Matthew 12:18 - Exposition

Behold my servant . Primarily, as would appear, Israel in its ideal, up to which true Israelites came in measure, but only One came fully. Whom I have chosen ( ὃν ᾑρέτισα ). The Hebrew denotes "lay hold of" ( דמת ) ), i.e. for myself. Bengel has a beautiful note on the εἰς ὅν of the Received Text, " εἰς , in , denotat perpeluam mentis paternae tendentiam erga dilectum, 2 Peter 1:17 ." According to the LXX . of 1 Chronicles 29:1 , David's expression about Solomon affords a curious parallel, ὁυἱός μου εἰς ὃν ᾑρέτικεν ἐν αὐτῷ κύριος (edit. Dr. Swete). But Lagarde's edition of the Lucianic text punctuates and accents differently, ὁυἱός μου εἶς ὃν ᾑρέτικεν ἐν αὐτῷ κύριος , and this is much nearer to the Hebrew. My beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased ( Matthew 3:17 , note): I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall show (declare, Revised Version) judgment to the Gentiles ( καὶ κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγελεῖ ) . Although κρίσις usually represents in the New Testament God's decision as to the character and life of men, it here must be understood, like mishpat in the original, of the Divine right as made known to them for their acceptance and imitation. It is "the true religion viewed on its practical side as a norm and standard for life in all its relations" (Delitzsch). The thought here, therefore, is not of Christ's power to punish and avenge (though he refused to use it as yet), but of his bringing a revelation which should eventually spread, not only to the Jews who now rejected him, but to the Gentiles whom they despised.