After leaving Nazareth, Jesus moved to Capernaum, a city located by the Sea of
Galilee, in the region of Zebulon and Naphtali, so that it might be fulfilled
what was spoken by the prophet, Isaiah, who said,
“In the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali,
On the way to the sea across the Jordan–
Galilee of the Gentiles–
The people who were sitting in darkness
Have seen a great Light.
And those living in the land
And in the shadow of death,
On them has a Light risen.”
From that time on Jesus began to preach, proclaiming the good news of the Realm
of God, and saying, “The time has come, and the realm of God has drawn near.
Repent and believe the Glad News, for the Realm of Heaven is at hand!”
(Matt. 4:13-17; Mk. 1:14-15; Lk. 4:31a)
Having been rejected by the people of His hometown, Jesus moved north to Capernaum where He knew He would be welcomed. It was from Capernaum that the nobleman had come, whose son’s life Jesus had saved.
Capernaum was the perfect place for someone who wanted to reach many people. It was located on the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee, perhaps twenty-five miles north of Nazareth. It was located on an important trading route between Egypt and Syria. The area was densely populated, not only because of the trade route, but because the land in the area was amazingly fertile. Because of these reasons, there was a proliferation of small towns and villages in the area.
The Sea of Galilee is known by several names in the Bible. The name, Galilee, is taken from the Hebrew word, galil, which means a circle. Some translations refer to it as Lake Galilee. Luke 5:1 called it Lake Gennesaret, while John called it The Sea of Tiberius (John 6:1, 21:1). The full name of the area surrounding this body of water was called Galilee of the Gentiles because, though Galilee was in Israel, it was surrounded by Gentile nations. At any given time, it would have provided housing and sustenance for the many Gentiles traveling in and through the area. Due to the mixing and mingling of the various peoples from several nations, the area was known for its welcoming of diverse views, and the people were open to new ideas.
As a matter of fact, from the time of Joshua the land had borne a diversity of people. Originally, at God’s command the Israelites were to have gone into the land, subdue it and drive out the Canaanites who lived there. However, local kings had tricked Joshua into making a peace treaty with them, and the Israelites were bound to honor it. (Joshua 9) The land was then assigned to the tribes of Zebulon, Naphtali and Asher (Joshua 19:10-39).
The author of Matthew makes a great effort to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of prophesies in the Hebrew Scriptures, this time quoting the prophet, Isaiah (9:1, 2). D.A. Carson, in his commentary on Matthew writes, “The point of the quotation is clear enough. In despised Galilee, the place where people live in darkness (I. E. without the religious and cultic advantages of Jerusalem and Judea), the land of the shadow of death (I.e. where the darkness is most dense) here the light has dawned…This was God’s prophesied plan. Matthew is not interested in the mere fact that some prophesy is fulfilled in Galilee but in this particular prophecy; from of old the Messiah was promised to ‘Galilee of the Gentiles.’ a foreshadowing of the commission to ‘all nations.’ Moreover, if the messianic light dawns on the darkest places, then Messiah’s salvation can only be a bestowal of grace–namely, that Jesus came to call, not the righteous, but sinners (9:13).”
We have a saying: “Don’t try to teach a pig to sing. It doesn’t work, and it just annoys the pig.” Jesus also had a saying: “…don’t give your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces (Matt. 7:6b).” Jesus was speaking from experience. In Nazareth Jesus had offered His pearls of wisdom to the people, but in response they had risen up and tried to kill Him. Now Jesus could have persisted and hung around town, performed a few miracles, and would have won the people over in not too much time. People can’t long argue in the face of miracles. But instead, Jesus chose to leave there and go to a place where He knew He would be welcomed–where He knew He could make a difference without having to resort to feats of the supernatural.
Not only that, but in the Galilee Jesus had the opportunity to reach many more people than He could have reached in Nazareth. Because the Galilee was a major trade center, what Jesus said and did could much sooner be spread, not only to neighboring countries, but as far as the tradesmen traveled. What began as an experience of rejection for Jesus, turned out to be the best means for spreading His words.
It is here, from this point on, that Jesus began His ministry in earnest. The words Matthew attributes to Jesus mirror the words spoken earlier by John the Baptist. John was now in prison. John had completed the task God had given him as forerunner and herald of the Messiah. Jesus picks up where John left off.
It is important that we recognize that the word gospel means good news. Jesus proclaimed, “The time has come, and the realm of God has drawn near.” Before Jesus’ incarnation on earth, God had been seen and understood only from afar. God was the great warrior–the great provider–in the sky. God watched over people from a distance. No longer would it be thus, Jesus would tell the people. God would not be the unconcerned but demanding deity that the pagans were used to, nor the great Warrior/Provider that the Israelites had previously been used to. God would be the loving, caring, close, concerned Parent. The realm of God was not out there, but “….near….at hand.”
The Greek word, metanoeo, is often translated repent. It means to think differently, or to reconsider (Strong’s), or to change one’s mind or purpose (Vine’s). It always involves a change for the better. Jesus was about to turn their world upside-down. To the Israelites, Jesus had come to clarify and edify. God had given specific commands to Moses in Mt. Sinai. Over the centuries, the Ten Commandments had been expanded to over 600 rules and regulations. They’d been interpreted and reinterpreted, often to the point where the original meaning had been completely lost.
To those of us in the twenty-first century, the concept of repentance calls to mind visions of fire-and-brimstone, hell-and-damnation preachers. Especially in the GLBTQ community, this call to repentance often brings to mind images of condemnation and rejection. We need a new way of hearing this word.
What Jesus was really saying, was: If your life isn’t going the way you expect it to, have I got a plan for you! If you’re lost and frightened and lonely, have I got a Friend for you! If there’s a hunger in your spirit that all the success in the world can’t seem to fill, have I got a feast for you! Look this way, friend. Yes, I mean you. I’ve a story to tell you, and it is the good news! Good news! Heaven is not a goal that you will never attain because you aren’t worthy. Heaven is not a goal that some day you might attain if you’re good enough. Heaven is now! Eternity is now! My peace that passes all understanding is now. It is here. It is at hand. Believe it! Accept it, and it will be yours.
This ends our study for today.
Points to Ponder