First Mennonite Church
July 12, 2026
Jesus’ Superiority, Humility and Gentleness
Text: Matthew 12:1-21; 38-42
On various occasions I have said that the Gospel of Matthew was intended to prove to the Jews that Jesus is God’s promised Messiah.
Chapter Twelve of Matthew is where the gospel-writer highlights Jesus’ superiority above the most revered people and places within the Jewish religion. Matthew does this through the stories he narrates. It is also in this chapter where Jesus’ opponents determined “to destroy him” (12:14). But regardless of Jesus’ superiority, Matthew also shows Jesus’ humility and graciousness toward us in our weaknesses.
Jesus is superior to all most revered men in Jewish tradition.
In ancient Israel and among the Jewish people of Jesus’ time, the priests, king David and Salomon and the prophets were greatly admired. The priests were those who mediated between God and his people. They simplified Yahweh’s requirements of atonement and dispensed God’s grace to this people.
David was the great king and the man after God’s own heart. Salomon was the wisest man who ever lived. On the other hand, the prophets were considered God’s spokespersons. Through them God’s words were made known to his people. And among other sacred things and spaces were the Temple in Jerusalem and the Sabbath Day. These people and sacred places and spaces in time were held dear in the hearts of the Jews of Jesus’ times. And the Pharisees considered themselves guardians and enforcers of these traditions.
Therefore, when the Pharisees saw Jesus and his disciples going against what they considered holy, they could not hold their contempt or keep silent of their suspicion against Jesus and his followers. They tried by all means to corner and trap Jesus by putting before him compromising issues or circumstances. They followed his every move to see where they could catch him on something.
Our Passage
Chapter 12 begins with a story of Jesus’ disciples plucking and crushing heads of grain with their hands because they were hungry. That happened on a Sabbath Day; therefore, the Pharisees questioned the legality of Jesus for allowing that. But Jesus instead of answering their question; he replied with a question: Have you not read about David and his men? Have you not read about the priests’ illegal actions in the temple? You see, performing sacrifices was in itself doing work. But the Jews considered that the sacrifice was more important (greater) than the Sabath. They considered sacrifices greater than the temple. But Jesus said to them, lo and behold, “something greater than the temple is here”! (12:6) If sacrifices were greater than both the Sabbath and the temple, Jesus reminded his opponents that in God’s sight, doing acts mercy is greater than sacrifices and the temple.
After saying this, Jesus enters their synagogue and there was a man with a withered hand. It presents a perfect occasion for the Pharisees to corner Jesus. Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath? Again, Jesus posed before them a real-life situation: an unfortunate sheep that has fallen into a pit. Will you not save it especially being it your only one? Therefore, Jesus asked, “Is it fine to do well on the Sabbath?” You see, God’s intention in giving his people a Sabbath Day was not to bind them, but to release them from what binds them—their desire to be self-sufficient by enslaving themselves. God gave the Sabbath so his people could rest and do what is good. Thus, Jesus said to them: “For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” He is the one who can give us the true rest.
The last incident in chapter 12 of Matthew, the scribes and Pharisees were asking for a sign. “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” (12:38) Now, these men were asking for credentials. Up to this moment Jesus had indirectly said that he was superior to the Temple, the priests, and King David and his opponents couldn’t let go of this opportunity to ask Jesus to show them his credentials. They wanted a sign in order to believe that indeed Jesus was who he says he was. They wanted the kingdom of God to be revealed to them in their own terms. But Jesus said vehemently, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Jesus brought to their attention a prophetic book with only 48 verses to make his point. Jonah was a rebellious prophet whose heart God had to change during the three days and three nights Jonah spent in the belly of a sea monster. Jonah was the prophet who God used to convert a whole city of the worst sinners “who could not tell their right hand from their left hand” (4:11). Yet at Jonah’s preaching everyone including the animals were converted to God. And Jesus said, but lo and behold, “something greater than Jonah in this place” (12:41)
Then Jesus added,
12:41 The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here! 12:42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and [lo and behold], something greater than Solomon is here!
My brothers and sisters, Jesus is gloriously superior.
Jesus is greater than the kings and priests.
Jesus is greater than the prophets.
Jesus is lord of the temple and the Sabbath.
And it is where Matthew identifies Jesus as God’s humble Messiah by quoting the prophet Isaiah: He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. 12:20 He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. 12:21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
There is this little fable:
Among a king’s servants was a man who fetched water to his palace. Every morning the man took his rod and two jars, with one hanging on each end and went to the well to fetch water. One of the jars was good and whole while the other one had a crack from the top to half way down. The perfect jar always arrived with its full load of water, but the flawed jar only arrived half full. One day the broken jar expressed its disappointment to the water man. It said, I am just making your work hard because you have to make more trips to the well because of me. My friend on the other end of the rod always gives a full measure of fresh water to your master. Please discard me and get yourself another perfect jar. The water man said, “Have you not noticed the beautiful flowers on our master’s table?” “Yes”, said the broken jar. “When I saw your broken side and that you watered the path going to the palace, I planted flowers on the road side so that as you pass by every day, you would water them”, said the waterman. “Those flowers on the master’s table are the labor of your imperfectness.”
When we look at Jesus we see God in his splendor, beauty, and holiness. He is holy, perfect and pure. He is love, overflowing. He is humble and meek. He is everything we desire and strive to be. On the other hand, we are like the imperfect jars that not always accomplish the purpose of our calling. Sometimes instead of being strong columns in God’s house, we feel like bruised reeds that can break at the slightest weight. Sometimes, we feel that instead of being glowing lights on the mountain top we are like a smoldering candle that the slightest breeze can snuff out. But this is the truth about Jesus; he will treat us with care and compassion. He will never break us but mend and strengthen us. He is humble and his yoke is easy and light because he shares with our every burden and understands our weaknesses.
Therefore, in light of his gentleness and kindness, let us strive to be strong in the Lord. Let us shine our lights that others may see our deed and glorify our Father who is in heaven. Amen!
Pastor Romero