Matthew Chapter 12: The Identity of Jesus as Seen by the Editor of Matthew

Matthew Chapter 12: The Identity of Jesus as Seen by the Editor of Matthew

8   For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

17   This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

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 smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.

21   In his name the nations will put their hope."

28   But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

The editor of Matthew clarifies and evidences the identity of Jesus in this way: Jesus is not merely a man who heals illnesses. He heals the sick and drives out demons by the power of the Spirit of God. He is the one pointed to by the prophecies of the Old Testament, standing at the culmination of a long period of anticipation. As the Lord of the Sabbath, the core of the Ten Commandments, he declares its true meaning anew. While the editor of Genesis described the Sabbath as a holy day for participating in God's feast, Jesus wishes for it to be a day where those who are physically and emotionally wounded, the poor, and the weak can find rest, healing, and peace through him.