Isaiah 42:1 – Behold My Servant
“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.” God Himself introduces a figure of supreme importance—His servant, His chosen one, the object of His delight. This is no ordinary servant but one endowed with the Spirit to accomplish what no one else could: bringing divine justice to the nations. Matthew identifies this servant as Jesus Christ, and in doing so reveals that what God spoke through Isaiah found its perfect fulfillment in the Son who came to serve.
The First Servant Song
Isaiah 42:1-4 constitutes the first of four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah (the others being 49:1-6, 50:4-9, and 52:13-53:12). These passages introduce a mysterious figure—the LORD’s servant—whose identity and mission progressively unfold through the prophetic book. This first song establishes the servant’s relationship to God and his mission to the nations.
The introduction is emphatic: “Behold!” God commands attention. Something unprecedented is being revealed. The servant is not introduced by human testimony but by divine declaration. God Himself presents His chosen one, vouching for him, delighting in him, equipping him.
Four descriptors characterize the servant in verse 1. “My servant”—belonging to God, existing for God’s purposes. “Whom I uphold”—supported, sustained, not acting alone. “Mine elect”—chosen, selected from among all possibilities. “In whom my soul delighteth”—not mere toleration but profound pleasure, deep satisfaction, heartfelt love.
The equipment is spiritual: “I have put my spirit upon him.” The servant operates not by natural ability but by supernatural endowment. God’s Spirit resting upon someone indicates divine empowerment for divine mission. The servant does God’s work in God’s way by God’s power.
The Servant’s Gentle Mission
The servant’s mission is to “bring forth judgment to the Gentiles”—establishing justice not just for Israel but for all nations. The scope is universal. The servant is not merely Israel’s deliverer but the world’s hope. Divine justice will reach where it has never gone, extending to peoples who have never known the LORD.
The method is striking: “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street” (Isaiah 42:2). This servant works quietly, without self-promotion or coercive force. No loud rallying of crowds, no political campaigning, no manipulation of public opinion. His power does not depend on volume or visibility.
“A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench” (Isaiah 42:3). The imagery is of tenderness toward the weak. A bruised reed—damaged, bent, nearly broken—would normally be discarded. A smoldering wick—barely producing flame, more smoke than light—would normally be extinguished. But the servant preserves what others would discard. He nurtures the weak rather than exploiting or abandoning them.
“He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law” (Isaiah 42:4). Though gentle, the servant is not weak. He will accomplish his mission without failure or discouragement. The ends of the earth will receive his teaching. Gentleness and effectiveness combine in ways human rulers never achieve.
Matthew’s Application
Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 at a crucial point in his Gospel. After Jesus healed many but warned them not to make Him known, Matthew explains: “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 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 shall shew judgment to the Gentiles” (Matthew 12:17-18).
The identification is explicit: Jesus is the servant, the chosen one, the Spirit-anointed bearer of justice to the nations. His healing ministry, His avoidance of publicity, His gentle treatment of the weak—all fulfill what Isaiah prophesied. The servant who would not break bruised reeds healed them instead.
The Father’s voice at Jesus’ baptism echoes Isaiah 42:1: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The language parallels the servant song: “mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.” The beloved Son is the delighted-in servant. The voice from heaven confirmed what Isaiah had foretold.
The Spirit’s descent at baptism further confirms the identification. “I have put my spirit upon him”—Isaiah’s prophecy. “And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him”—Matthew’s record (Matthew 3:16). The servant who would be Spirit-equipped received that equipment visibly at the Jordan.
Servant and Son
The servant language might seem to diminish Christ’s status—a servant is less than a master. But in the divine economy, servanthood and sovereignty unite. Jesus declared, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). The Lord of all became servant of all.
Paul captures this paradox magnificently: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:6-7). The one who was God by nature became servant by choice. Isaiah’s servant is Yahweh incarnate, humbling Himself to lift humanity.
The servant’s mission extends to the cross. The fourth servant song describes him wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, suffering unjustly to bear the sin of many. The servant who would not break bruised reeds was Himself bruised. The servant who upheld the weak was Himself afflicted. He served to the uttermost, giving His life for those He came to save.
Yet the servant’s exaltation follows His humiliation. “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high” (Isaiah 52:13). The one who took the form of a servant now has the name above every name. The gentle healer reigns as King of Kings. Servanthood led to sovereignty; humiliation issued in honor.
The Servant’s Invitation
Christ the servant extends the servant’s ministry through His people. “I am among you as he that serveth” (Luke 22:27)—and He calls His followers to the same posture. The gentle, non-coercive, weak-preserving ministry Isaiah described becomes the pattern for the church. We do not lord it over others; we serve them.
The servant who brought justice to the Gentiles continues to do so through the gospel. Every nation now has access to His law. Islands and distant coastlands that Isaiah mentioned have heard His word. The mission to bring forth judgment—establishing God’s righteous order—continues as the church proclaims Christ and His kingdom.
Come to the gentle servant. He will not break you though you are bruised. He will not extinguish you though you barely smolder. He preserves the weak, tends the wounded, nurtures the faint. His power serves; His strength sustains. The one in whom God delights invites you to delight in Him. The servant who gave His life for ransom offers that ransom for you. Behold the servant—and believe.