Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew – Matthew 12:15-21

Written by Jimmie Burroughs

(Jesus Withdraws & refocuses His Ministry)

Primary Scripture: Matthew 12:15-30 (KJV)

Supporting Scripture: From the (KJV) John 5:36-37 Isaiah 53; Psalm 22; Matthew 21:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4;  Romans 9:31-32; Isaiah 11:10;  Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 49:6; Mark 9:17-19 and 28-29; Rom. 5:10; Hebrews 10:22-25

Questions to be answered in this study. (When you read the review, you will find the answers in the narrative are in bold print.)

1. What was Jesus’ new approach after the kingdom was rejected?
2. Other than the answer to the first question, what was the main thrust of Jesus’ ministry after the rejection of the kingdom?
3. Are we saved by baptism? 1 Peter 3:21 says, “…we are now saved by baptism.”
4. What is the primary example that the disciples of Jesus in the New Testament set for us today?
5. Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important?
6. How many types of baptism are mentioned in Scripture?

Introduction

Israel rejected Jesus’ offer of the kingdom and passed the point of no return. Jesus gave more than ample proof that he was the Messiah by the miracles He performed. Nevertheless, ironically, most were not convinced and now, in today’s study, the Jewish leaders are seeking how they may destroy Jesus. Therefore, Jesus had to withdraw, probably to the hill country above the Sea of Galilee. Israel was given a window of time to receive the kingdom or reject it. In Matthew 12, Matthew explains why that window was closed. Also, in this chapter we see Jesus now turning to a new approach.

Matthew 12:15-21 (KJV), “But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah 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 will declare justice to the Gentiles.19He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; 21And in His name Gentiles will trust.’”

Jesus was not distracted from His purpose, but now has a new thrust. He set His face like a flint to accomplish those things He had come to earth to accomplish. That purpose now was to heal the sick and afflicted and share the good news of the gospel and also to train His disciples to carry on the work after He was gone.

Jesus was fully aware of the conspiracy of the Pharisees and therefore withdrew in order to avoid conflict. There was plenty of territory around the Sea of Galilee where Jesus could retreat in order to continue His ministry. My wife Margaret and I visited some of that area last year when we were in Israel. It is rugged country but beautiful in its own way, particularly the villages and the Sea of Galilee below.

With the kingdom offer withdrawn, Jesus now concentrated on healing and the gospel of salvation. Because of the past confrontations with the Pharisees, Jesus is now becoming more cautious. In verse16, He began to ask those being healed not to give out His identity.

Even though Jesus offered the kingdom to Israel, His purpose for coming to earth was to procure the gospel through His death burel and resurrection. I want to spend a little time on this: Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the capstone of Christianity. If there was no resurrection there would be no hope. In 1 Corinthians 15:16-21 we read, “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead,”

Today we place a lot of emphasis on faith, when the main emphasis should be on the Grace of God. Faith is only the avenue to salvation, but it is God’s grace that provides it.

Some place the emphasis on works even though the Bible clearly says it is not of works, Ephesians 2:8-9. Some place salvation on baptism based on 1 Peter 3:21 “The like figure (Like figure points to something else) whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh), but the answer of a good conscience (good conscience is having good motives) toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” (The importance of the resurrection is the focus of this verse, not on water baptism, without which there would be no salvation.) What this verse says is that baptism is a figure, it is the likeness of something else. It is what baptism figures that saves us not baptism itself. Baptism figures the death, burel and resurrection of Jesus. It is with the confidence we now have because of His resurrection that we can say with complete assurance, “O death were is thy sting; o death where is thy victory,” 1 Corinthians 15:55.

Baptism does not put away the filth of the flesh or sin. It was Christ death that atoned for the filth of sin of which baptism is a likeness.

To be lowered in water is a picture of death. Sprinkling or pouring does not capture that in essence. When a person dies, you don’t sprinkle or pour dirt on them; you bury then 6 feet under. Once again, it is not water baptism that saves, it is the gospel of which baptism is a figure.

Baptism is from the Greek word “Baptizo” which means emersion, but it also has other applications, one being to have a relationship with Christ through the gospel. Baptism means a relationship or an identification or association and not always water, although some of the baptisms do mean water.

There are eight different baptisms found in the Bible, Five Dry and Three Wet.

1. The Baptism of John the Baptist, Mark 1:4 KJV
2. The Baptism of Moses, 1 Corinthians 10:1–3
3. The Baptism of Jesus, Matthew 3:13-17
4. The Baptism of Fire,  Matthew 3:11-12   
5. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, 1Corinthians 12:13
6. The Baptism of the Cross, Mark 10:35-39 KJV
7. The Baptism of Church-age believer, Acts 28:19
8. Noah’s type Baptism,1Peter 3:18-22

Acts 1:5, is an example where baptism is contrasted, one is water and one is not, “For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Another example: 1 Corinthians 12:13, For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, (The church, the body of Christ) whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

In the case of 1 Peter 3:21, it is water baptism; although water baptism, is emphasizing a relationship with Christ through His death burel and resurrection. Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected, and the Christian identifies with Jesus or has a relationship with Him, by being fully immersed into the water (symbolizing death) and then being lifted out of the water, symbolizing the new life we have in Christ  and then one day in the future, to live in a glorified new body in the eternal state.

Salvation is not by the physical act of baptism but by what it figures, which is a relationship with Christ. We now relate to His resurrection which provides the hope for our own resurrection.

The ministry of Jesus, beyond His healing and the proclamation of the gospel, is now focused on leadership training for His disciples as they prepare to take over the kingdom work. Just as Jesus had furthered the works begun by John the Baptist, the disciples would further the work carried on by Jesus: Jesus said, “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape,” John 5:36-37 (KJV).

Now today, we are to carry on the work done by the disciples of Jesus in the New Testament. I’m afraid the many rather leave that up to pastors and evangelists. Here is another thought: Jesus’ work was not in vain just because Israel as a nation rejected Him as their Messiah. He continued to focus on His primary reason for coming to earth, to die on the cross for the atonement of sin. That is what we call the gospel, the good news. The very last command Jesus made to the church was to preach the gospel to the entire world baptizing those who believe and teaching them those things He taught, Matthew 28:19. That is our mission on earth above all else.