Jesus – the example to follow Matthew 12:10-21
Many would consider Paul to have been the greatest evangelist in the early church. Yet it is striking that Jesus trained his disciples it was to make them into ‘gospel men’ and history confirms that they were very well trained.
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church with its muddled priorities to follow his example and have a passion to win others for Christ,
“I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:33
Paul’s overriding desire was to see others put their trust in and follow Jesus Christ. Where did this attitude come from? The next verse answers this question.
“Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1
Paul later wrote about Jesus’ ambition,
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15
Jesus was the great personal worker; all he said and did was aimed at winning people for God. He trained his disciples in order to make them ‘fishers of men’. He healed the sick with the hope that both the sick and those who heard about these miracles would be grateful to him and trust him for their salvation. He fed the crowds so that they and those hearing their testimony might believe in him. The gospel of Jesus was the same as it has always been since the beginning of man’s existence. All people are separated from God by our sin and even our religion cannot make amends. Only the death of the Son of God on our behalf can make us acceptable to God and yet that sacrifice is only effective for those who turn their backs on their old self centred way of living and start a new life with Jesus at the centre – living for him.
Therefore any study on the subject of winning people for God, of being fishers of men, must first concentrate on Jesus.
Jesus confronts the Pharisees
Jesus was very concerned to teach that outward religion does not impress God. Even strict adherence to religious practices cannot remove the disastrous effects our sin has in separating us from God. It is no wonder therefore many Pharisees hated that Jesus. Matthew chapter 12 describes some of this antagonism they held against Jesus. When Jesus disciples were walking through some cornfields one Sabbath day, they picked some ears of corn to eat. this was against a strict interpretation of the Jewish laws and so the Pharisees were very critical of Jesus. He replied by reminding them of the Bible story about his own ancestor, King David, who had eaten some consecrated bread that was also against the law. He hinted that as king this was also his right. He then reminded them that the temple priests offer sacrifices on Sabbath days and yet are innocent in God’s eyes. Here he hints that he is a priest. Jesus concluded this discussion with the words,
“For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:9
Jesus wants to show that he cares for all people, especially the underprivileged. In the next story Jesus goes into ‘their synagogue’, which in context means the synagogue attended by these Pharisees. There he found a man with a shrivelled hand. Jesus words about his authority were about to be backed up by the miraculous. The Pharisees were looking for a fight so, knowing of his supernatural healing ability, they asked Jesus,
“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” Matthew 12:10
In reply Jesus again shifts the agenda to salvation. He asks them whether they would try to rescue a sheep that had fallen into a pit on the Sabbath. To leave it there would probably result in its death. They would have to act then or never. Clearly they would lift it out.
“How much more valuable is a man than a sheep.”
The healing of the withered man’s hand could have waited till the next day but Jesus wanted more than a restored withered hand. He wanted people to know that he was greater than the law. He alone could save people. To support his claims he completely restored the man’s hand. The man would have been thrilled but the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
Aware of this situation Jesus went elsewhere but crowds followed him. In the Greek it says that he healed or treated them all. Clearly this would have involved teaching about the kingdom of God for that was the prime reason why he had come. The crowds were beginning to grasp who Jesus was so he warned them ‘not to tell who he was’.
Then Matthew inserts an interesting quotation taken from Isaiah 42:1-4, which he said had been fulfilled by Jesus’ actions. Yet this prophecy says nothing about healing – it is about the relationship the Messiah will have with God the Father and how he will behave on earth until the final judgement.
18. Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.
21. In his name the nations will put their hope. Matthew 12:18-21
The word translated ‘justice’ is the Greek word ‘krisis’ which primarily denotes a separation or judgement. The same word is used later in the same chapter when it clearly refers to the final judgement.
“But I tell you that men will have to give an account on the day of judgement (Gk. krisis) for every careless word they have spoken.” Matthew 12:36
So Matthew appears to be emphasising that Jesus is the ‘Servant’ of God. In the royal terminology of Isaiah’s time, the word servant was a term used for a ‘trusted envoy’. This beloved servant of God will pronounce a coming judgement for all nations. He will not be argumentative or use manipulative techniques. From the context it would appear that Matthew thinks that the ‘bruised (or broken) reed and the ‘smouldering wick’ apply to the Pharisees. Jesus will not damage them nor snuff them out until the final judgement. They should have been upright and given light to the nations but they were now not fit for that purpose. But in this final judgement there is hope. There is a possibility of coming out of it victorious. The remedy was only to be found in the servant of God, the Messiah, in Jesus himself.
“In his name the nations will put their trust” Matthew 12:21
This is the message that Jesus wanted all people of all nations to understand - he had come into the world to save sinners. Paul reminds the Ephesians that Jesus came to bring peace between his Father and both Jews and Gentiles. He achieved this by his death which was communicated by his preaching.
“He came and preached peace to you who were far away (Gentiles) and peace to those who were near (Jews).”
Now it is God’s people who have been chosen and empowered to continue this task.
The Characteristics of a Personal Worker
The characteristics of Jesus given in this prophecy from Isaiah, should be an example of how God wants his disciples to live.
1. Chosen
Just as Jesus was appointed to the task of establishing the Kingdom of God, so have we his disciples. He said to the twelve,
“You did not chose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” John 15:16
To ‘go and bear fruit’ means go out into the world to win people for Christ’s kingdom. He said to the apostles,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses . . .” Acts 1:8
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations . . .” Matthew 28:19
It is clear from this last quote that the task for which his followers were chosen did not stop with the disciples as Jesus continues,
“. . . teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:20
This role, for which we have been chosen, was emphasised by Paul when he wrote to the Corinthians,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
The ‘us’ here is clearly the ‘anyone in Christ’. This is the role of church leaders – to build up the Christians into an effective witnessing team. Paul wrote to the Ephesians about this,
“It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Ephesians 4:11-12
The Bible does clearly teach that all of us who are Christians have been chosen for the work of honouring Christ and extending his kingdom.
2. Approved
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight . .”
Clearly this refers to Jesus himself but any Christian who has the Spirit of Jesus and is doing God’s will also receives this same commendation. Jesus ‘had to go through Samaria’ where he was to meet a woman to whom he explained the gospel. Jesus then met up with his disciples he told them,
“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, “Four months more and then the harvest?” I tell you open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” John 4:34-35
Clearly the passion and satisfaction of Jesus was to harvest people for the kingdom of God. Paul reminds Timothy that if he teaches people the gospel, the word of God, he wins God’s approval. This is not to say that we can earn our salvation but we can earn God’s pleasure by the way we live.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of God.” 2 Timothy 2:15
The writer to the Hebrews makes the same point.
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:15-16
3. Anointed
“I will put my Spirit on him”
This anointing was an anointing for service. Jesus was always God, he was this world’s creator and was at all times full of God’s Spirit. However at his baptism Jesus experienced an anointing of God’s Spirit for service. He subsequently returned to Galilee ‘in the power of the Spirit’ (Luke 4:14) to begin his ministry.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” Luke 4:18-19
When we become Christians we are filled with this Spirit of Christ. If we don’t have the Spirit of Jesus we are not Christians (Romans 8:9). We know that we have God’s Spirit because we want to be like Jesus, we begin to hate sin, we want to please Jesus in what we do, we want to pray. However to be effective in service we, like Jesus will need an empowering of the Spirit. After his resurrection Jesus told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they were given this power.
“. . . but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49
After this they all, including the women, remained in Jerusalem and were constantly in prayer (Acts 1:14). The result was the Pentecostal experience which made them bold and effective in spreading the gospel of the kingdom of God. If Jesus needed this anointing, and his disciples needed it, should all of us not be praying for such an anointing which will make us more effective for him.
All Christians are immersed in the Spirit when we receive the Lord Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. It is this baptism that enables us to be more Godly and enjoy a relationship with him. All true Christians have the Spirit of Jesus in them. This is full and complete and permanent. However an anointing by God’s Spirit can be temporary. We will need to stay close to the Lord to experience this power for service, this power God wants us to have to be effective witnesses.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
In the Old Testament, those having important ministries were anointed as servants of God. Kings, priest and prophets were all anointed. When Peter was explaining the gospel to the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, he emphasised this empowering of Jesus when the Spirit came upon him at his baptism.
“You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached - how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” Acts 10:37-38
4. Announces
“. . . he will proclaim justice to the nations.” Matthew 12:18
Jesus began this work whilst he was on earth but he continues it through subsequent generations of his disciples, all of whom are baptised and empowered by God’s Spirit. As we have already seen, this judgement (Gk krisis) is the coming judgement of God on all people. We need to be warned about this but also told the good news of an escape from our rightful penalty. Our judge can also be our saviour if we turn our lives over to him. The death of Jesus on the cross is the only means by which we can be forgiven because he alone was qualified to bear the penalty for our sin on himself. Our religion, if it is not based on a dependence on the cross of Jesus and a determination to follow Jesus, cannot save us. Jesus proclaimed this Good News to all. We must likewise do the same.
Paul’ in his epistle to the Romans, talks about why Jesus, the only just man, died,
“. . .he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”
Paul had this same Spirit of Jesus and nothing thrilled him more that to be explaining the gospel of salvation to outsiders.
“. . . God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” Colossians 1:27-29
5. Attitudes
Who is the ‘we’ in the above quotation? Paul clearly sees himself as part of this group. How is Jesus going to proclaim justice, god’s justice to the nations. It must be through his people who have been given his Holy Spirit so we can proclaim God’s message to the world.
BVP
