Matthew 12:14-21
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
14 But the Pharisees[a] went out and took counsel against him to put him to death.(A)
The Chosen Servant.[b] 15 When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many [people] followed him, and he cured them all,[c] 16 but he warned them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,(B)
my beloved in whom I delight;
I shall place my spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not contend[d] or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”[e]
Jesus and Beelzebul.[f]
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- 12:14 See Mk 3:6. Here the plan to bring about Jesus’ death is attributed to the Pharisees only. This is probably due to the situation of Matthew’s church, when the sole opponents were the Pharisees.
- 12:15–21 Matthew follows Mk 3:7–12 but summarizes his source in two verses (Mt 12:15, 16) that pick up the withdrawal, the healings, and the command for silence. To this he adds a fulfillment citation from the first Servant Song (Is 42:1–4) that does not correspond exactly to either the Hebrew or the LXX of that passage. It is the longest Old Testament citation in this gospel, emphasizing the meekness of Jesus, the Servant of the Lord, and foretelling the extension of his mission to the Gentiles.
- 12:15 Jesus’ knowledge of the Pharisees’ plot and his healing all are peculiar to Matthew.
- 12:19 The servant’s not contending is seen as fulfilled in Jesus’ withdrawal from the disputes narrated in Mt 12:1–14.
- 12:21 Except for a minor detail, Matthew here follows the LXX, although the meaning of the Hebrew (“the coastlands will wait for his teaching”) is similar.
- 12:22–32 For the exorcism, see note on Mt 9:32–34. The long discussion combines Marcan and Q material (Mk 3:22–30; Lk 11:19–20, 23; 12:10). Mk 3:20–21 is omitted, with a consequent lessening of the sharpness of Mt 12:48.
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