Gentle Servant
The Servant of Yahweh comes quietly and gently, no breaking off a bent stick or snuffing out a smoldering wick (42:2; Heb. upishtah kechah lo yekabenah ). Ain’t he nice?
But Yahweh does what the Servant does not do - He quenches and extinguishes wicks (43:17; Heb. kapishtah kavu ). Not so nice.
The difference is not between the gentle Servant and mean Yahweh. The difference is the object of their action: Faced with the smoldering wick of Israel, the light of the world, the Servant brings the lamp back to flame. Faced with chariot and horse, arrogant strength and power [like Pharaoh’s], Yahweh puts out whatever light remains. He puts the violent down so they cannot rise.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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