who destroyed the power of Satan, he worked in a quiet manner. I hope that there would be more Christians who devote themselves than those who cry out, make a noise, shout and yell.
Second, Jesus will be the shepherd for the weak. Look at verse 20. ""A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory."(20)"
There are many who are like a bruised reed in the world. They become like a bruised reed as they are hurt by their hard environment or failures. Because of the hurt, they suffer and fall into sorrow even with a small problem. They have strong self-consciousness because they would defend themselves. They are too sensitive to what others would think of them and how they treat them. They easily misunderstand others and exaggerate them and become bitter so it is very hard to speak to them. It is so burdensome to treat a man who is like a bruised reed. We feel like breaking him out of hatred. But Jesus does not break even a bruised reed.
There are also many who are like a smoldering wick in the world. They are always helpless and sorrowful about themselves. They easily despair and give up. They are flickering like a smoldering wick. When we see them flickering, we get upset and irritated and feel like snuffing them out. But Jesus does not snuff them out. Jesus provides the oil of the word with those who are like a smoldering wick and turns up their wick of faith so that they could burn vigorously like a torch.
Indeed, Jesus is the shepherd of those are hurt and weak. Coming to Jesus makes those who are like a bruised reed grow like a big tree and those who are like a smoldering wick burn vigorously like a torch.
As they live in such a competitive society, all people try to look strong outwardly, but in fact they are all becoming like a bruised reed or a smoldering wick. Cruel society their dream and motivation are being broken like a bruised reed and they are becoming as helpless as a smoldering wick. But I praise Jesus for serving as the shepherd for the weak.
Verse 21 says, "The nations will put their hope in his name." Indeed, Jesus is the hope of mankind in whom all people can put their hope. I pray that we may accept this Jesus as our shepherd so that each of us may not only receive salvation but also renew our hope to grow to be a great tree in mankind's redemptive history and to burn like a torch in world mission.
Conclusion:
In today's passage Jesus did not break a bruised reed and snuff out a smoldering wick. He defended hungry disciples and healed a man with a shriveled hand. Comparing myself with Jesus, I am very sad to find how cold and narrow my heart is like the Pharisees. What on earth am I that I would break a bruised reed and not bear with a smoldering wick? I pray that we may receive the great love of Jesus who shepherds those who are hurt and weak so that through our ministry many who are hurt and weak may meet Jesus and gain salvation. I earnestly pray that this beautiful work may arise in our ministry this summer semester.