THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 4 – Part 2, Jesus Begins His Ministry, The First Disciples, Galilee.

 

THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 4 – Part 2

Jesus Begins His Ministry, The First Disciples, Galilee.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

Verse 12. Now when Jesus heard that John [the Baptist] had been arrested and put in prison, He left for Galilee. Verse 13. And leaving Nazareth, He went and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali. Verse 14This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

Verse 15.. “THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI,

BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE [in the district] OF THE GENTILES.

Verse 16. THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING (living) IN [spiritual] DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT,

AND FOR THOSE WHO WERE SITTING (living) IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF [spiritual and moral] DEATH,

UPON THEM A LIGHT HAS DAWNED.”

(Commentary Break: There is much to be said about verses 12 through 16, but I will focus our attention on verse 16, “THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT, AND FOR THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT HAS DAWNED.”

This is a prophetic word from Isaiah. It is wise to know that prophecy is rarely a ‘one and done’ event. Prophecy, when it is manifested, has long lasting and reverberating effects. This is true here. The effects of Jesus appearing has had the effect of shining a great light upon those who were, who are and who, in the future, will be sitting in darkness. When Jesus appears, they will see a great light; and for those sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light has dawned.

If you will accept it, today, now, at this moment, A great light is shining on you. Receive this Light and take it into the world, proclaiming it as the Name and Gospel of Christ. It is spoken. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 17. From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “[footnote ‘a’] Repent [change your inner self – your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The First Disciples

Verse 18. As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Verse 19. And He said to them, “[footnote ‘b’] Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.” Verse 20. Immediately they left their nets and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example]. Verse 21. And going on [further] from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father [footnote ‘c’] Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them [to follow Him as His disciples]. Verse 22. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].

(Commentary Break: I will go into depth on these next verses so we can better understand the method and model of Jesus, and our calling.

Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He *said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

As Jesus was walking (i.e., meaning, to trample, crush with the feet; to advance by setting foot upon, tread upon: to encounter successfully the greatest perils from the machinations and persecutions with which Satan would fain thwart the preaching of the gospel – Jesus is setting the example for His disciples, present and future.  The word used for WALKING is demonstrating His Authority.  We must take notice, for by this He is teaching us to be His disciples and we must walk in His Steps (Chapters 10, 11 and 28 of Matthew, Jesus sends His disciple);

 by the Sea of Galilee, He saw (tmeaning, o see with the mind, to perceive, know; Jesus was on mission.  He was watching for and SAW, both with His eyes, His Mind and He Knew.  So it is with us, as we are being filled with The Holy Spirit.  THIS IS IMPORTANT as we are sent and we are watching for those to whom we must preach the Gospel);

He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, (meaning, a rock or a stone),

and Andrew his brother, (meaning, manly),

 casting (meaning, to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls; to scatter, to throw, cast, to give over to one’s care uncertain about the result. This word is a good description of how most people view their lives, in general.  “To throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls;  to scatter, to throw, cast into;  to give over to one’s care uncertain about the result.”) Jesus is, however,  calling all of His disciples, past, present and future, to a life that has purpose, meaning and eternal value.)

a net (meaning, anything thrown around one to impede his motions, as chains, a garment, a net for fishing. This word describes the lives of the disciples before meeting Jesus as are most of our lives ‘bound up’ as in anything thrown around one to impede his motions, as chains, a garment, a net for fishing”. Freedom is where and why Jesus calls us to follow Him.

into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, (meaning, come hither, come here, come with a sense of urgency; as an imperative interjection, come!, come now! The word used for ‘follow’ has a sense of urgent command.  Come, now)!  It is IMPORTANT that we remember Jesus was speaking prophetically then and is speaking prophetically to us, today!

and I will make you fishers of men”.  (meaning, fashioned after and with the names of things made; to produce, construct, form, fashion, etc.; to be the authors of, the cause; to make ready, to prepare. We are the clay in the Potter’s Hands; once He touches our lives, we are made new, into His image for His purpose.  This is IMPORTANT to grasp.

Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. (meaning, Straightway, immediately, forthwith; to be well off, fare well, prosper). This word tells us, not only of the urgency to Jesus’ call, but how the state of our lives is made to be well of, to fare well and to prosper, by answering His call and following Him. (End Commentary Break).

Ministry in Galilee

Verse 23. And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news, (the gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people [demonstrating and revealing that He was indeed the promised Messiah].

(Commentary Break: Verse 23 says, “Jesus was going about in all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people”.

 the Kingdom, (meaning, royal power, kingship, dominion, rule; not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom of the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah). This word is so descriptive that you must take each definition and consider the impact and importance. This is our calling and our role as Christians and as disciples of Jesus,

and healing, (meaning, to serve, do service; to heal, cure, restore to health; this comes from a root word meaning you are to be an attendant, a servant: of God, discharging the duties committed to him by God). The definitions of this word are complimentary:  To serve, to worship, to heal, to cure, to restore to health.  Jesus healed the whole person, body, mind/will/emotions and spirit.  His healing is complete.  We are called to this ministry, so we would do well to be disciples and learn.

 every disease, (meaning, disease, sickness, plague, misery, suffering, distress, madness, vice, moral filth and bane).

and every sickness, (meaning, disease, softness, infirmity, debility, bodily weakness; This word come from a root word, meaning soft, effeminate, soft to the touch, metaphorically, in a bad sense; effeminate; of a catamite; of a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man; of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness; of a male prostitute). Again, Jesus heals the body, the mind, the soul and the spirit of all infirmities, including homosexuality. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 24. So the news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were sick, those suffering with various diseases and pains, those under the power of demons, and epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Verse 25. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and the other side of the Jordan. (End text of Chapter 4).

Jesus drew large crowds. Churches in the postmodern world attempt to gather large crowds in a different fashion. They use public service events, entertainment, flashy and showy programs, picnics, Halloween or Fall Festival events with costumes, Easter egg hunts, grandiose buildings, fancy preaching styles, charismatic personalities and the such. And the outcomes are wildly different. One leads to eternal life, the other leads to confusion, disappointment and failure.

I want to say this in the kindest way possible without diminishing the intent:  Jesus was and is not playing games. He never played at ‘doing church’.  Jesus was on mission to save souls for the Kingdom of God. He is calling us to the same. He knew the outcome was to be either life of death. He is the only way to life, and He teaches the way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

In order to be redeemed and saved, you must agree to a covenantal contract with God. It is not to be taken lightly as you will see in the coming chapters. The commitment requires complete devotion and submission to Christ. The price is costly beyond our ability to pay. And the reward is gloriously unimaginable. A free gift from God with a value that cannot be estimated.

Chapter 5 will give us Jesus’ explanation of the steps of salvation, the process of sanctification, and a detailed teaching on the New Covenant in action. This is the only true Discipleship Training Program in existence. Let’s do this together!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 5, Part 1 – The Sermon on the Mount, The Beatitudes.  

PREVIOUS:  THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 4 – Part 1, The Temptation of Jesus.

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