Bible Questions Answered:
Matthew says Jesus will not quench smoking flax, what is this meaning?
Trisha/ Raleigh, North Carolina U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
Matthew 12:15-21 KJV
15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence: and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all;
16 And charged them that they should not make Him known:
17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias* the prophet, saying,
18 Behold My Servant, whom I have chosen; My Beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased: I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory.
21 And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.
*Isaiah 42:1-4 KJV
1 Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law.
Matthew 12:18 KJV (Isaiah 42:1)
Behold My Servant, whom I have chosen; My Beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased: I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
Matthew 3:13-17 KJV (Fulfillment)
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer (permit) it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered (permitted) Him.
16 And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He
saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, and lighting upon Him:
17 And lo a Voice from heaven, saying, This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 17:1-6 KJV
1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
2 And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with Him.
4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three
tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a Voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
Matthew 12:19 KJV
He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.
Some spiritually shallow heralds, in their ever seeking aggrandizement, love to proclaim the gospel “in the streets,” so as to make a name for themselves.
Not so, with our dear and humble Saviour!
Zechariah 9:9 NLT
Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.
John 13:5 KJV
After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.
Philippians 2:5-8 KJV
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Matthew 12:20 KJV
A bruised reed shall He not break...
Often a reed, is used as a staff, something to lean on.
And a Christian like that reed should be strong in faith, and courage, but some times he may become weary, through the Pilgrim's Progress of life.
Men, righteous or not, may fail us, but there is One, who will never fail us, nor forsake us at any time, and that dear and precious one is the Saviour.
Isaiah 40:28-31 KJV
28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Matthew 12:20 KJV
...smoking flax shall He not quench,
In our Lord's day, lighting, was by lamp. Each lamp, was molded from clay, had a reservoir of olive oil, and a flax wick. Flax contains threadlike fibers which make it very conducive as a wick.
A smoking wick, is where there is the ember of fire, but no flame. A smoking lamp, may be restarted by being refueled and by the wick being blown on.
Rather than extinguish, the ember, the hurting, those who need help the most, our loving and wonderful Saviour, breaths life into His people, to restore and renew them, to the flaming lights He wishes them to be.
Isaiah 41:10 KJV
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.
John 20:21,22 KJV
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Ephesians 3:16 KJV
That He would grant you, according to the riches of His Glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;
Matthew 12:20 KJV
...till He send forth judgment unto victory.
Because of our great Saviour's love and humility, His gospel, will be a gospel of victory!
Multitudes of weary souls, restored and set ablaze for the Kingdom of God, will follow Him to the very gates of heaven.
Matthew 11:28-30 KJV
28 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.
Revelation 22:17 KJV
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
