Isaiah 42:2-3
“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... A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.”
King James Version
The first Servant Song — the gentle, Spirit-endowed Servant who brings justice to the nations without breaking the bruised reed, applied by Matthew directly to Jesus.
Fulfillment References
Matthew 12:18-21 Isaiah 49:1-6 Isaiah 61:1 Matthew 3:17
How Traditions Read This Prophecy
Apostolic (Oneness) PentecostalThe Servant on whom God puts His Spirit is Jesus (Matt. 12:18); the one God works gently and justly through the Man in whom His own Spirit dwells without measure (John 3:34).
JewishThe Servant is widely read in Judaism as the nation Israel, God's chosen servant called to be a light; the gentleness and justice describe Israel's vocation among the nations.
CatholicThe Servant is Christ, on whom the Spirit rests, bringing justice gently to the Gentiles (Matt. 12:18-21).
ProtestantMatthew explicitly applies this to Jesus; the 'bruised reed' pictures Christ's tenderness toward the weak.
OrthodoxChrist the Servant of the Lord, anointed by the Spirit, bringing salvation to the nations.
DispensationalThe Servant-Messiah who brings justice to the Gentiles, partly at His first coming and fully in the kingdom.
AcademicThe 'Servant Songs' (42, 49, 50, 52-53) are a central crux: scholars debate whether the Servant is corporate Israel, a faithful remnant, the prophet himself, or an individual figure — the identification shifts across the songs.
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Cross-references, Hebrew/Greek, Dead Sea Scrolls notes, study tools and multi-tradition analysis in the interactive explorer.
Bible Prophecy Explorer · based on J. Barton Payne’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy catalogue · an openly Apostolic (Oneness) Pentecostal study resource — all traditions presented fairly. Pastor: C. Myles Young, PhD · Bishop: Nathaniel J. Wilson, Ed.D.