The prophecies concerning the Messiah's tenderness and compassion are deeply rooted in the Old Testament and find their fulfillment in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament. These prophecies highlight the gentle and compassionate nature of the Messiah, who would bring comfort and healing to His people.

Old Testament Prophecies

1. Isaiah 42:1-3: "Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; in faithfulness He will bring forth justice."

This passage from Isaiah presents the Messiah as a gentle and compassionate figure, one who would not crush the weak or extinguish the faint. The imagery of a bruised reed and a smoldering wick symbolizes those who are fragile and vulnerable, and the Messiah's approach to them is one of tenderness and care.

2. Isaiah 61:1-2: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance, to comfort all who mourn."

This prophecy speaks of the Messiah's mission to bring healing and comfort to those in distress. The emphasis is on His role as a healer and liberator, bringing hope and restoration to the afflicted.

New Testament Fulfillment

1. Matthew 12:15-21: "Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all, warning them not to make Him known. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'Here is My Servant, whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory. In His name the nations will put their hope.'"

Matthew explicitly connects Jesus' actions with the prophecy from Isaiah 42, demonstrating that Jesus embodied the gentle and compassionate nature foretold by the prophet. His healing of the crowds and His quiet, humble demeanor are seen as direct fulfillments of the prophecy.

2. Luke 4:17-21: "The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it is written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.' Then He rolled up the scroll, returned it to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him, and He began by saying, 'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.'"

In this passage, Jesus directly claims the fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1-2, asserting that His ministry is the realization of the prophecy. His works of healing, preaching, and setting free those who are oppressed are manifestations of His tender and compassionate mission.

3. Matthew 9:36: "When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Jesus' compassion is frequently highlighted in the Gospels. His response to the needs of the people, seeing them as sheep without a shepherd, reflects the tender care prophesied in the Old Testament.

4. Mark 1:40-41: "Then a leper came to Jesus, begging on his knees: 'If You are willing, You can make me clean.' Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' He said, 'Be clean!'"

The healing of the leper is a powerful demonstration of Jesus' compassion. His willingness to touch and heal the man, despite societal taboos, underscores His tender heart towards those in need.

These fulfillments in the New Testament reveal Jesus as the compassionate Messiah, whose life and ministry were marked by a profound tenderness towards humanity, fulfilling the ancient prophecies with divine love and mercy.Matthew 12:15,20
But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from there: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 4:15
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Hebrew Prophecies.
... common denominator for this collection of prophecies.". ... several interesting critical
inquiries respecting the component ... him in insisting, that Christ could not ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter v the hebrew prophecies.htm

The Christ of the Gospels. By Rev. Professor Schaff.
... miracles performed by him, and the prophecies fulfilled in him ... pregnant with the
deepest meaning respecting the counsel ... How did Christ bear all these little and ...
/.../the christ of the gospels.htm

Introductory Notice Respecting Tauler's Life and Times
... that the numerous legends and prophecies current in ... All that we can discover respecting
the commencement ... sympathy with the spirit of Christ's life, especially ...
/.../introductory notice respecting taulers life.htm

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... compassion from him, for the contrary is his commandment. Further, he that keepeth
God's commandment sheweth his brother what he must do to honour the Christ ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm

Mr. Bunyan's Last Sermon:
... THAT is the way thou must go; it was cast up by the patriarchs, prophets, Christ,
and His Apostles; and it is as straight as a rule can make it. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/mr bunyans last sermon .htm

part ii
... I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." [740 ... may "make the evil be good
in His benevolence." [748 ... remember that Christ, the Founder of your faith, was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

part i
... them enter into his heart, which Jesus Christ alone ought ... words of the God of glory
are fulfilled every time ... becomes jealous of the glory of His righteous, ever ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm

How can I identify messianic prophecies in the Old Testament? | GotQuestions.org

How many prophecies did Jesus fulfill? | GotQuestions.org

What biblical prophecies were fulfilled in AD 70? | GotQuestions.org

Prophecies: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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