Matthew 4:12-17 – Galilee Saw A Great Light
|| Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 4:14
MT4:12 Now, having heard John [the Baptist] was arrested, Jesus retired into Galilee.[1] MT4:13 Leaving Nazareth[2] Jesus took up residence in Capernaum[3] by the sea in the districts of Zebulun[4] and Naphtali,[5] MT4:14 so that it might be fulfilled as it as spoken by Isaiah[6] the prophet, saying, MT4:15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, by the sea on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee[7] of the nations, MT4:16 those people[8] sitting in a region of death’s dark shadow saw a great Light rise upon them.” [Isaiah 9:1, 2] MT4:17 From that time[9] Jesus started preaching, saying, “Repent,[10] for the Realm of the heavens[11] has drawn near.”

Wooden longboat in the large freshwater lake Sea of Chinneret (Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias) Sea of Galilee, Tiberias.
[1] Galilee: The place occurs 76 times in the Bible with the region first mentioned at Numbers 34:11 (Joshua 20:7). The fresh water “lake” is also called the Sea of Chinnereth (Numbers 34:11), the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), and the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1). Jesus begins his ministry here and essentially ends it also at Galilee (John 21:1, 4-19). The lake is green/blue 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. “The density of the shoals of fish in the Sea of Galilee can scarcely be conceived by those who have not witnessed them. Frequently these shoals cover an acre or more of the surface and the fish, as they slowly move along in masses, are so crowded, with their back fins just appearing on the level of the water, that the appearance at a little distance is that of a violent shower of rain pattering on the surface.” (The Natural History of the Bible, H. B. Tristram, 1889, p. 285) All of Jesus’ faithful apostles came from this area.
[2] Nazareth: Probably just after Luke 4:28-30.
[3] Capernaum: The name means “Comforting Place.” The place occurs 16 times in the Christian Bible. Mark 2:1 calls this Jesus’ “home.” (“his house”)
[4] Zebulun: The territory named after a son of Israel occurs 48 times in the Bible with the first at Genesis 30:20. Compare Psalm 68:27. The name means perhaps “Toleration” or “Lofty Abode.” Compare Revelation 7:8.
[5] Naphtali: The name means “My Wrestlings.” The territory named after a son of Israel occurs 55 times in the Bible with the first at Genesis 30:8. Compare Revelation 7:6.
[6] Isaiah: Isaiah 9:1, 2. The prophet Isaiah is named 22 times in the Christian Bible (Matthew, 6; Mark, 2; Luke, 2; John, 4; Acts, 3; Romans, 5). In addition to direct quotations there are many allusions which are subtle paraphrases (Compare John 5:29 with Isaiah 26:19 LXX).
[7] Galilee: A prophecy indicating where Messiah would begin his ministry. It is in this area where the Nazarene sees his greatest fruitage – the foundation of Christianity.
[8] Those people: Note Acts 1:11; 2:7. We have a great spiritual debt to these folks.
[9] From that time: About a year after John the Baptist began his own ministry.
[10] Repent: The first words of the “Gospel” in the mouth of Jesus. Repentance is part of the Lord’s Gospel.
[11] Realm of the heavens: Or, “kingdom of the heavens.” The meaning is two fold: a) the King is present; and, b) the opportunity to enter the Nazarene’s realm of profession by confessing him as Lord.
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Preceding
Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:1-4 A Wilderness Temptation
Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:5-7 – A Temptation to Test God
Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:8-11 – A Temptation to Gain World Rule
Next:
Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:18-22 – The Calling of the First Disciples
Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:23-25 – Kingdom Preaching and Healing Draws Crowds
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Additional reading
- Invitation for the Studyday about Isaiah Messenger of joy
- God showing how far He is willing to go to save His children
- John 4 exhortation: The one that broke the mould
- Repentance and conversion are not milestones which we pass on the way of life and never see again
- Salvation, Baptism and Re-baptism
- Together tasting a great promisse
- God receives us on the basis of our faith
- Doest thou well to be Angry?
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Further reading
- Man’s true destiny
- My People Do Not Know
- The carnal mind – January 25, 2017
- We Have Sinned
- Surrender
- Having Faith in God
- Scripture at Sunrise 2.7.2017
- Only Jesus Will Give You Eternal Life
- Choose good over evil – February 01, 2017
- Two Selves: One Cannot Be Improved, the Other is Perfect in Christ (Part 1)
- Repent
- “Repent and Believe in the Good News”
- Repentance is More than saying I’m Sorry
- Am I Wired To Repent?
- Embracing Repentance
- Hold Fast In The Lord and Repent
- Repent While You Can
- Guilt — Why won’t it go away?
- Ask The Lord To Cast Away Your Sins
- Jesus sends you out for your sake
- Living in the Light
- Why A Christian Should Not Say “This” To A Non-Christian – Part II
- Do You Really Love Jesus?
- Stones Into Bread
- 3rd Sunday After Epiphany, January 22, 2017
- Third Sunday of Epiphany 2017 – Matthew 4:21-22
- 40 days
- 40 days and 40 nights
- Jesus Keeps Walking, God Keeps Moving
- Light to the Nations?
- Follow Me
- Invited To Follow
- Immediate
- Repentance – Sermon on Matthew 4:12-23
- Jesus calls his first disciples
- Answering the Call (Mt 4:12-23)
- What Does ‘Fish for Men’ Mean?
- Are You Really Following?
- Faith & Fisherman
- Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!
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