Matthew 12 - Part 2

 

Read Matthew 12

You remember the words his time had not yet come.  It was not time for the people to shout Hosanna and make him king.  It was not time for the religious hypocrites to send Jesus to the cross.  Jesus would go to the cross but only when his time had come.

Some received Jesus as a prophet or perhaps even the Anointed One.  Some thought that he just might be the Christ.

Others rejected him or simply chose to live in their comfort zones.  This whole business of repentance was not convenient.

But now, there was a group that was plotting murder.  Pharisees and other religious hypocrites saw Jesus as an obstacle to their way of life, so much so that ignoring the command against murder was incidental to what they thought the greater good.

Jesus retreated from one place to another but crowds followed him.  He would not take on the role of warrior.  He would not quarrel.  He would not riot and cause mayhem.  He would do what his Father in heaven sent him to do and one day, that would bring about justice.

Isaiah told the people what was coming, but the people had other expectations.  Jesus did not adjust his mission to fit the expectations of the people.  He stayed on mission. He stayed on task.

He continued to do what his Father sent him to do.

Think back to chapter 5.  Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them.  This was part of that fulfillment.

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy of the servant.  He would do everything to bring glory to his Father.

Amen.