Matthew 12:20
Douay-Rheims
The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory.
Hilary of Poitiers
Or, he means this bruised reed that is not broken, to shew that the perishing and bruised bodies of the Gentiles, are not to be broken, but are rather reserved for salvation. He shall not quench a smoking flax, shews the feebleness of that spark which though not quenched, only moulders in the flax, and that among the remnants of that ancient grace, the Spirit is yet not quite taken away from Israel, but power still remains to them of resuming the whole flame thereof in a day of penitence.
Source details
A.D. 367 · as excerpted in the Catena Aurea on Matthew 12:14-21
Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.