Y‘shua persistently and publicly chose to violate these legalistic traditions and to preach against them (Mark
7:1-13). As a result of His refusal to comply with scribal regulations and traditions, Y‘shua earned the
reputation by the legalistic Pharisees of one who had no regard for the Law. In fact, He was accused of
setting aside the Law in deference to His own (new) teachings. The scribes and Pharisees, who were
regarded (at least among their own ranks) as the guardians of the Law, were condemned by Y‘shua as
hypocrites (Matt 6:1-2, 5, 16; 15:1-9; and chapter 23). It was necessary for Y‘shua to put the Law in the right
perspective...
(See questions and answers at the end of chapter 12)
12:18-19 Behold My Servant...
―(18) 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. (19) He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any
man hear his voice in the streets‖.
The verses from 18 to 21 are a quotation from Isaiah. Matthew mentions this in relation to Y‘shua's request
for the people He healed (in verse 15) not to broadcast to everyone what He was doing. As the people of the
day were expecting a powerful, vengeful Messiah that would lead Israel to glory (i.e., Messiah ben David),
He did not want some violent insurrection to take place with everyone thinking He would be the leader. The
quote from Isaiah clearly alludes to a Messiah ben Joseph type – one that would suffer and die for his
people.
12:20-21 Till He send forth judgment into victory
―(20) A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment
unto victory. (21) And in his name shall the Gentiles trust‖.
At that time, he will play the role of Messiah ben David, the Lion of Judah; and the High Priest anointed unto
war.
The High Priest anointed for war
A subject not mentioned in most Bible studies is that of the "second High Priest", who was called the (High)
Priest Anointed for War. Scripture only gives a brief, non-specific mention to this person and his role:
(1) When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people
more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the
land of Egypt.
(2) And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and
speak unto the people,
(3) And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your
enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of
them‖. (Deut 20:1- 3 )
This High Priest did not serve in the Tabernacle/Temple, as did the High Priest we read much more about in
the Tenach. Rather, his assignment centered on the caring and preparedness of the men going to battle – to
assure they were prepared physically and spiritually; even sending home those he deemed unfit to fight.
The first Priest anointed for war that we find mention of was Phineas, the grandson of Aaron:
Midrash Rabbah - Leviticus 20:2: ―Elisheba the daughter of Amminadab did not enjoy happiness in the world.
True, she witnessed five crowns [attained by her relatives] in one day: her brother-in-law was a king, her
brother was a prince, her husband was High Priest, her two sons were both Deputy High Priests, Phinehas
her grandson was a Priest anointed for war‖.
Talmud - Mas. Sotah 43a: ―Thus it states: And Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war,
them and Phinehas – ̳them‘ refers to the Sanhedrin; „Phinehas‟ was the [priest] Anointed for Battle;‖
―And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the
priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand‖. (Num 31: 6)
Elsewhere in Midrash Rabbah (below), we find reference to the same person; this time called "the War
Messiah‖. What is interesting here is the footnote which links the Priest Anointed for War to the coming