Matthew 4: 12 – 17
They Should Have Known
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Let me ask you a question, have you ever been a witness to a crime or an accident? If so, then you are familiar with giving an account to the police on what you saw. If there were four of you who witnessed the occasion, do you think that all of you would give the same descriptions? Most of you probably never thought of this possibility, but the answer is that all the witnesses would give different descriptions. It is all based on your make up and what is important to you. One of you might focus on the general conditions. Others would get into the specifics in more detail. With all this information finally collected, then the police are in a better position to understand what exactly happened.
In our study today, I am going to let you know up front that there were two other listings of the events that we are going to study today. One of the listings comes from a possible eyewitness and that is Matthew who we are studying. In case you did not know this, Mark received all his information from the apostle Peter, who was also an eyewitness. Luke was a disciple of Paul who later interviewed eyewitnesses and gives us his report in his Gospel.
Now, this is not bad, where some may say that Luke’s information is not trustworthy. This is not true. Luke was a great investigator. He interviewed, like a policeman, a lot of people who were eyewitnesses to these events and he is able to shed some more light which I for one am very appreciative.
So, let me just list for you the record accounts that Mark and Luke gave regarding these specific incidents.
Luke 4, “14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
Mark 1: 14 – 15, “14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
I will give you some of the differences. All in all in my opinion they are not that big a deal. I will explain.
In The Gospel of Matthew our Lord Jesus had already left Nazareth in order to dwell in Capernaum. Both Matthew and Mark tell us that the disciples were with our Lord Jesus in Nazareth at this time. Luke does not mention this fact.
Our Lord Jesus gained quick recognition as a teacher. They responded with amazement at His teaching. You see teachers would share the Word of God and in their presentation would quote other Rabbi positions. Our Lord Jesus personalized the Scripture. He drove home the truth.
Now, you will see from verse 14 to 16 of Luke it was His custom to ‘teach’ – “14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
Now, remember that He was gifted at doing this since the age of 12. He was now in His thirties. So, you always wondered about His hidden years, well now you know a little of what He did. His custom was to teach in the various Synagogues. Most likely He taught often for many years in this very Synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth.
Have you ever heard anyone ask the question like this, ‘Why doesn’t God just say it like it is? I mean you at the book of Revelation and you got all these symbols. You have Ezekiel 38 and 39 where all teachers talk about the war with Gog and Maygog, etc. If the United States is part of the world’s end times, then why isn’t the US listed in the bible? Why doesn’t God just give us the plain facts?’
Well, one of the problems is us. You see we are the ones that keep changing things. For example, countries keep changing names and borders. Iran use to be Persia. Iraq was Assyria and Babylon. Do you see my point?
In some cases our Lord does point it things out directly and to the point. For example, Egypt is still in existence. So, when you read our Precious Holy Rulers comments about Egypt take everything you read to heart that the comments are towards Egypt.
We see the same thing here that our Wonderful Holy Spirit lists for us from the prophet Isaiah. If you we a faithful student of the words of God and had taken to heart the prophecy of the Messiah, then when you personally witnessed our Great And Awesome Lord and Savior show up in your area you would recognize how the Scripture is fulfilled as Matthew points out.
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”
Here our Great and Wonderful Son of God is coming to this area in fulfillment of Scripture and no one had the slightest idea that it was written down for them to refer to. They should have known.
Let us take another look at what Matthew wanted his listeners to know –
‘17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mark does not give any information between the Lord’s ‘Temptation In The Wilderness’ and John’s imprisonment. He moves directly into our Lord’s ministry.
Mark comments that ‘the time is fulfilled’. What does that mean? In the Galatians chapter 4 we read, ‘But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,’
Have you ever had a second chance given to you? It could be in love, a marriage, a job, etc. The most important 2nd chance we have been hoping for since the fall of Adam was a chance for a new beginning with a relationship with El Shaddai – God Almighty. Now, there was no longer any waiting. The appointed time for this to happen was here. God had sent His Promised Messiah. The prophet Isaiah spoke about this special Holy One.
Isaiah 61, ““The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.’
Isaiah 52: 7, ‘7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Please note that in just these two verses Mark twice comments about ‘the kingdom of God’. And in our study today we see that Matthew also reports - ‘17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Now that sounds all nice and religious but what does it really mean?
John had preached that the ‘Good News’ was coming. Now our Lord Jesus Christ proclaims that the ‘Good News’ was present.
We know from our Bibles in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 33 that our Precious Holy Adoni Yahweh established His rule over His people at Mount Sanai – ‘5 And He was King in Jeshurun, when the leaders of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.’
However, the rest of the Old Testament became evidence that our Lord’s Rule over us sinful people never became a reality. Our Precious Holy King told us ahead of time that this would happen as we read in Isaiah 63 ‘19 We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled, those who were never called by Your name.’
The prophets spoke then of a future day when God would change the hearts of people by pouring our His Holy Spirit and would establish His rule. Look at these prophecies;
Isaiah 44, 3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring; 4 They will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.’ 5 One will say, ‘I am the LORD’s’; Another will call himself by the name of Jacob; Another will write with his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel. 6 “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.’
Ezekiel 36, 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.’
Jeremiah 31, ‘3 The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. 4 Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel you shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.
All these promises was linked with the coming a great king.
Isaiah 11, ‘11 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. 3 His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; 4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.
Now, says our Wonderful Adoni Yeshua, that time is here.
Now this kingdom of God is not limited to any one geographic territory. His kingship was to rule over His people no matter where they live. So it is with ‘the Kingly Rule of God’. Where God’s rule is established in one’s heart, there is His kingship revealed, and thus in a real sense where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was, there too was the kingdom. And where His true people are who are in submission to His Rule, there is a manifestation of His Kingship. Thus His rule was among them and in them - Pretty awesome, if I may say so.
His rule is ‘at hand’ which seeks men, women, and children to respond. Do you want Him to rule over you, is the question? If you respond to this question in the ‘yes’ then you are His now and forever.
Now in order for this to happen then this statement from our Holy Ruler applies, ‘Repent and believe in the Gospel.’ Repentance is a change of heart and mind which is a turning to God. Without repentance there can be no kingly rule over you life.
Here we see the similarity and difference between John and our Lord Jesus’ message. Both demand a change of heart towards sin and towards God and both promise future blessing. But now our Precious Holy Master introduces Himself as the Promised Anointed One sent from the Father’s Heavenly Kingdom. He Is The One Who ushers in the time of The Holy Spirit.
