MATTHEW 4:17-24
Jesus calls, makes disciples & what this means to me.
Matthew 4:17, From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers,
Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
(Commentary Break): Jesus began to preach and say, (‘kerusso’,from the Greek, the world used here is a word of formality, gravity and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed; something which has been done, first in the Spiritual to be manifest in the natural. It is not a general statement nor is it a request. It is a prophetic command.)
“Repent, (‘metanoeo’ from the Greek; to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins; “Repentance” signifies regret which amounts solely to remorse. In a Christian sense, “repentance” is a reversal of moral purpose, a change of attitude and behavior to the teaching of model of Jesus. “Repentance” a necessary step for Salvation, refers to an emotional change, and to a change of choice and has reference to particulars for one’s entire life.),
for the kingdom of heaven (The words “Gospel of the Kingdom” is so descriptive that you must take each definition and consider the impact and importance.
“The Gospel” or Good News, is the long awaited Messiah had arrived to set up His Kingdom. A Kingdom of forgiveness, grace, mercy, justice and eternal salvation. A Kingdom conquering death, disease, sin and darkness.
The Kingdom is a royal power, kingship, dominion, rule, not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom; the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah and the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah’s kingdom.” Our calling and our role as Christians, Disciples of Jesus,
(For the kingdom of heaven) is at now at hand.” (A Greek word of with a meaning like the ‘crook of your arm’ and with the action like a mounting wave which has the power to knock you off your feet and roll you over and over; indicating a distance which is as close as your hand is to your wrist, as Luke 17:21 puts it, “the kingdom of God is within you”. (Romans 10:8 tells us again, that “THE WORD (OF GOD) IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”.)
Verse 18. Now as Jesus was walking (‘peripateo’) in the Greek, means to walk with great purpose, to tread down, to trample, to crush with the feet; to successfully encounter the greatest perils and persecutions with which Satan would dare to hamper or impede 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 under His Authority ((Chapters 10, 11 and 28 of Matthew)), as He sends us, His disciples.)
by the Sea of Galilee, He saw (‘horao’ from the Greek, to see, take heed, behold, perceive with the eyes, to see with the mind, to perceive, and to know. Jesus was on a 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.)
two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter (‘Petros’, a stone or a rock), and his brother Andrew (‘Andreas’, manly),
casting (‘ballo’) to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls, 1a) to scatter, to throw, cast into, 1b) to give over to one’s care uncertain about the result.)
a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. (amphiblestron, 1) anything thrown around one to impede his motions, as chains, a garment, a net for fishing)
Verse 19. And He said to them, “Follow Me, (‘deute’, come here, and come close, conveying an urgent command. This phrase carries the idea of getting close enough to Jesus as if to peer over His shoulder in order to watch and learn from Him, and so to be identified with Him.
and I will make you fishers of people. (‘poieo’, something made by the name of which it is created to be and to do; to construct, form, and fashion; i.e., to be the author of and the cause of. To be made ready to do a thing.
Verse 20. Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. (‘eutheos’, from a root word which means well done, to be well off, fare well, prosper. I.e., you are better off now that you have immediately done a thing.
Verse 21. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James (‘aqab, He Who Controls His Actions, He Who Hides His Will; “Poker Face”) the son of Zebedee, and his brother John (Ioannes, God is gracious), in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called (kaleó, to summon or invite) them. Verse 22. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
Verse 23. Jesus was going about in all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and Proclaiming (preaching) the gospel of the kingdom, (The word ‘proclaim’ has a sense of formality, gravity and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed. It is as if it is something which has already been done. It is Prophetic and active.
gospel of the kingdom, The words “Gospel of the Kingdom” Good New, telling us that the long awaited Messiah has arrived to establish His Kingdom. A Kingdom of forgiveness, grace, mercy, justice and eternal salvation. A Kingdom conquering death, disease, sin and darkness.
The Kingdom is a royal power, kingship, dominion, rule, not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom; the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah and the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah’s kingdom.” This is our calling and our role as Christians, Disciples of Jesus,
and healing (‘therapeuo’ a therapeutic healing, touching the body, mind, soul and sprit,)
every disease (‘nosos’ (1) disease, (2) plague,(3) misery, suffering, distress,(4) madness, vice (moral filth), (5) bane of persistent annoyance or exasperation, or fatal injury,)
and every sickness (‘malakia’, disease (1) softness, (2) in the NT infirmity, debility, bodily weakness, sickness – This come from a root word, meaning (1) soft (2), effeminate (3 in a bad sense, (4) of a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man (5) of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness (6) of a male prostitute) among the people.
Verse 24. And the news (fame, notoriety) about Him spread throughout Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and severe pain, demon-possessed, people with epilepsy, and people who were paralyzed; and He healed them. Verse 25. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.”
Ultimately, “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:1, 8,)
PERSONAL APPLICATION:
Matthew 4:17, From that time Jesus began to preach and to say TO ME, “Repent __(your name here__, for the kingdom of heaven, is at hand. A kingdom of forgiveness, of grace, and mercy, justice and eternal salvation. A Kingdom conquering death, disease, sin and darkness. The Kingdom is a royal power, kingship, dominion, rule. A Kingdom of dominion, and rule, the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah, with the royal power and dignity conferred on me as a Christian.
This Kingdom is now at hand; meaning that it is as close as the ‘crook of my arm’ and like a mounting wave, has the power to knock me off my feet and roll me over and over; and as Luke 17:21 puts it, “the kingdom of God is within me!” 18 And Jesus, walking, with great purpose, trampling down and crushes the greatest perils and persecutions Satan would dare use to hamper or impede the preaching of the gospel, sees me and perceives and who I am . He knows me.
19 So Jesus said to me, in an urgent command, “Follow Me, and I will be the one who crafts you and fashions you and renews your focus into a being fisher of men.” 20 So, I immediately changed my primary focus, and now, I am following Him.
21 Going on from there, Jesus saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
23 And Jesus is going about Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, with a gravity and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed as if it is something which has already been done, because it is prophetic and active, and healing with a therapy that touches the body, mind, soul and sprit, and healing all kinds of sickness, infirmity, debility, bodily weakness, even the effeminate and homosexuality among the people. and all kinds of disease, plague, misery, suffering, distress, madness, vice of moral filth and every bane of harm, ruin, death and bane of persistent annoyance or exasperation, or fatal injury, among the people.
24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
