Justice for the Nations (Baptism of the Lord)

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The reading from Isaiah is yet another of more well-known Messianic passages. Specifically, it is one of four “Servant Songs” in Isaiah, which depict a figure known as the “Servant of the Lord.” Besides this passage, the other three Servant Songs are Isaiah 49:1–13, 50:4–11, and 52:13-53:12. This Servant of the Lord is depicted in these songs to be God’s agent in bringing about justice and redemption for the world. The most significant of these Servant Songs is the last one, which is a direct prophecy of the servant’s redemptive death for the sins of the world (it is also one of the most oft-quoted prophecies in the New Testament).

The particular passage we are reading this Sunday focuses on the Servant’s role as an agent of justice and mercy. When the scripture speaks of Him not breaking a bruised reed or quenching the wick, it speaks of His mercy towards the weak and oppressed of this world. The reference to rescuing the captives refers to the spiritual captivity that is caused by sin, especially sins of injustice, which ensnare both body and soul. The reading also connects with other passages that speak of God’s law going out from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Through the Servant, God’s law (which is the perfect representation of justice) is progressively realized in this world, until it becomes fully established.

The Old Testament reading is directly related to two passages in the Gospels. The first is Luke 4:16-30, where Jesus reads this passage in the synagogue and declares that He is the fulfillment of that prophecy, causing everyone to marvel at Him. The other passage is our Gospel reading about the baptism of Jesus (Luke 3:15-16, 21-22, cf. Matthew 3:13-17). When the Holy Spirit comes down upon Jesus and the voice from Heaven declares “You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” this is alluding directly to the first verse of the Isaiah reading. It shows that Jesus’ baptism is also His commission to “fulfill all righteousness.”

Thus, we reflect on how Jesus, as the Servant of the Lord, will bring justice and righteousness to all the earth. We pray to see the justice envisioned in the Scriptures in our days, as we pray to God “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.”

J. Luis Dizon