Jesus has returned from the wilderness where he endures the devil’s temptations of which he does not succumb. It’s actually a few days journey of walking for Jesus to get from the wilderness to his home.
12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee;
John’s arrest marks the pivot point for Jesus to start his ministry. John serves as his forerunner and now that his part has been played out, he must decrease and Jesus must increase. He goes deeper into Galilee to begin.
13 and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caperna-um by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
Leaving Nazareth, Jesus goes to Caperna-um, a bustling fishing town right on the sea of Galilee which will serve as his main base of ministry. It is here as as well that Simon and Andrew live. It is from Simon’s house in this place that Jesus operates. Caperna-um is named after the prophet Nahum and sits between the territories of Zubulun and Naphtali. These are the geographical inheritances of those tribes of Israel.
14 that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”
Matthew relates that Jesus’ decision for operating in this location is to do with fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah. He quotes Isaiah chapter 8 verse 23 to chapter 9. In the time of the prophet making these words, these lands were the first to be taken over by conquering gentiles. So Jesus’ occupation of it marks the reconquista of the promised land.
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
From that point onwards Jesus starts his preaching ministry. He tells those there to repent because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The Messianic expectations were that the anointed one would arrive and establish an eternal kingdom. This is how Jesus begins this.
23 And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.
Matthew summarises the early ministry, so as to not repeat himself, Jesus goes throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues. Synagogue’s were community hubs of prayer and learning for the Jewish community, developed during the exile when they could not go to the Temple as it was destroyed. The word itself is of Greek origin and not Hebrew.
Whilst preaching and teaching in the synagogues, Jesus tells them of the Gospel, the “Good News”. It’s important to note that the Good News is not what people think, people are two millenia of Christendom assume the Good News is that Jesus has risen from the dead, and that is good news but obviously Jesus is preaching this LONG before he even dies. This means the Gospel, the Good News is about the shift in the covenantal relationship between God and his people. The Good News, is the Kingdom that is to come.
Jesus along with his preaching, marks the proof of his claims with miraculous signs of healing. Although being healed of infirmities is a nice thing and Jesus does do it out of compassion its main purpose is to act as a sign, a witness to who prophetic claims.
24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.
25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
Jesus’ fame because of his miraculous signs and healings, along with his teaching with authority causes Jesus to become a celebrity rather briskly. Throughout all of Syria do people become aware of him and people seek him out for his healing abilities. Large magnitudes follow him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem and the rest of Judea and from beyond the Jordan itself.
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