Gospel of Matthew Chapter 4 Vs. 12

 Jesus Begins His Ministry

Verses 12-16: Matthew designates four clear geographical areas in relation to the ministry of Christ: Galilee (4:12), Perea (“beyond Jordan,” 19:1), Judea (4:25), and Jerusalem (21:1). The author then omits some of the early Judean ministry and begins with Jesus at Capernaum in Galilee where he first met Christ (9:9).

John was cast into prison: The circumstances of the arrest and eventual beheading of John the Baptist are recorded in chapter 14. Apparently a widespread persecution of the followers of John and Jesus took place at this time. Luke 4:16-31 explains that the reason for Jesus leaving Nazareth was an attempt on His life after a synagogue service at Nazareth. From this point on, Capernaum became the headquarters of Jesus’ ministry to the house of Israel. This city was a Roman settlement near the Sea of Galilee and was the center of the Roman government of the northern provinces of Israel.

That it might be fulfilled (verses 14-16) refers to the coming of Christ into Galilee in fulfillment of the prophecy of (Isaiah 9:1-2), “beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light,” Jesus Himself was that great Light that now would shine forth in His earthly ministry to the people of Galilee, who had so long been despised by their southern Judean cousins.

Matthew 4:12 “Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;”

heard that John... All the things commanded the first disciples are still in force (Mat. 28:20). The theories of the gospel of the kingdom being for the Jews and not for the church; the grace of God being for the Gentiles or the church and not for Jews; the Sermon on the Mount and the program of the gospels being for Jews and not for the church; the Gentile church being dealt with only in Acts and the epistles; and the signs, miracles and gifts of the Spirit being for apostles only—all are as erroneous and unscriptural as they can possibly be, serving as mere excuses to evade present gospel responsibility.

Herodias this infamous woman was both niece and wife to Philip and Herod, being the daughter of Aristobulus, son of Herod the Great. She first married Philip, her uncle, by whom she had Salome. Later she left him to live publicly with her brother-in-law, who had been married before to the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia Petra. Aretas made war on him and destroyed Herod’s army, which Josephus says was judgment on him for murdering John the Baptist (Antiquities, Book 8, 2:5).

John was imprisoned for his bold rebuke of Herod Antipas (see 14:3-4).

We will see, here, that the end of John’s work (proclaiming the coming of the Christ) would be the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Just as Jesus came not for those who already knew God, He began His ministry in a very spiritually dark place. Without Jesus Christ, there is no hope, nothing to look forward to.

God’s purpose in His beginning in the dark place was to show that His power and might were not drawn from Jewish law. This was a new day. Jew and Gentile alike would have to receive Him not through law, but through grace.

Galilee is the regional name for the northern part of Israel extending from the Esdraelon plain some 50 miles north and from the Sea of Galilee about 30 miles to the west. Its primary feature is the 13-mile-long Sea of Galilee (seven miles wide at its broadest point). In the Old Testament this lake is call Chinnereth (Num. 34:11; Jos. 12:3; 13:27); in the New Testament it is variously identified as Gennesaret (Mark 6:53), Tiberias (John 21:1) and Galilee (John 6:1).

It lies 695 feet below sea level with the Jordan River flowing through it. Some towns of Galilee that were situated on the seashore were Capernaum, Bethsaida, Tiberias, and Magdala. Of these only Tiberias exists today. Other significant Galilean towns include Nazareth and Chorazin. Galilee is important to the New Testament not only as the place of Jesus’ youth, but also as the

primary region of His public ministry (the Sermon on the Mount, the Transfiguration, 25 of His 33 miracles and 19 of His 32 parables).

During New Testament times this region was governed successively by Herod the Great, Herod Antipas and Herod Agrippa. Since Antipas ruled Galilee from 4 B.C. to A. D. 39, virtually all of the events of the Gospels and of the first decade of the church age relate to his time. Tiberias beside the sea was his capital.

Beginning proclamations

By Word

His sermon

Matthew presented an important time factor in his account when he noted Jesus did not officially begin His public ministry until John the Baptist had been put in prison. The reason for John’s imprisonment was not presented here, but it was stated later (Mat. 14:3).