Savior of All – Matthew 12:15-21

I have a Muslim man emailing me for the purpose of correcting my understanding of Islam and exposing the errors of Christianity. One of his assertions is that Jesus, according to our Scriptures, has declared that he is only the savior for Israel. He quotes Matthew 15:24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Islam, on the other hand, is for all peoples, he argues.

Is it really true that Jesus came only for Israel? In the face of a wave of hatred and desire on the part of the religious leaders of Israel to kill him, Jesus withdraws from the fray. He is not here to make himself king, to force his kingdom on others through conflict. And the Gentiles’ salvation is very much on his mind.

Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” (Matthew 12:15-21 ESV)

Jesus’ resistance to people proclaiming far and wide what he had done for them seems tied to his knowing that people were harboring incorrect expectations of his ministry.  He was not here yet to overthrow human kingdoms and bring all people to worship and obey him, as Daniel promises (Daniel 7:27).  That was yet in the future.  In this era he was fulfilling the promise of the servant of Yahweh as found in Isaiah 42:1-4.

In Isaiah Yahweh describes His servant as chosen and beloved and equipped with the Holy Spirit’s power and ministry.  The scope of his mission is all nations, not just Israel, but his approach is not the conqueror but the humble messenger.  He will not overpower his hearers, especially those who themselves are fragile and oppressed.  His goal will be to bring them justice as they hope in him.

There are several “Servant Songs” in Isaiah 42-53.  At times the servant is identified as Israel (Isaiah 44:1-5), but other passages make it clear that the servant is an individual Israelite who will rescue Israel (49:1-6).  Jesus is the ultimate Israelite sent to redeem his nation but also the whole world.  God has opened His arms to all peoples.

There is overwhelming expectation in the Old Testament of a harvest of Gentiles to the faith. Genesis 12:1-3 couches the promise to Abraham in the expectation that all nations will be blessed through him. Psalm 22:27 predicts that all the nations shall worship before Yahweh. In Isaiah 49:6 Yahweh asks His servant if it is too small a thing for Yahweh to use him to rescue Israel and affirms that he will also rescue the Gentiles. So later, when Jesus says he is sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24), he is speaking only of his current mission, not his long-term mission. And in fact he has already begun ministering to Gentiles (Matthew 8:5-13).

He is the Savior for all peoples, hence we must be his witnesses to all people.