Matthew 12:18

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen;

My beloved in whom my soul is well pleased.”

The quotation tells us first to consider the One of Whom it speaks. He is the chosen Servant of YHWH, the One Who as the Servant has borne their afflictions and carried their diseases (Matthew 8:17), the One on Whom YHWH has set His purposes, establishing Him as His own personal Representative, and Who is now sent by Him with a ministry to the nations, a ministry which is already hinted at from the very beginning of Matthew in:

The Gentile women contained in Jesus' genealogy in chapter 1.

The visit of the Magi who hailed Him as King of the Jews and who financed His exile in chapter 2.

His being offered the Kingship of the world in chapter Matthew 4:8

His words in Matthew 8:10 as He admires the faith of the Gentile centurion.

The testimony that is to be made to the Gentiles in Matthew 10:18.

The better willingness of the Gentiles to respond to His mighty works (Matthew 11:20).

And all this is to come to fruition in Matthew 15:27 onwards, for while He had at first had to concentrate on the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 9:36; Matthew 10:6), His ministry will from then on become more widely inclusive, as is made clear in the parables of His Kingly Rule in chapter 13.

Note the emphasis in this title on lowliness. He is the lowly, but honoured, Servant, and He ministers in Israel as the Servant. This is especially brought out at this juncture by Matthew's pattern as revealed in his Gospel, for in this section, from 8-20, the main emphasis is on His role as the Servant (Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:18; Matthew 20:28).

In Chapter s 1 Timothy 3 Jesus was clearly revealed as the King, and given all royal honour, until, in Matthew 3:17, His position as the Servant was also manifested. In Matthew 4:1 He had to choose whether He would be the King in splendour (although debased) or the Servant King. And from then on He is revealed as the Servant (although still a King for He is introducing the Kingly Rule of God and is called the Son of David). And this depiction of Jesus as the Servant King is then emphasised continually until Matthew 20:28, where His final destiny as the Servant is declared. From then on, being welcomed into Jerusalem as the Son of David (Matthew 20:29; Matthew 21:9) He establishes His kingly authority, even though still in lowliness (Matthew 21:5), and makes quite clear that He is the King, both by His responses to the leaders of Israel and by specific citation from Scripture (Matthew 22:42). Compare Matthew 21:42 where the rejected Servant and Son turns the tables and establishes a new Kingly Rule. It is as King (as well as Servant - Matthew 20:28) that He is crucified. And in the end it is His Kingship that is established in Heaven (Matthew 28:18). The lowliness of the Servant will especially be brought out in Matthew 20:25, and will even be emphasised of Jesus in His Kingship (Matthew 21:5). While the distinctions must not be overpressed, for He is ever both Servant and King, the pattern is nevertheless clear.

And because He is His chosen Servant, He is the Beloved One of YHWH in Whom YHWH is well pleased, as testified to after His baptism in Matthew 3:17, Who does always what is pleasing to Him (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 11:26), and will be revealed again as the Beloved and well pleasing Son in His transfiguration (Matthew 17:5), being rejected as the Son (Matthew 22:37) and after enthronement (Matthew 28:18), finally united as ‘the Son' with His Father in the giving of blessing to His people (Matthew 28:19).

We should perhaps note here His alignment by this with Abraham. In Matthew 1:1 it is emphasise that He was the son of Abraham, and in the whole Servant context in Isaiah it is Abraham who is especially the beloved of YHWH (Isaiah 41:8, ‘Abraham whom I have loved'; Isaiah 51:2). Indeed that is why He has chosen Israel as His Servant.

“I will put my Spirit upon him, And he will declare judgment to the nations (Gentiles).”

He is the One on Whom the Spirit has come in accordance with Matthew 3:11, as witnessed to in Matthew 3:16, being led by the Spirit from then on (Matthew 4:1). But this is no ordinary anointing, for, as we learned in Matthew 3:11, by it He became the One Who could dispense the Spirit. The Spirit will work in accordance with His will. And by casting out evil spirits by that same Spirit He has demonstrated that the Kingly Rule of God has now come (Matthew 12:28). Thus do we learn that the ability of the Apostles to cast out evil spirits (Matthew 10:1) has come through the work of the Spirit on them, as promised in Matthew 3:11. And as a result He will declare righteous truth to the nations (as described in the comments on Matthew 12:18 a).

The word ‘judgment' includes both the thought of bringing righteous truth to the nations, and also judgment (but still as righteous truth) for those who are under condemnation (Matthew 11:20; Matthew 12:41). This will finally result in His sending out of His Apostles to the nations (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19).