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Matthew 4:12-25 (Ministry in Galilee)

INTRODUCTION: We are working our way through the opening chapters of Matthew, and so far we have studied Jesus’ birth and Jesus’ preparation for ministry. Now in today’s passage Jesus begins his public ministry. And it is a beautiful thing when he does. The Bible describes it as a light dawning in the darkness, and Jesus truly did bring light to a dark place. Our passage today is a fairly long one, and we will read through all the verses in the course of the message. But to get started let me just read the summary verse which is found in verses 23. (Read Matthew 4:23 and pray.)

There is nothing quite so beautiful or reassuring as the sunrise. As morning dawns the sunlight starts pushing back the long darkness of the night. It starts slowly but increases in power and intensity until the darkness is gone and the sun shines boldly in the sky. The darkness cannot stand before the light, and light wins over darkness every time.

It is a beautiful thing, and it is no wonder the Bible describes Jesus beginning his public ministry as a light dawning in the darkness. When Jesus began his ministry, the world was a dark place, full of sadness, sickness and sin. Jesus entered that world bringing knowledge, truth and healing. Jesus is the light of the world, and in today’s passage Matthew describes how that light dawned in Galilee, then extended to the disciples, and then shined on many. So let’s look at Jesus’ ministry in Galilee together.

I. A light dawns in Galilee (12-17)

   A. Back to Galilee

First of all, the light dawns in Galilee. We read in verses 12-14: “When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali – to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah.” (Matthew 4:12-14)

Galilee was about seventy miles north of Jerusalem and Judea. It comprised the upper region of Israel and bordered Syria on the north. Galilee was full of many villages and was cosmopolitan in nature. Being closer to the border, it had a mixed population of both Jews and Gentiles and practiced lots of trade. There was a saying in those days: “Judea is on the way to nowhere; Galilee is on the road to everywhere.” This is where Jesus chose to begin his public ministry.

      1) John is put in prison

Notice that Jesus waits until John is put in prison before he begins his ministry. John’s ministry was preparatory to Jesus, and so Jesus waits until John’s ministry is over before officially beginning his own.

      2) Jesus moves to Capernaum (new home base)

Also note that when Jesus goes back to Galilee, instead of staying in his hometown of Nazareth where he was raised, he moves to Capernaum instead. He will travel all over Galilee, but he sets up Capernaum as his new home base, so that Capernaum really becomes his new home. Capernaum was one of a number of towns along the Sea of Galilee and had an active fishing trade.

   B. A fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 9:1-2)

There were a number of reasons Jesus moved back to Galilee, but the one Matthew draws out for us in the text is that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. In verses 15-16 Matthew quotes from the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:15-16)

Because of its mixed population the people of Jerusalem looked down on Galilee. They might have argued against the Messiah appearing there instead of Jerusalem, and yet Matthew shows that this actually was a fulfillment of prophecy. Zebulun and Naphtali were the two northern tribes of Israel, and Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would minister in this specific area. This prophecy was found in Isaiah 9, the exact same prophecy that said, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,” (Isaiah 9:6), a clear prophecy about the coming Messiah.

      1) “The people living in darkness…

Matthew describes the people of Galilee as “living in darkness.” Now Isaiah’s prophecy described them as walking in the darkness, but by the time of Matthew they are now living, sitting, dwelling in the darkness. In the intervening years the people of Israel have gone through exile and deportation and many horrific situations. It has been centuries since God last spoke through the prophets. The people are poor, they are sick, they are downtrodden, and they are oppressed under Roman rule. They are Galilee of the Gentiles, seeking to follow their Jewish customs in a mixed land. They are sitting in darkness, living in the land of the shadow of death, when suddenly a light dawns in the darkness. Jesus begins his ministry.

      2) … have seen a great light.”

And when Jesus begins his ministry, it is not a small thing. Matthew says the people living in darkness have seen a great light. Jesus is that great light. He is the light of the world, and we are all lost in the darkness until he comes into our life.

   C. Jesus begins his public ministry

And so Jesus begins his public ministry. Matthew says in verse 17: From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)

      1) “From that time on” (marks a new beginning)

The phrase “from that time on” marks a new beginning in Jesus’ life. His quiet years are over, and it is now that he officially begins his public ministry.

      2) “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Notice that he preached the exact same message as John the Baptist: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Repent means to turn around, to change your direction. We have already seen that the phrase “kingdom of heaven” is just another way of saying “the kingdom of God.” Well what exactly is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is God’s rule over sin and sickness and evil and death. And when God’s kingdom comes, the only appropriate response for sinful people living in darkness is to repent, to turn away from their sins and to turn back to the Lord. The kingdom of heaven is near, because Jesus is there, and he is the king. He is the one who rules over the darkness.

And so a light dawns in Galilee. Jesus returns to Galilee and begins his public ministry in fulfillment of prophecy.

II. The light extends to Jesus’ disciples (18-22)

Next, the light extends to Jesus’ disciples. Look at verses 18-22:

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-22)

Here we find Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry calling his disciples to help him in the mission of spreading the light. This is a summary account showing how Jesus called some of his disciples, just as we will soon get a summary account of Jesus’ teaching and healing ministries.

The Sea of Galilee is thirteen miles long, eight miles wide and 680 feet below sea level. It supported an active fishing trade for Capernaum and the eight other cities that lined its shores. Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee when he came across two pairs of brothers – Simon and Andrew, James and John – all of them fishermen.

Notice that when Jesus called his disciples, he called ordinary people from ordinary walks of life. He chose fishermen and tax collectors rather than the religious leaders of the day. It is also significant that Jesus called his disciples, because in Judaism it was normally the other way around – the disciple chose his rabbi. But in this case Jesus chose his disciples.

   A. The call to discipleship:

We learn three significant things about Jesus’ call to discipleship from this section. The call was immediate, radical and personal.

      1) immediate (at once)

First of all, the call was immediate. When Jesus called Simon Peter and Andrew, Matthew tells us they left their nets “at once” and followed him. When Jesus called James and John Matthew tells us that they “immediately” stopped what they were doing and followed him. There was an urgency to Jesus’ call and a power in his words that caused these men to drop everything at once and follow him.

      2) radical (left nets, boat, father)

Secondly, the call was radical. Simon Peter and Andrew left their nets in response to Jesus’ call. James and John left the boat and their own father in response to Jesus’ call. The word “leave” in these verses can also be translated “abandon.” The disciples left everything behind in a radical abandonment. They even broke the personal bonds of family in order to follow Jesus.

      3) personal (follow Christ)

Thirdly, the call was personal. It was not a call to follow a teaching or a movement or a way of life. It was the call to follow a person. It was the call to follow Christ.

The call to discipleship has not changed over the years. Jesus still calls people to be his disciples, and when he calls you the call is still immediate, radical and personal. It is immediate because nothing is more urgent than following Jesus. It is radical because nothing is more important than following Jesus. And it is personal because it is still a call to follow a person rather than a religion. Christianity means following Christ – nothing more, nothing less.

   B. The call to evangelism:

Notice that the call to discipleship is followed up by the call to evangelism. Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

      1) followers of Jesus

Notice the progression here. First you become a follower of Jesus. Then Jesus makes you a fisher of men. Notice the connection here. Those who follow Jesus are the same as those who become fishers of men. You can’t become a fisher of men without first following Jesus. And you can’t be a follower of Jesus without also becoming a fisher of men.

      2) fishers of men

You might wonder, what is a fisher of men, anyway? Jesus used this particular analogy because he was talking to fishermen, but it is still a good analogy. Just as a fisherman catches fish, so we are to bring people into God’s kingdom. Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost. So if you are following Jesus, then his mission becomes yours. And you also will seek to bring those who are lost to Jesus so that they might be saved.

III. The light shines on many (23-25)

We have seen the light dawn in Galilee as Jesus began his public ministry. We have seen that light extended to the disciples as Jesus called them to follow him in his ministry. And then finally we see the light of Jesus shine on many as Jesus’ ministry expands throughout Galilee.

   A. Jesus’ ministry among the people (dispelling the darkness)

Verse 23 describes Jesus’ ministry among the people: “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matthew 4:23) This is a summary paragraph of Jesus’ ministry. There will be more detailed accounts of his teaching, preaching and healing later in the gospel, for example, the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7, and the collection of healing stories in chapters 8-9.

How did Jesus shine the light and dispel the darkness? By teaching, preaching and healing. Let’s look at all three of these aspects of his ministry.

      1) teaching in their synagogues

First of all, Jesus’ ministry involved teaching. Jesus taught in their synagogues. The synagogue was the center of Jewish life, culminating in worship and teaching on every Sabbath. Only Jewish men over thirty could teach in the synagogue. We know from the gospels that Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. (Luke 3:23) Perhaps this teaching aspect was one of the reasons why God had Jesus wait until he was thirty before beginning his ministry.

      2) preaching the good news of the kingdom

Secondly, Jesus’ ministry involved preaching. Preaching is different from teaching. Teaching involves detailed instruction, whereas preaching is more proclamation. And we see that what Jesus proclaimed was the good news of the kingdom.

This is the first time we see that phrase “good news” or “gospel” in the New Testament. John the Baptist tended to focus on the judgment side of the coming kingdom, whereas Jesus emphasized the good news of the kingdom. The kingdom brings both judgment and salvation, but Jesus focused on the salvation side. As we read in John 3:17, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17)

      3) healing every disease and sickness

And then thirdly, Jesus’ ministry involved healing. Matthew tells us that Jesus went throughout Galilee healing every disease and sickness among the people. This was a visible sign that God’s kingdom had truly drawn near in the person of Christ.

   B. The news about Jesus spreads (spreading the light)

And as Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching, preaching and healing, the news about Jesus spread. Jesus was not only dispelling the darkness, but he was spreading the light of God’s kingdom.

      1) People bring Jesus those who are ill and demon-possessed

We read in verse 24: “News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.” (Matthew 4:24) Jesus healed everyone. There was nothing he could not do. Matthew even gives us specific examples of the types of diseases he healed. Matthew includes the healing of those who were demon-possessed. Demonic activity and illness are sometimes linked but not always so. Still when the kingdom of God approaches through Jesus, there is a spiritual battle that takes place against Satan and his forces. This was yet another sign that God’s kingdom had drawn near in the person of Christ.

      2) Large crowds follow him

The news continued to spread and we read in verse 25: “Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” (Matthew 4:25)

Here we see the news about Jesus spreading not only throughout Galilee but to other regions as well – the Decapolis, which was a ten-city region; Jerusalem and Judea and even the region on the other side of the Jordan. Jesus started teaching in the synagogues, but the news about him quickly spread to the Gentile regions as well.

People heard about Jesus, and large crowds followed him everywhere. We will learn more about these crowds later, but for now just understand that the Bible makes a clear distinction between the disciples who left everything to follow Jesus, and the crowds who simply followed him out of curiosity or in the hopes of seeing a miracle.

CONCLUSION: Four hundred years had passed since God had sent a prophet. Then suddenly John the Baptist appeared preparing the way for Jesus. Jesus prepared for his ministry by submitting to baptism in the Jordan and the time of testing in the wilderness. But now the time had come for him to begin his ministry. And Matthew says it was like a light dawning in the darkness.

There is still plenty of darkness in our world today. Just read your morning newspaper or watch the evening news. But Jesus is the light that dispels the darkness. That light began in Galilee and continues to spread around the world. Jesus calls you to join him in his mission. “Follow me,” Jesus says, “and I will make you fishers of men.” We have the good news of the kingdom that our friends, neighbors and co-workers so desperately need to hear. People are lost in the darkness, and they need Jesus. Will you do your part to spread the light?

© Ray Fowler

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