'He Will Bring Forth Justice to the Nations

Jehovah's Chosen One was to "bring forth," or make stand out, true justice.  "What justice is he will make clear to the nations."  (Matthew 12:18)  How this was needed in the first century C.E.!  The Jewish religious leaders taught a distorted view of justice and righteousness.  They sought to attain righteousness by following a rigid code of laws-many of their own making. Their legalistic justice was void of mercy and compassion.

In contrast, Jesus revealed God's  view of justice. By what he taught and how he lived, Jesus showed that true justice is compassionate and merciful.  Just consider  his famous Sermon on the Mount.  (Matthew, chapters 5-7)   What a masterful explanation of how justice and righteousness should be practiced!  When we read the Gospel accounts, are we not touched by Jesus' compassion for the poor and afflicted?  (Matthew 29:34; Mark 1:41; 6:34; Luke 7:13)  He carried his comforting message to may who were bruise like reeds, bent over and knocked about.  they were like a smoldering flaxen wick, their last spark of life almost smothered.  Jesus neither broke a "crushed reed " nor extinguished  "a dim flaxen wick."  Rather, his loving and compassionate words and actions lifted up the heats of the meek. -Matthew 11L28-30.

Why, though, does the prophecy say that Jesus would  'not cry out or raise his voice, and he would not let his voice be heard in the street'?   Because he did not promote himself, as did many in his day.  (Matthew 6:5)  When curing a leper, he told the healed man:  "See that you tell nobody a thing."  (Mark 1:40-44)  Rather than seeking publicity and having people reach conclusions on the basis of secondhand reports, Jesus wanted them to discern for themselves on the basis of solid evidence that he was the Christ, Jehovah's anointed Servant.

The Chosen Servant was to bring forth "justice to the nations."  This Jesus did. Apart from emphasizing the compassionate nature of godly justice, Jesus taught that it should embrace all people.  On one occasion Jesus reminded a man versed in the Law that he should love God and his neighbor. The man asked Jesus:  "Who really is my neighbor?"  Perhaps he expected Jesus to answer: "Your fellow Jew."  But Jesus told the parable of the neighborly Samaritan.  In the parable a Samaritan came to the aid  of a man set upon by robbers, while a Levite and a priest had refused to help.  The questioner had to admit that on this occasion  the despised Samaritan was the neighbor, not the Levite or the priest.  Jesus concluded his illustration with the advice:  "Be doing the same yourself." -Luke 10:5-37; Leviticus 19:18. 

Next time: "He Will Not Grow Dim Nor Be Crushed"

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001