back to the garden 22

 .     What does it mean that “a bruised reed He will not break” in Matthew 12:2   Answer from Got Questions “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” ( Matthew 12:20 ). When Matthew wrote these words, he was quoting a prophecy from Isaiah 42:1–4 . This prophecy pointed to the actions and demeanor of the coming Messiah, now revealed as Jesus Christ. In the prophecy, the “bruised reed” and the “smoldering wick” refer to the spiritually, physically, or morally weak. A reed that is bruised may be damaged, but it is not irreparable. A “smoldering wick” may be about to lose its fire altogether, but it can still be reignited. At the beginning of Matthew 12 , we find the disciples walking through a grain field with Jesus, picking grain to sate their hunger. According to Deuteronomy 23:25 , grain-picking was a lawful activity, but the Pharisees, always quick to condemn, questioned its legality because that day was the Sabbath. They accused the di