39 – A Leper Healed, Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16

Matthew 8:2 And a leper came to Him and [a]bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the [b]offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Mark 1:40 And a leper *came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and *said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and He *said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that [a]Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but [b]stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

Luke 5:12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man [a]covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away [b]to the [c]wilderness and pray.

Footnotes (Matthew)

a. Matthew 8:2 Or worshiped

b. Matthew 8:4 Lit gift

Footnotes (Mark)

a. Mark 1:45 Lit He

b. Mark 1:45 Lit was

Footnotes (Luke)

a. Luke 5:12 Lit full of

b. Luke 5:16 Lit in

c. Luke 5:16 Or deserted places

Commentary

Leprosy plagued many people during Biblical times, and the disease was greatly feared. Priests who observed any relevant symptoms whatsoever would quarantine the symptomatic individual for one week and would prescribe another week of quarantine each time the patient returned still displaying symptoms. These relevant symptoms could have been anything from a pimple to a rash, so leprosy was occasionally misdiagnosed, and quarantines were of course not for the health of the patient, but for the preservation of other citizens from the infectious condition. Their concerns about contagion were valid, leprosy being “caused by a bacterium that spreads across the skin, creating sores, scabs, and white shining spots. The most serious problem, however, is a loss of sensation. Without the ability to feel, lepers injure their tissue, leading to further infection, deformity, muscle loss, and eventual paralysis. Fortunately, modern medicine has all but eliminated the disease” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 215).

There are two types of leprosy, one of which is a permanent condition with terminal complications after 10-30 years of suffering. The other goes away or heals after 3-5 years, so there certainly would have been times when actual lepers returned to the priest with no symptoms. The only other way to be healed from leprosy at the time was through divine intervention. “God healed Moses (Ex 4:6-7), Miriam (Num 12:11-15), and Naaman (2 Kin 5:1-15) in order to reveal His power and call people to follow Him. So when Jesus healed lepers, it demonstrated His divine nature and caused people to turn to Him” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1783). In contrast to the distance the rest of the populace kept from lepers, Jesus physically touched this leper, which should have made Jesus unclean, but instead made the leper clean (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1191). Since He was God, it was unnecessary to physically touch the leper (as we saw when He healed the child in Capernaum by speaking a word in Cana), but He typically did choose to touch those He healed. One effect this had was to remove doubt about who the instrument of healing had been (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1239).

Jesus tells the man to proceed with the rituals prescribed in Leviticus, so he can be pronounced clean by the priest. If you take a look at the offerings and rituals in Leviticus 14:2-32, it’s a LOT! He also would have had to travel 60-70 miles to Jerusalem in order to do it. Many times, the cleansing rituals and sacrifices in the Old Testament make sense in the context of modern medicine, but some of the atonement rituals for the leper confound me. However, one of the notes in the Nelson KJV Bible Commentary struck me. Jesus knew that the leper was more excited about himself and his change in condition than he was about the Healer (as evidenced later by his disobedience in spreading the word about his healing when Jesus had explicitly told him not to). By commanding the leper to carry on with the atonement rituals, Jesus was attempting to keep the man rooted in the concept that God is the focus of our lives, in the good circumstances and the bad (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1239). Furthermore, the priest’s favorable diagnosis would have allowed the man to reenter society.

Also, as Jesus stated in the study passage above, the offering itself was a testimony to the priest of Jesus’s credible deity. The priest’s subjectivity may have been one of the reasons Jesus told the man not to tell anyone about the miraculous healing before he made the atoning sacrifice, for “if the priest heard before his arrival that Jesus had healed him, the case might be prejudiced against him” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1271). Indeed, Jesus may have wanted the priests to be convinced to believe in Him themselves, persuaded by His commitment to the law, as well as the miraculous nature of the leper’s healing and rejuvenation. If the man had gone straight there without stopping and had waited until the ritual was complete to tell the priests who was responsible for the healing, it would have eliminated the possibility for the healing to be credited to any other variables.

There were also other reasons Jesus would have told recipients of His miraculous healing to keep it to themselves. “The purpose of Jesus in giving this command was to call attention away from the miracle itself and appeal to the spiritual need in man. It is clear in the gospel accounts that the crowds were often attracted by Jesus’ miracles, but not always by His message” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1191). Furthermore, as stated in the passage itself, the crowds were so large and suffocating that they hampered Jesus’s ministry in the city, forcing Him to retreat to the unpopulated areas. In an enlightening message from John MacArthur, Pastor MacArthur points out that by healing the leper, Jesus traded places with him. The leper was allowed to rejoin society; meanwhile, Jesus had to withdraw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rS_0Gpvtbc). Even more profoundly, MacArthur points out how this is a metaphor for Jesus trading places with us by dying on the cross, and in his prayer at the end of the message, he calls out the metaphor of sin as spiritual leprosy. It separates us from God, and, I would add: the more it consumes us, the more we are desensitized and unfeeling while it erodes our soul.

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/10/18/paralytic-forgiven-and-healed/

Scripture References

Matthew 8:2

Matthew 8:1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

Matthew 8:25 The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

Matthew 9:18 While Jesus was saying these things, a synagogue leader came and knelt before Him. “My daughter has just died,” he said. “But come and place Your hand on her, and she will live.”

Matthew 15:25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

Matthew 18:26 Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.

John 9:38 “Lord, I believe,” he said. And he worshiped Jesus.

Acts 10:14 “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

Acts 10:25 As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.

Matthew 8:3

Exodus 4:7 “Put your hand back inside your cloak,” said the LORD. So Moses put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his skin.

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and good news is preached to the poor.

Matthew 12:13 Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other.

Luke 4:27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet. Yet not one of them was cleansed–only Naaman the Syrian.”

Matthew 8:4

Leviticus 13:49 and if the mark in the fabric, leather, weave, knit, or leather article is green or red, then it is contaminated with mildew and must be shown to the priest.

Leviticus 14:2 “This is the law of the one afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing, when he is brought to the priest.

Matthew 9:30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!”

Matthew 12:16 warning them not to make Him known.

Matthew 16:20 Then He admonished the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Christ.

Matthew 17:9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Mark 3:12 But He ordered them sternly not to make Him known.

Mark 5:43 Then Jesus gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat.

Mark 7:36 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.

Mark 8:30 And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.

Mark 9:9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus admonished them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Luke 4:41 Demons also came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked the demons and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Christ.

Luke 8:56 Her parents were astounded, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Luke 9:21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.

Luke 17:14 When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.

Mark 1:40

Mark 10:17 As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Mark 1:43

Mark 10:17 As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. “Good Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Mark 1:44

Leviticus 14:1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

Leviticus 14:2 “This is the law of the one afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing, when he is brought to the priest.

Mark 1:45

Matthew 9:26 And the news about this spread throughout that region.

Matthew 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.

Matthew 28:15 So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Mark 2:1 A few days later, Jesus went back to Capernaum. And when the people heard He was home,

Mark 2:2 they gathered in such large numbers that there was no more room, not even outside the door, as Jesus spoke the word to them.

Mark 2:13 Once again Jesus went out beside the sea. All the people came to Him, and He taught them there.

Mark 3:7 So Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from Galilee, Judea,

Mark 3:20 Then Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat.

Mark 7:36 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.

Luke 5:17 One day Jesus was teaching, and the Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. People had come from Jerusalem and from every village of Galilee and Judea, and the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick.

John 6:2 A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He had performed on the sick.

Luke 5:12

Leviticus 13:16 But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, he must go to the priest.

Luke 5:13

2 Kings 5:14 So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.

Luke 5:14

Leviticus 13:49 and if the mark in the fabric, leather, weave, knit, or leather article is green or red, then it is contaminated with mildew and must be shown to the priest.

Leviticus 14:2 “This is the law of the one afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing, when he is brought to the priest.

Luke 17:14 When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.

Luke 5:15

Matthew 4:24 News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed–and He healed them.

Matthew 9:26 And the news about this spread throughout that region.

Matthew 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.

Luke 5:16

Matthew 14:23 After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone,

Mark 1:35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.

Luke 3:21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,

Luke 6:12 In those days, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.

Luke 9:28 About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took with Him Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray.

Luke 9:29 And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.

Commentary

Ex 4:6 The Lord furthermore said to him, “Now put your hand into your bosom.” So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then He said, “Put your hand into your bosom again.” So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.

Num 12:11 Then Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned. 12 Oh, do not let her be like one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes from his mother’s womb!” 13 Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “O God, heal her, I pray!” 14 But the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut up for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she may be received again.” 15 So Miriam was shut up outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on until Miriam was received again.

2 Kings 5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.” 8 It happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ 12 Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean. 15 When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.”

Leviticus 14:2 2 “This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest shall go out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look, and if the infection of leprosy has been healed in the leper, 4 then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. 5 The priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. 6 As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the scarlet string and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slain over the running water. 7 He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. 8 The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe in water and be clean. Now afterward, he may enter the camp, but he shall stay outside his tent for seven days. 9 It will be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair: he shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and be clean. 10 “Now on the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, and a yearling ewe lamb without defect, and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil; 11 and the priest who pronounces him clean shall present the man to be cleansed and the aforesaid before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 12 Then the priest shall take the one male lamb and bring it for a guilt offering, with the log of oil, and present them as a wave offering before the Lord. 13 Next he shall slaughter the male lamb in the place where they slaughter the sin offering and the burnt offering, at the place of the sanctuary—for the guilt offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14 The priest shall then take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 15 The priest shall also take some of the log of oil, and pour it into his left palm; 16 the priest shall then dip his right-hand finger into the oil that is in his left palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the Lord. 17 Of the remaining oil which is in his palm, the priest shall put some on the right ear lobe of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering; 18 while the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm, he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the Lord. 19 The priest shall next offer the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Then afterward, he shall slaughter the burnt offering. 20 The priest shall offer up the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be clean. 21 “But if he is poor and his means are insufficient, then he is to take one male lamb for a guilt offering as a wave offering to make atonement for him, and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and a log of oil, 22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons which are within his means, the one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. 23 Then the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, at the doorway of the tent of meeting, before the Lord. 24 The priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall offer them for a wave offering before the Lord. 25 Next he shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 The priest shall also pour some of the oil into his left palm; 27 and with his right-hand finger the priest shall sprinkle some of the oil that is in his left palm seven times before the Lord. 28 The priest shall then put some of the oil that is in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering. 29 Moreover, the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement on his behalf before the Lord. 30 He shall then offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, which are within his means. 31 He shall offer what he can afford, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed. 32 This is the law for him in whom there is an infection of leprosy, whose means are limited for his cleansing.”

Tour of Galilee, Matthew 4:23-25; Mark 1:35-39; Luke 4:42-44

Matthew 4:23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the [a]gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. 24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, [b]epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

Mark 1:35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37 they found Him, and *said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He *said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may [a]preach there also; for that is what I came for.” 39 And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, [b]preaching and casting out the demons.

Luke 4:42 When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. 43 But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of [a]Judea.

Footnotes (Matthew)

a. Matthew 4:23 Or good news

b. Matthew 4:24 Lit moonstruck

Footnotes (Mark)

a. Mark 1:38 Or proclaim

b. Mark 1:39 Or proclaiming

Footnotes (Luke)

a. Luke 4:44 e. the country of the Jews (including Galilee)

Commentary

Though Jesus was touring from town to town, He was also followed by people from many of the surrounding areas, as we see in Matthew 4:25. We have taken some time studying the geography of Galilee and Judea, but since the Decapolis may be unfamiliar, I wanted to touch on that briefly. The term Decapolis is used in Matthew and Mark, as well as the writings of the historians Pliny and Josephus, and it indicates an area of ten cities, which included Damascus, Raphana, Hippos, Kanatha, Dion, Gadara, Scythopolis, Pella, Gerasa, and Philadelphia (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 2 pg. 81). Here’s a helpful map to show how widespread the area of the Decapolis was, especially in comparison to the region where Jesus was travelling, which was primarily along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, as well as to the North and West (https://atlastours.net/jordan/the-decapolis/). In that map, you can also see Judea to the Southwest, and you can start to understand how far people came to see Jesus, remembering, for example, that the royal official whose son was healed took more than one day to travel back from Cana to Capernaum (see a close-up of the Sea of Galilee for a view of those two cities https://www.jesus-story.net/the-miracle-at-cana/). Jesus’s supernatural power must have been compelling and credible because some of the Syrian people who were seeking healing traveled for weeks to find Him.

We see some new vocabulary regarding their ailments in Matthew. Per the footnotes from Matthew, the original word used for epilepsy was “moonstruck”, and that is the first time we’ve seen reference to this type of illness in the gospel accounts. At the time, the prevailing assumption about epilepsy was that it had to do with the cycles of the moon. The word used by Matthew in the original text is unique in its application, in that it is not found in any other writings of the day, except Matthew’s, and then only twice. Bible translators have used the description of symptoms in Matthew 17:15 and Mark 9:18 to translate the moonstruck condition to epilepsy (in the NASB, the translation in 17:15 is lunacy, luna being the root of lunar). There is some debate about whether Matthew was separating demonic influence and epilepsy as two separate types of affliction in 4:24, since the original syntax may or may not have implied the conjunction ‘and’. However, since in other cases the gospel writers do not feel the need to qualify or append the concept of demon possession, it seems reasonable that Matthew is indicating an understanding of the idea that epilepsy is not always demon possession, but (as we see later in chapter 17) that demon possession can sometimes result in epileptic symptoms (http://moments.nbseminary.com/archives/moonstruck/).

One of the things that continues to set Jesus’s ministry apart is His power over dark forces, and in Mark 9:29, following the episode recorded in verses 18-27, as well as Matthew chapter 17, we see that Jesus attributes His power to prayer. According to this week’s study passage from Mark 1:35, Jesus’s prayer time was spent in the early morning, while it was still dark, before any distractions could get in the way, and it was private. His prayer time was not only important for His self-care and relationship with God the Father, but it was also prerequisite for an effective ministry.

Prayer may be a misunderstood tenet of the Christian faith, and to study Jesus’s prayer life is helpful in illuminating some of our misinterpretation of the purpose of prayer. For one thing, Jesus’s behavior demonstrates that God IS. We don’t suppose He exists or mold Him with our imagination or bend Him to our will. He is the author of our being and all the creation around us, and, like a parent who expects gratitude and relationship with a child, so He expects the same from us. We honor Him by spending time communing with Him. Jesus wasn’t always asking for things; although that is the primary reason people seem to pray today. Through our sin, the world grows daily more corrupt, but if we intercede through prayer, begging a return to God’s unwavering will, He may show us grace and redeem our circumstances. However, prayer is also a time to praise God, thank Him, report outcomes, confess, listen, and lament. “Man’s prayerful response to the living God includes: faith (in his deed/word revelation), worship, confession, adoration, praise, thanksgiving, and dedicated action” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 4 pg. 838). Jesus’s commitment to spending this dedicated time engaging God shows us that prioritizing a relationship with God is as essential to a strong spirit as water is essential to a healthy body.

Finally in this study, I want to explore Jesus’s statement of purpose in Mark and Luke. He said the reason He was sent was to preach the kingdom of God to all the cities. Bear in mind, for a moment, that John called Jesus “the Word”, and take a look at this passage I found when I was studying the concept of prayer:

“In a man’s words he reveals himself. In his promises he gives himself away, he binds himself to the one who receives his promise. In his commands he sets forth his will, seeks to make himself master of him whose obedience he claims, to guide and use him as if he were a part of himself. It is through our words that spirit holds fellowship with spirit, and the spirit of one man passes over and transfers itself to another.

…when God speaks forth Himself in His words, He does indeed give Himself, His Love and His Life, His Will and His Power, to those who receive these words, in a reality passing comprehension. In every promise He puts Himself in our power to lay hold of and possess; in every command He puts Himself in our power for us to share with Him His Will, His Holiness, His Perfection. In God’s Word is nothing less than the Eternal Son, Christ Jesus. And so all Christ’s words are God’s words, full of a Divine quickening life and power. “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life”” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 4 pg. 838-839).

If you apply the same principles to the concept of Jesus’s stated ministry of preaching (or speaking), He is God’s manifest Word and thereby seals God’s oath by speaking truths aloud. He enters a covenant of reconciliation with all who hear His message, and this, more than healing or casting out demons, is His great power. “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk ‘?” (Matthew 9:5).

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/10/14/a-leper-healed/

Scripture References

Matthew 4:23

Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.

Mark 1:14 After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God.

Mark 1:21 Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath began, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach.

Luke 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region.

Luke 4:15 He taught in their synagogues and was glorified by everyone.

Luke 4:40 At sunset, all who were ill with various diseases were brought to Jesus, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.

Luke 6:6 On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.

Luke 7:21 At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind.

Luke 8:1 Soon afterward, Jesus traveled from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him,

Luke 9:60 But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Luke 13:10 One Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,

Luke 16:16 The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

John 6:59 Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

John 18:20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.

Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

Acts 20:25 Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again.

Acts 28:31 Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 4:24

1 Chronicles 29:2 Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God–gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and slabs of marble–all in abundance.

Matthew 8:6 “Lord, my servant lies at home, paralyzed and in terrible agony.”

Matthew 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

Matthew 8:28 When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, He was met by two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.

Matthew 8:33 Those tending the pigs ran off into the town and reported all this, including the account of the demon-possessed men.

Matthew 9:2 Just then, some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 12:22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.

Matthew 17:15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.

Mark 1:32 That evening, after sunset, people brought to Jesus all who were sick and demon-possessed,

Mark 2:3 Then a paralytic was brought to Him, carried by four men.

Mark 2:4 Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat.

Mark 2:9 “Which is easier: to say to a paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?

Mark 5:15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

Mark 5:16 Those who had seen it described what had happened to the demon-possessed man and also to the pigs.

Mark 5:18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him.

Luke 4:38 After Jesus had left the synagogue, He went to the home of Simon, whose mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. So they appealed to Jesus on her behalf,

Luke 5:24 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

Luke 8:36 Meanwhile, those who had seen it reported how the demon-possessed man had been healed.

John 10:21 But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Acts 8:7 With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.

Matthew 4:25

Matthew 4:15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles–

Mark 3:7 So Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from Galilee, Judea,

Mark 3:8 Jerusalem, Idumea, the region beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. The large crowd came to Him when they heard what great things He was doing.

Mark 5:20 So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

Mark 7:31 Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.

Luke 6:17 Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of His disciples was there, along with a great number of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon.

Mark 1:35

Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out and followed Him on foot from the towns.

Matthew 14:23 After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone,

Luke 5:16 Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.

Mark 1:39

Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.

Mark 1:21 Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath began, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach.

Mark 1:23 Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue:

Mark 3:1 Once again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there.

Mark 6:6 And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.

Luke 4:42

Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out and followed Him on foot from the towns.

Luke 4:44

Luke 5:1 On one occasion, while Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret with the crowd pressing in on Him to hear the word of God,

Commentary

Mark 9:29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

Matthew 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic (original word: moonstruck) and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.

Mark 9:18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.”

37 – Peter’s MIL and Others Healed, Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41

Matthew 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter’s [a]home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and [b]waited on Him. 16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He Himself took our infirmities and [c]carried away our diseases.”

Mark 1:29 And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with [a]James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they *spoke to [b]Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she [c]waited on them. 32 When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

Luke 4:38 Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him [a]to help her. 39 And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and [b]waited on them. 40 While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. 41 Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be [c]the Christ.

Footnotes (Matthew)

a. Matthew 8:14 Or house

b. Matthew 8:15 Or served

c. Matthew 8:17 Or removed

Footnotes (Mark)

a. Mark 1:29 Or Jacob

b. Mark 1:30 Lit Him

c. Mark 1:31 Or served

Footnotes (Luke)

a. Luke 4:38 Lit about her

b. Luke 4:39 Or served

c. Luke 4:41 I.e. the Messiah

Commentary

In the last study we learned that archaeologists found evidence that the synagogue at Capernaum was about a block away from Peter’s house, so when we hear that they immediately went to Peter’s house, we can assume the transition was indeed very quick. Through this passage, we also learn that, not only was Simon Peter married, but also that his mother-in-law and brother Andrew lived with him. Although it was common at the time for large, extended families to live in the same house, the custom for widows of this day was for them to return to their father’s house, if he were still alive, or else to move in with a son, rather than a daughter. It is a little odd that Peter’s mother-in-law lives with him, but it may speak to his generosity that he welcomed her to their home (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1641).

Jesus’s first act when he gets to Peter’s house is to heal Peter’s mother-in-law, for which we can assume she was extremely grateful, and she immediately follows this by serving Him in return. When we read of the mother-in-law’s service upon being healed, we are not meant to infer that Jesus was self-serving and needed her to be well in order to wait on Him. In fact, one of the reasons her service is remarkable to all the gospel writers is that most people are left weak when in recovery from a serious illness. Since Peter’s mother-in-law emerged from her fever with all her strength, this proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that her recovery was not merely coincidental, but a total renewal purposefully perpetrated by the Messiah. She would have needed all her strength to serve them, since service at the time took considerable energy and likely went far beyond cooking. Work and family tasks were divided among family members, with the women and children generally being assigned to fetching water, cooking (including grinding grain by hand for bread), childcare and education, “spinning wool, weaving, making clothes and linens, mending, washing, producing pottery and other utensils for cooking,” as well as several Sabbath-related tasks, such as filling the lamps with oil, preparing treats, and collecting an extra day’s water (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1714).

With reference to the Sabbath treats and extra day’s water, they would have done this the day before, in order to prevent themselves from having to work on the Sabbath, and I want to point out the strict legalism they lived under so I can call attention to the fact that both Jesus and Peter’s mother-in-law worked on the Sabbath. As we see throughout the gospel accounts, this was not entirely uncommon for Jesus, but was still unexpected. In fact, since Sabbath was from sundown to sundown, we can see that the rest of the town waited until Sabbath was officially over (“after sunset”) before bringing all their infirm to be healed. Meanwhile, Jesus had been inside Peter’s house performing healing already. Whenever Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He “showed that He placed human need above the mere external observance of the Sabbath” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 5 pg. 186).

By this time, the people of Capernaum are familiar with Jesus’s abilities (He had healed the nobleman’s child and cast out a demon in the synagogue), so they bring every type of ill and possessed person to Jesus for healing as soon as they are able. He graciously complies. It occurs to me that Jesus might have preferred the people to be as enthusiastic about His teaching, but He fulfills their need for healing without comment on this occasion. He loves them and wants to see them well, regardless of their immediate motives, and incidentally, their joy and awe at being healed will make them more receptive to His teaching in the future.

Through this healing story, we see again that the gospel writers remark that Jesus would not allow the demons to speak. Why not; weren’t the demons saying something true? Some commentators say that demons are so absolutely unclean that it is inappropriate for them to be allowed to utter such pure, perfect truth. Others say that God Himself is the only one who can choose when and how He is revealed. There may be merit to both of these theories, but I would like to add one more; the way the Devil works is to use truth to gain credibility. For instance, when he tempted Jesus, he twisted real passages of scripture to try to convince Jesus to sin. In the case of these demons proclaiming the messiahship of Jesus, one of two things could have happened. If Jesus had allowed them to continue to speak, they could have gone on to say things that twisted the truth, but would have been believable to the people, since the demons’ testimony had become trustworthy to them through the initial truth. Conversely, for any doubters or unbelievers in the crowd, they may have remembered the human persons the demons had indwelled as psychotic, which would therefore make the exclamation about Jesus seem like just another hysterical outburst, thus casting further doubt on Jesus’s position. By silencing them, He does not allow for either outcome, and He also further proves his power and authority. “The gospel accounts are filled with incidents of demon activity and even resistance to the ministry of Christ. His power over their influence further vindicates His divine messiahship” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1191).

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/10/04/tour-of-galilee/

Scripture References

Matt 8:14

1 Corinthians 9:5 Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

Matt 8:16

Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Matthew 4:24 News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed–and He healed them.

Matthew 8:33 Those tending the pigs ran off into the town and reported all this, including the account of the demon-possessed men.

Matt 8:17

Isaiah 53:4 Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted.

2 Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Mark 1:29

Mark 1:21 Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath began, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach.

Mark 1:23 Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue:

Mark 1:32

Matthew 4:24 News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed–and He healed them.

Mark 1:33

Mark 1:21 Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath began, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach.

Mark 1:34

Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Matthew 4:24 News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed–and He healed them.

Luke 4:38

Matthew 4:24 News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed–and He healed them.

Luke 4:39

Luke 4:35 But Jesus rebuked the demon. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!” At this, the demon

Luke 8:24 The disciples went and woke Him saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm.

Luke 4:40

Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Matthew 4:24 News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed–and He healed them.

Mark 5:23 and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”

Luke 4:41

Matthew 4:3 The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Matthew 8:4 Then Jesus instructed him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.”

Luke 4:35 But Jesus rebuked the demon. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!” At this, the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without harming him.

36 – Demoniac Healed in the Synagogue; Mark 1:21-28, Luke 4:31-37

Mark 1:21 They *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, “What [a]business do we have with each other, Jesus [b]of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee.

Luke 4:31 And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; 32 and they were amazed at His teaching, for His [a]message was with authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man [b]possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Let us alone! [c]What business do we have with each other, Jesus [d]of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. 36 And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is [e]this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” 37 And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district.

Footnotes (Mark)

1. Mark 1:24 Lit What to us and to You (a Heb idiom)
2. Mark 1:24 Lit the Nazarene

Footnotes (Luke)

1. Luke 4:32 Lit word
2. Luke 4:33 Lit having a spirit
3. Luke 4:34 Lit What to us and to you (a Heb idiom)
4. Luke 4:34 Lit the Nazarene
5. Luke 4:36 Or this word, that with authority…come out?

Commentary

These two passages are very similar, so we can follow concept-by-concept through them both at once. Last week, we already looked at Capernaum and why Jesus was there. Specifically, in this passage, he was inside the synagogue of Capernaum. “Archaeological excavations have uncovered ruins of a synagogue built on the site of the city’s synagogue of Jesus’s time. One block away is the foundation of an early church that excavators are convinced was built on the site of Peter’s house (Matt. 8:14; Mark 1:29; Luke 4:38), the place where Jesus often stayed while in Capernaum” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1780).

He was apparently welcomed into the synagogue to teach on the first Sabbath after His arrival. Rabbis of the day were different than today, in that they did not hold a position at a church, but were learned itinerants who traveled and taught in various places, earning their living at another profession and/or relying on the hospitality of the towns where they taught. Anyone who wanted to learn from them or study under them on a deeper level would have to travel with them, or “follow after them” and would likewise be the recipient of hospitality when the rabbi stopped to teach. Jesus was just such a teacher, which is how He gained such quick access to the synagogue (https://www.biblescholars.org/2013/05/study-shows-jesus-as-rabbi.html).

When He begins to speak, the congregation is ‘amazed’, the connotation of which is to be stricken with panic (https://biblehub.com/lexicon/mark/1-22.htm). So what’s the difference between the way the scribes taught and the way Jesus taught ‘with authority’? “The distinction in His manner was that He ignored the normal procedure of the scribes, who consistently quoted or made reference to the Old Testament and the ancient rabbis. Jesus taught authoritatively since His word was final!” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1238-1239). At the time, the teachers in the synagogue would endlessly quote ancient rabbis, particularly messages which contradicted one another, so they could present a point/counterpoint to the congregation. They did not necessarily draw conclusions, but just presented various quotes, which the people had almost certainly heard before (https://vimeo.com/210671441). The sermon I linked here is especially good, and it conveys a compelling depiction of why Jesus was so different, why His authority and power were so astounding, and why His methods of teaching and exorcism were so different from what the people were used to.

The next event in the scene is that a man possessed by a demon begins to interrupt Jesus’s teaching. The sermon linked above also covers the topic of demons in general and their origin and activity on the earth. He also goes over a comparison of terms used to describe demons, so we can draw the conclusion that the phrase “unclean spirits” does refer to demons. “The term ‘unclean’ (Gr. akathartos) bore special connotations to the Jewish mind. The Old Testament frequently distinguished between what was lawful and unlawful, accepted and rejected, and therefore may mean ungodly” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1239).

This is the first of many recorded instances in the New Testament in which demons are cast out of humans, and often the first question that comes to mind is whether demon possession is a real thing or a mystified explanation of clinical illness. The characteristics of demon possession in the New Testament vary widely and have been suspected to represent a variety of conditions, such as epilepsy, multiple personality disorder, drug-induced psychosis, PTSD, deafness, and clairvoyance. The Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible offers an explanation that allows for either conclusion. “It is known… that the vital forces of the human personality function within… the mind, and that there is always a significant emotional or psychic element in most diseases, and not least in idiopathic mental afflictions. If such states are to be seen in terms of the evil, destructive powers found in the subconscious mind gaining the ascendancy over the positive forces for good in the human personality, it is possible to think of all mental disorders as being to some limited extent at least the result of temporary possession of the human mind by demonic influences, a situation which could conceivably become permanent” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 2 pg. 100).

However, the idea, reasonable as the argument may seem, that all demon possession is in fact misdiagnosed medical affliction, does not sufficiently explain how this human person in the synagogue at Capernaum, if he indeed had a condition such as multiple personality disorder, “and his convulsive interlude during the healing… resulted from the discharging of long repressed emotion in the subconscious mind” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 2 pg. 101), how he recognizes Jesus as the Son of God or why Jesus speaks to the spirit as a separate, sentient entity. Jesus and His disciples go on to heal many other ailments during their ministry and do not speak to the ailment as if it were another being, so why would Jesus speak, in this case, to a demon if he were just healing another type of ailment? Wouldn’t He just speak to the man, as He does in cases of blindness (Mark 10:46-52), leprosy (Luke 5:12-14), paralysis (Matt 9:1-8), and deformity (Matt 12:9-13)? No, I think Jesus’s interaction with the spirit, rather than the person in this case speaks to the reality of spiritual warfare and the ability of demonic forces to overtake human will.

Not only does this episode demonstrate to us the existence of malicious spirits, but it served to reinforce the congregation’s awe of Jesus’s authority and power. “Verses 14-15 named preaching as Jesus’s primary ministry, and in this context the occasion of healing happens immediately after Jesus’s authoritative lesson. At first the people responded negatively because His method seemed bizarre, but when they witnessed Him casting out demons, they accepted His teaching on the basis of His power” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1239). Furthermore, they began to share positive witness of Jesus’s teaching and healing ability throughout the region, and this paved the way for Him to attract and minister to larger and broader audiences.

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/09/13/peters-mother-in-law-healed/

Scripture Reference

Mark 1:21

Matthew 4:13 Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Mark 1:20 Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

Mark 1:29 As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.

Mark 1:33 and the whole town gathered at the door.

Mark 1:39 So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Mark 3:1 Once again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there.

Mark 10:1 Then Jesus left that place and went into the region of Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught them, as was His custom.

Luke 4:23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.'”

Mark 1:22

Matthew 7:28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,

Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.

Mark 1:23

Mark 1:29 As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.

Mark 1:39 So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Mark 5:2 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs.

Mark 1:24

Matthew 2:23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 8:29 “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

Mark 10:47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Mark 14:67 and saw him warming himself there. She looked at Peter and said, “You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.”

Mark 16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they laid Him.

Luke 1:35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.

Luke 24:19 “What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people.

John 6:69 We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”

Acts 3:14 You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

Acts 24:5 We have found this man to be a nuisance, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,

James 2:19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.

1 John 2:20 You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

Mark 1:25

Matthew 9:30 And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one finds out about this!”

Mark 1:26

Mark 9:26 After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.”

Mark 1:27

Matthew 8:9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.”

Mark 10:24 And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

Mark 10:32 As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him:

Mark 16:5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

Mark 16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they laid Him.

Acts 17:19 So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

Mark 1:28

Matthew 9:26 And the news about this spread throughout that region.

Matthew 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.

Mark 1:29 As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.

Luke 4:31

Matthew 4:13 Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Luke 4:23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.'”

Luke 4:32

Matthew 7:28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,

Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.

John 7:46 “Never has anyone spoken like this man!” the officers answered.

Luke 4:34

1 Kings 17:18 “O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”

Matthew 8:29 “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

James 2:19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.

Luke 4:35

Matthew 8:26 “You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.

Mark 4:39 Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.

Luke 4:23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.'”

Luke 4:39 and He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and began to serve them.

Luke 4:41 Demons also came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked the demons and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Christ.

Luke 8:24 The disciples went and woke Him saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm.

Luke 4:36

Matthew 9:33 And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

Luke 4:37

Matthew 9:26 And the news about this spread throughout that region.

Matthew 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout the land.

Luke 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region.

Commentary

Matt 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever.

Mark 1:29 And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Luke 4:38 Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her.

Commentary

Mark 10:46 Then they *came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” 50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

Luke 5:12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Matt 9:1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city. 2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Mat 12:9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him. 11 And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.

35 – Call of the Four; Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1-11

Matthew 4:18 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. 19 And He *said to them, “[a]Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, [b]James the son of Zebedee, and [c]John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Mark 1:16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 Going on a little farther, He saw [a]James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away [b]to follow Him.

Luke 5:1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the [a]people from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but [b]I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ [c]feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were [d]James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

Footnotes (Matthew)

a. Matthew 4:19 Lit Come here after Me

b. Matthew 4:21 Or Jacob; James is the Eng form of Jacob

c. Matthew 4:21 Gr Joannes, Heb Johanan

Footnotes (Mark)

a. Mark 1:19 Or Jacob

b. Mark 1:20 Lit after Him

Footnotes (Luke)

a. Luke 5:3 Lit crowds

b. Luke 5:5 Lit upon Your word

c. Luke 5:8 Lit knees

d. Luke 5:10 Or Jacob

Commentary

Since it ties so well to some earlier posts about why people would have been convicted to repent when hearing the kingdom was at hand, I wanted to start by pointing out Peter’s exclamation, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” In context, Peter had been doubtful when Jesus told the men to let down their nets. After the dramatic miracle Jesus performs, Peter feels ashamed of his doubt, to the point of repentance and feelings of unworthiness. This gave me some new perspective on why it might be relevant for people to repent when they heard John the Baptist or Jesus say the kingdom was at hand. They may have grown complacent, no longer looking for the salvation they had been promised, even to the point of disbelief when it was right in front of them. They no longer placed their hope where it should have been, and when they were brought back to reality with the knowledge that the day had arrived, they would have been scrambling to get their houses in order. Similar to Peter’s comment about fishing all night, the Jewish people had been waiting 400 years for a word from God, and it seemed unlikely to happen so suddenly. Therefore, the appearance of the Messiah would have made them swoon, as Peter did, under the burden of humiliation.

Speaking of sudden, many people misunderstand the call of the disciples as a sudden event and think it strange the men would leave their work and families, as if in some trance. However, as we discussed in another post, when Jesus officially called the first four disciples, it was not the first time they had met Him (Peter, after all, calls Him ‘master’ in Luke 5:5). Jesus first encountered Simon (Peter) and Andrew in John 1:40-42, which is when Jesus gave Peter his nickname. I don’t know if it was just for a little humor, but The Word in Life Study Bible lists the nickname in several languages: Cephas (Aramaic), Peter (Greek), and “The Rock” or “Rocky” (English). Of course, in English, the names “The Rock” and “Rocky” are familiar to us for different reasons, but I appreciated the reference, if only to show me that the name Peter may not have been so much of a formal name as a nickname. Additionally, I appreciate the differences in the gospel accounts, since John gives us the additional stories from Jesus’s early ministry, through which we are able to see that Jesus spent a lot of time with Andrew, Peter, James, and John before this scene on the Sea of Galilee when they leave their careers as fishermen and become full-time disciples of Jesus. Before this official call in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, they seem to have continued to support their families and villages through their fishing trade, since that is what they’re doing while Jesus is teaching on the shore.

In that study of the meeting between Jesus, Andrew, and Peter in John Chapter 1, I also mentioned that Andrew receives little acclaim as a disciple, but he was in fact the one to recruit the more notable Peter, his brother. In the passage above from Mark, we can see Peter’s importance, since Simon is listed first, and then Andrew is referred to as “Simon’s brother”. Even more obvious, Luke doesn’t even mention Andrew by name, but we know there was at least one other person in the boat because ‘they’ pulled in their nets. I wanted to take a quick look at why Peter might have been afforded this position.

Peter

“Papias (A.D. 125) claimed that Peter’s preaching led his interpreter, Mark, to write the first Gospel” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1713). Most scholars agree that the book of Mark was the first gospel account to be written, and many hold that the books of Matthew and Luke used Mark’s writings as a template. Given Mark’s close relationship with Peter (as his interpreter), it seems natural he would focus on Peter’s role first, and if the other authors were using his writings as a template for their own, it would make sense they would follow suit. The most well-rounded picture of Andrew is painted in the book of John, also logical, given that Andrew and John had a long history, working together as business partners and having both been followers of John the Baptist, being the two present when John the Baptist pointed out Jesus as the Messiah (John 1:35-39). A further influence on Peter’s position in the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke is that all the gospel writers wrote their stories after the events had all taken place, and with the benefit of hindsight, we know that Jesus commissioned Peter to lead the church, placing him in a position of importance among the disciples. Finally, birth order may play a large role in the way the brothers are listed, since the firstborn son commonly held a place of importance. For instance, John, who later became “the beloved disciple”, wrote five books of the New Testament, and outlived all the other disciples, is listed second to James in the above passages. James is the elder brother of John, as Simon is the elder brother of Andrew.

James

Having given Peter and Andrew a closer look, I also wanted to examine the person of James, since, despite his early adoption of Jesus’ ministry and importance as a disciple, the gospel accounts are remarkably silent about him, as well. For the sake of clarification, this is James the Great, disciple of Jesus, son of Zebedee, brother of John, not to be confused with James the Less/Younger (son of Alphaeus, son of Mary, brother of Joses or Joseph), or James, the Lord’s brother (author of the book of James), or James, the father of Judas (not Iscariot) (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).

For the sake of modesty, John does not refer to himself or his brother by name in his gospel account, so most of what we know of James comes from the synoptic gospels and a couple of verses in Acts. Like Peter, the brothers James and John are given a nickname, Sons of Thunder, by Jesus (Mark 3:17), perhaps an allusion to their zeal and impetuosity, which we see displayed in Luke 9:54 when they offer to call down fire to consume the Samaritans who wouldn’t allow Jesus to stay with them, or in Mark 10:37 when they selfishly(?) ask to be seated on either side of Jesus in Heaven (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 3 pg. 392). When the twelve disciples are listed, James consistently appears second or third in the list (Matt 10:2; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13). He was one of four who were at Peter’s mother-in-law’s house (Mark 1:29-31), and he was one of three Jesus allowed to come into the room when He was healing the child at Jairus’s house (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51), as well as one of the three Jesus chose to climb the mountain with Him at the Transfiguration (Matt 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28) and to accompany Him in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). He is mentioned just two other times in the gospel accounts: on the Mount of Olives, asking questions about the last things (Mark 13:3-4) and “at the Sea of Galilee when the risen Lord appeared a third time to the disciples and… the miraculous draught of fishes was made (John 21:1-14)” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 3 pg. 392).

The gospel accounts give us details about James’s relatives, including clues about his mother. “The mother of James and John was probably Salome, thought by some to be the sister of the mother of Jesus (cf. Matt 27:56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25)” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 3 pg. 391). So James may have been Jesus’s first cousin (making it a little less surprising that James and John would have requested to be seated on either side of Jesus, but no less misguided). Although, if you read John 19:25, which I pasted in the scripture references near the bottom, you will see that some scholars disagree on this point because “His mother’s sister” could be an individual, or it could be a descriptive phrase for Mary the wife of Clopas. Either way, it’s clear from those verses that James’s mother was close to Jesus, also, as she is clearly present at the crucifixion and was also present when James and John asked to be seated on either side of Jesus in Heaven (Matt 20:20-21).

Following their request for James and John to be seated at the right and left of Jesus, He tells them the brothers will drink of their master’s cup (Mark 10:39), and this is fulfilled for James in Acts 12:1-3 when James becomes the first disciple martyred and the only one whose death is related in the New Testament. Despite the absence of details about James’s travels and actions in the book of Acts until the record of his death in chapter 12, the fact that Herod Agrippa I would single him out for execution was evidence that James must have been a figure of renown and importance among Christians. This early death, in my opinion, may be one of the reasons James’s story is not as prevalent in the gospel accounts. As I mentioned before, the gospel writers all set down their memoirs of Jesus some years after the events had taken place. Luke acknowledges that he did a lot of research, presumably including interviews with those who had been present. If James were not alive by the time the writers were collaborating with others to recall the events, his experiences would not have been related from his point of view.

Fishing Trade

So let’s take a closer look at what these four fishermen gave up to follow Jesus. The fishing trade was big business in the region of the Sea of Galilee, and it included fishing with various types of nets for long hours and then returning to shore to mend and wash the nets, salt and preserve the fish, maintain boats and supplies, train and supervise crews, and negotiate with merchants and buyers (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1782). What’s more, the mention of Zebedee’s hired servants implies to us that their particular business was profiting well and would have made a good inheritance (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1238), particularly for the firstborn. “Some infer additional evidence of affluence from the fact that John was ‘known to the high priest’ (John 18:15). Perhaps the family owned property in Jerusalem and spent some of their time there” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 3 pg. 391). This inheritance was no small matter to forfeit; Zebedee no doubt worked hard to provide for his sons and may have been emotional at the idea of leaving the business to other relations. In addition to losing their own fortunes, the disciples would have walked away from their cultural responsibility to work together with their family for the mutual benefit and support of the other family members, including their mother and any sisters they may have had. To leave was not the prerogative of youth, as it is today when we can ‘take a year off’ and things will carry on without us. They must have been convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus was the Messiah because they were potentially putting themselves and their family in jeopardy by leaving.

Differences in Gospel Accounts

Though these three accounts of the call do not differ significantly, I do want to take a quick moment to reconcile them. I read an article with some well-stated theological points about supposed contradictions in scripture. Most notably, the author calls out those convenient section headers or reading guides and cautions us against considering those as part of the scripture itself (https://mainsailministries.org/index.php/q-a-a-god-bible-theology-culture/103-call-of-the-disciples-alleged-conflict.html). He also says that if there is at least one plausible explanation for the way things fit together, there isn’t a bona fide conflict. In the case of these stories in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we can see clearly that the account in Luke differs from the others. However, just as I mentioned in the beginning of this post, just because Luke doesn’t mention Andrew by name doesn’t mean Andrew wasn’t there. Also, if you recognize that these authors have different styles and different intended audiences, you can make a pretty short leap to say that, in general, Luke’s account is just a more detailed version of the same event. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus saw them, He called them; they went. In Luke, they had been fishing all night, where Jesus presumably had seen them while He began teaching. As Jesus continued to teach, the crowds got bigger, and Jesus noticed that the men had brought their boats back in. He asks Simon (someone He already knows well, per John chapter 1) to take Him out to teach from the water. He then teaches for a while before performing the miracle of the catch, which breaks the nets (causing them to need mending after), and through conversations both in the boat and back on land, Jesus, whose Messiahship has been made clear by this miracle, persuades them that fishing for men will be way better than fishing for fish. They then leave their gear and go to follow Him. The most important thing to remember when reconciling these stories is that we are not bending any theology whatsoever by piecing these stories together. There is no conflict of basic belief here, but merely some literary questions.

Since this post has gotten so long, I’ll end abruptly with that and look at some more ideas next time. Until then!

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/09/06/demoniac-healed-at-the-synagogue/

Scripture Reference

Matthew 4:18

Ezekiel 47:10 Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.

Matthew 10:2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

Matthew 15:29 Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up on a mountain and sat down.

Matthew 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Mark 7:31 Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.

John 1:40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.

John 6:1 After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias).

Matthew 4:19

Ezekiel 47:10 Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.

Matthew 4:20

Mark 10:28 Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”

Matthew 4:21

Matthew 10:2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him.

Matthew 26:37 He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

John 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

Acts 12:2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

Matthew 4:22

Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Mark 1:16

John 1:40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.

Mark 1:19

John 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

Mark 1:20

Mark 1:21 Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath began, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach.

Luke 5:1

Numbers 34:11 then go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Chinnereth.

Deuteronomy 3:17 The Jordan River in the Arabah bordered it from Chinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) with the slopes of Pisgah to the east.

Joshua 12:3 as well as the Arabah east of the Sea of Chinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Salt Sea), eastward through Beth-jeshimoth and southward below the slopes of Pisgah.

Joshua 13:27 and in the valley, Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, with the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon (the territory on the east side of the Jordan up to the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth).

Matthew 14:34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.

Mark 3:9 Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him.

Mark 4:1 Once again, Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.

Luke 8:22 One day Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So He got into a boat with them and set out.

Luke 8:23 As they sailed, He fell asleep, and a squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

Luke 8:33 Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

John 1:40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.

John 6:1 After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias).

Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Luke 5:2

John 1:40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.

Luke 5:3

Matthew 13:2 Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.

Mark 3:9 Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him.

Mark 3:10 For He had healed so many that all who had diseases were pressing forward to touch Him.

Mark 4:1 Once again, Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.

Luke 5:4

John 21:6 He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

Luke 5:5

Ezekiel 47:10 Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.

Luke 8:24 The disciples went and woke Him saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, and they subsided, and all was calm.

Luke 8:45 “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. But they all denied it. “Master,” said Peter, “the people are crowding and pressing against You.”

Luke 9:33 As Moses and Elijah were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

Luke 9:49 “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.”

Luke 17:13 and raised their voices, shouting, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

John 21:3 Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.

Luke 5:6

John 21:6 He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

Luke 5:7

John 21:6 He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

Luke 5:8

2 Samuel 6:9 That day David feared the LORD and asked, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?”

Isaiah 6:5 Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”

Luke 5:10

Ezekiel 47:10 Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.

Matthew 14:27 But Jesus immediately spoke up: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

John 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

2 Timothy 2:26 Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.

Luke 5:11

Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Luke 5:28 and Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him.

Luke 18:28 “Look,” said Peter, “we have left everything we had to follow You.”

Commentary

John 1:35-39 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

Luke 6:16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor

Acts 1:13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

Mark 3:17 and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”);

Luke 9:54 When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

Mark 10:37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”

Matt 10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Luke 6:14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James and John; and Philip and Bartholomew;

Acts 1:13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

Mark 1:29 And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them.

Mark 5:37 And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

Luke 8:51 When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother.

Matt 17:1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

Mark 9:2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them;

Luke 9:28 Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.

Matt 26:37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.

Mark 14:33 And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled.

Mark 13:3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?”

John 21:1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” 11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.

Matt 20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.”

Acts 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. 2 And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

Mark 10:39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.

Matt 27:56 Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Mark 15:40 There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.

John 19:25 Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

John 18:15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest,

34 – Move to Capernaum; Matthew 4:13-16

Matthew 4:13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

15

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

[a]By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the [b]Gentiles—

16

“The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light,

And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,

Upon them a Light dawned.”

Footnotes

a. Matthew 4:15 Or Toward the sea

b. Matthew 4:15 Lit nations, usually non-Jewish

Commentary

The book of Matthew omits some of the early Judean ministry contained in other gospel accounts, and it transitions quickly from Jesus’s baptism and temptation to Jesus’s ministry in Capernaum, which is where Matthew first met Jesus. This seems natural to me, given that Matthew would be inclined to retell events he had personally witnessed, more than those he had heard second-hand.

This passage begins with the phrase “and leaving Nazareth,” so I want to camp out there for just a moment. Remember that the verse immediately before this passage is Matthew 4:12 “Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee;” and the beginning of verse 13 tells us He stopped in Nazareth during His journey and continued on to Capernaum. The original text uses a verb in verse 12, which we translate as “withdrew”, but which connotes fleeing from a dangerous situation. It is the same original verb used in Matthew 2:12 when the magi leave by a different route, as well as when Jesus’s parents flee to Egypt in verse 2:14, and when they relocate to Galilee after another warning from the angel in verse 2:22. Jesus also does this same type of withdrawing later in his life in Matthew 12:15 when He is threatened by the Pharisees, as well as in verse 14:13, after He hears John has been killed (https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=25). I think we can all appreciate that when we’re nervous for our safety or well-being, the first place we often want to go is home, where we have people who will love and protect us and we know all the routes and landmarks. From His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus could develop a plan and move on.

There is a passage in Luke 4:16-30 that seems as though it could have occurred during that Nazareth visit, which would mean the stopover was a little more than ‘passing through’, but the content of the Luke passage is so similar to other passages in Matthew 13:54-58 and Mark 6:1-6 that I’m going to treat them as the same event and look at them all later on. If, on the other hand, the Lukan event did occur during this interval, Jesus also found Himself in danger in Nazareth (the people in the synagogue tried to throw Him off a cliff). Whether He left Nazareth for safety reasons or if He simply used His stop in Nazareth to decide where to go next, He may have made His way on to Capernaum because He would enjoy some political protection there, after having healed the nobleman’s son, which we just studied last week in the passage from John 4:46-54. Additionally, word of Jesus’s healing miracle, especially when supported by a person of such importance as that royal official, would have spread through Capernaum and made the town ripe and excited for Jesus’s message.

As far as Jesus’s withdrawal into Galilee, in previous studies we have discussed how there was some amount of shock and surprise that Jesus would have been from Galilee (or even spent significant time there) because it was a melting pot of so many races and was commonly believed to be a place occupied by political outlaws and revolutionaries. The Old Testament passage Matthew cites above is from Isaiah and is reminiscent of a previous study we did when we looked at “Galilee of the Nations” and how that was often a derogatory term because, due to the wide variety of inhabitants and travelers of various tribes, there was no identifiable culture there. However, as we can see from the passage in Isaiah 9:1-2, the ancient prophet had foretold that Galilee would see a great light. If the Judeans still scorned Galilee in Jesus’s day, it was only because they were so blinded by their current cultural bias that they neglected their study of the prophets. Maybe this is why Jesus repeatedly reads scripture in synagogues and illuminates its meaning for His audiences during His ministry. Similar to today, people may have been choosing which parts of the scriptures they would accept literally and which ones they would rather treat as metaphorical or mysterious, and He wanted to remind them of how they had misunderstood or hardened their hearts to the scriptures.

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/08/30/call-of-the-four/

Scripture References

Verse 13

Matthew 9:1 Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.

Matthew 11:23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

Mark 1:21 Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath began, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach.

Mark 2:1 A few days later, Jesus went back to Capernaum. And when the people heard He was home,

Luke 4:23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.'”

Luke 4:31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath He began to teach the people.

Luke 10:15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades!

John 2:12 After this, He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples, and they stayed there a few days.

John 4:46 So once again He came to Cana in Galilee, where He had turned the water into wine. And there was a royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.

Verse 15

Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way to the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

Matthew 4:25 The large crowds that followed Him came from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.

Verse 16

Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way to the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

Luke 1:79 to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Luke 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”

33 – Child Healed at Capernaum, John 4:46-54

John 4:46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see [a]signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” 49 The royal official *said to Him, “[b]Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus *said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. 51 As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his [c]son was living. 52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the [d]seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household. 54 This is again a second [e]sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

Footnotes

a. John 4:48 Or attesting miracles
b. John 4:49 Or Lord
c. John 4:51 Or boy
d. John 4:52 Perhaps 7 p.m. Roman time or 1 p.m. Jewish time
e. John 4:54 Or attesting miracle

Commentary

“The key to understanding the significance of Jesus’s second sign/miracle is geography. The nobleman and his dying son lived in Capernaum, the main city of the Galilee region (see Luke 4:31). But Jesus was 20 miles away at Cana (where, significantly, His first sign/miracle had taken place). That means the nobleman walked a 40-mile round trip – a two-day trek by foot – to implore Jesus to heal his son. But Jesus merely spoke a word, producing results 20 miles away… No wonder the incident produced faith” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1869). There is some question as to whether this man would have walked or ridden a horse (he was privileged, after all), but it’s a long journey either way, as evidenced by the fact that, on his way home, he didn’t meet his servants until the day after the fever broke. This story has some other important undertones to consider, as well. The royal official had power and wealth, which many people would consider to be security for everything he needed. However, when it came to things of true importance, such as the life of his child, he quickly found himself destitute, traveling for days to beg from a carpenter’s son with more power than he had, ultimately producing an appreciation for things of eternal importance, such as the faith of his household, and his own eternal soul. This was the true picture of the man, as he was when he was in his humblest state, and it is through that humility that he was able to discover abundant life.

Taking a closer look at who this official or nobleman was, I appreciated this insight from Andrew Clarke. “[A certain nobleman] An officer of the king’s court for this is the meaning of the original word, ‎basilikos‎, which the Vulgate translates regulus, a little king. This officer belonged to Herod Antipas, who was then tetrarch of Galilee. Jerome calls him Palatinus, and says he was an officer of the king’s palace. Others think it was Chuza, mentioned Luke 8:3; and others think it was Manaen, spoken of Acts 13:1. One of these opinions may be true, but all solid proof is wanting. This officer, whoever he was, appears to have had his ordinary abode at Capernaum, and hearing that Christ was at Cana, he came express from Capernaum thither, to entreat him to heal his child” (http://sermons.pastorlife.com/members/sermon.asp?sermon_id=3411).

This ‘last-ditch effort’ he made to reach out to Jesus was likely inspired by the reputation that had spread based on Jesus’s previous miracle at Cana, as well as the signs He had performed in Jerusalem during His stay for Passover (John 2:23-25). However, “the feebleness of his faith in Jesus’ ability to heal is underscored by two erroneous assumptions that he made about Him. First, unlike the centurion (Luke 7:6-7) and the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30), he assumed Jesus had to be physically present to heal his son. Second, he hoped Jesus had the power to heal his son’s illness, but had no hope that He could raise him from the dead. Those two assumptions were behind his insistence that Jesus come at once before it was too late” (http://sermons.pastorlife.com/members/sermon.asp?sermon_id=3411). Perhaps it is this underestimation of Jesus’s power that prompts Jesus to rebuke him and all of Galilee with the statement, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” The man seems to heed Jesus’s remonstration about superficial faith, however, because when Jesus declares the child lives, the man leaves in faith that it is done. “Faith is leaving our problem with Christ, accepting His Word, and going on our way” (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1305).

Regarding this rebuke of little faith among the people, the culture at the time had some similarities to ours today. Namely, the people needed proof, at that time demonstrated through signs and wonders which were scientifically inexplicable. Today, as we cling to the ‘proof’ of science, many people are under the false impression that the Bible and science are mutually exclusive and that, while science can be proven, Christian beliefs cannot, to the extent that Christian faith is largely rooted in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of a man who lived over 2000 years ago. However, both science and Christianity are evidence-based, open to examination, and require some level of faith to accept as truth (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1872). The life of Jesus is well-documented, and there are numerous accounts of His miracles, many of which are recorded in the Bible (a book, by the way, that has as many proofs of historical accuracy as any volume ever compiled). It is ironic that miracles, the “local, temporary suspension of natural laws”, which were the very thing required in Jesus’s day to compel the people to faith in Him, are now a part of Christian belief that cast a shadow on the credibility of Jesus’s entire ministry, and indeed the existence of God, since they are ‘unscientific’. “The so-called ‘laws of nature’… Do not determine what may happen; they describe what normally does happen. Therefore, science can legitimately say that miracles do not usually occur in nature. But it would be illegitimate to claim that miracles are impossible. Such a claim speaks outside the limits of science. If God has really come into this world in Christ, is it so surprising that He would perform miracles, as the Gospels report?” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1872). Rather than being in conflict with Christian ideals, the scientific world owes much, in fact, to Christianity. “Christians… have been (and still are) on the vanguard of scientific progress. Indeed, modern science is largely the product of inquiring believers… Our faith is not opposed to reason. At points it may go beyond reason. But it is a reasonable faith. It hangs together logically.” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1872).

In this day and age, we equally revere subjective psychological ‘truth’ and ‘objective’ scientific ‘truth’ when they are commonly at odds with one another and with historical ‘truth’, but the discrepancies don’t seem to give anyone pause to consider whether we might be misrepresenting the idea of ‘truth’. If you were to ask the nobleman from this passage, the truth of his circumstance was both personal and empirical. If you were to ask the author of this gospel account, he would tell you his claims aren’t based on inference or conjecture, but from witness and evidence. These were real people, living in real places, at real points in history, and their existence and stories were corroborated by a multitude of witnesses, both Christian and non-Christian. There may be historical events about which we must deduce the details through theory or limited evidence, but the truth is the truth, regardless of the conclusions we attempt to draw. I just pray, for anyone reading this, that your perception doesn’t cloud a truth that has eternal significance.

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/08/23/move-to-capernaum/

Scripture References

Verse 46

Matthew 4:13 Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Luke 4:23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in Your hometown what we have heard that You did in Capernaum.'”

John 2:1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,

John 2:9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside

John 2:12 After this, He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples, and they stayed there a few days.

Verse 47

Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,

John 4:3 He left Judea and returned to Galilee.

Verse 48

Daniel 4:2 I am pleased to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me:

Daniel 6:27 He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Acts 2:19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

Acts 2:22 Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.

Acts 4:30 as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

Acts 5:12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

Acts 6:8 Now Stephen, who was full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

Acts 7:36 He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.

Acts 14:3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who affirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.

Acts 15:12 The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

Romans 15:19 by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:22 Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,

2 Corinthians 12:12 The true marks of an apostle–signs, wonders, and miracles–were performed among you with great perseverance.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,

Hebrews 2:4 and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.

Verse 50

Matthew 8:13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! As you have believed, so will it be done for you.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Verse 53

Acts 11:14 He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’

Verse 54

Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,

John 2:11 Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

John 4:45 Yet when He arrived, the Galileans welcomed Him. They had seen all the great things He had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they had gone there as well.

Commentary

Luke 4:31 And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath;

John 2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

32 – Arrival in Galilee; John 4:43-45, Luke 4:15, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15

John 4:43 When the two days were over, he went from that place to Galilee 44 (for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in the prophet’s own country). 45 When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival; for they too had gone to the festival.

Luke 4:15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”[a]

Mark 1:15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;[a] repent, and believe in the good news.”[b]

Footnotes (Matthew)
a. Matthew 4:17 Or is at hand

Footnotes (Mark)
a. Mark 1:15 Or is at hand
b. Mark 1:15 Or gospel

Commentary

Context

Once again, we should take a look at some other passages to set the stage for what we’re reading today. Take a look at Mark 1:14 and Luke 4:16, even though we used them in other studies already. Those are the verses we used to show Jesus left Judea, but they also say Jesus entered Galilee, transitioning into our study today, of His arrival in Galilee and pronunciation of His message. In John, we also saw the interlude in Samaria, as He stayed there two days during His journey.

Jesus went back to Galilee, even though there are several times in the gospels when the writers quote Him saying a prophet is not received in his own country/household/city, etc. I wonder why He kept going back. “He performed at least 33 known miracles there, and of 32 recorded parables, 19 were spoken in Galilee” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1710). The passage we’re studying in John this week also says the Galileans received Him enthusiastically, despite His concern over their familiarity with Him. However, this may have been a superficial excitement, rather than true belief.

Setting

The Word in Life Study Bible says that, since Galilee was scorned by neighbors in Judea, teaching in Galilee represented the bigger picture that the gospel message wasn’t only for the elite, but for all. But if He famously said He would not be received by His own, why wouldn’t He spend more time in regions where they were more receptive to His message? Andrew Robert Fausset said, “Galilee’s Gentile character caused the southern Jews of purer blood to despise it (John 1:46; 7:52); but its very darkness was the Lord’s reason for vouchsafing to it more of the light of His presence and ministry than to self-satisfied and privileged Judaea. There He first publicly preached, in Nazareth synagogue. From it came His apostles (Acts 1:11; 2:7); foretold in Deuteronomy 33:18-19, 23. Compare on Pentecost Acts 2:7; Psalms 68:27-28. Jerusalem, the theocratic capital, might readily have known Messiah; to compensate less favored Galilee He ministered mostly there. Galilee’s debasement made its people feel their need of the Savior, a feeling unknown to the self-righteous Jews (Matthew 9:13). “The Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of His people Israel,” appropriately ministered on the border land between Israel and the Gentiles, still on Israel’s territory, to which He was primarily sent (Matthew 15:24). Places and persons despised of men are honored of God. The region the first to be darkened by the Assyrian invasion was cheered by the prophet’s assurance that it should be the first enlightened by Immanuel (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). Its population being the densest of any part of Palestine, and its freedom from priestly and pharisaic prejudice, were additional grounds for its receiving the larger share of His ministry” (http://sermons.pastorlife.com/members/sermon.asp?sermon_id=3411).

Despite the amount of time and energy He spent there, “there is little evidence that His message ever took firm root in Galilee after He left. His predictions about Capernaum, Chorazin, and other Galilean cities came true (Matt. 11:20-24). In their unbelief they rejected Him – their one and only Prophet and King” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1710). It is possible that Jesus knew they would need extra convincing, since they had seen Him grow up from a child, so He spent a disproportionate amount of time there. In addition, it was His home. Not only was He comfortable there, but He was also familiar with the landscape, and He deeply loved the people. He longed for them to know the truth, even if He knew many of them would not believe it in the end.

Characterization of Jesus

Back to John 4:44, why is Jesus called a prophet? When I first read this, I was conflicted because I thought it undermined Jesus’ position as God incarnate. Isn’t a prophet just a man or woman? I looked into the definition and found “the OT prophet acted as a mouthpiece for God, receiving a message from Him and proclaiming it in accordance with His commands” (Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 4 pg. 875). Regarding Moses’ relationship to Aaron when speaking publicly, Exodus 4:16 says “he shall be a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.” In all ways, Jesus, as a subordinate being during His life on Earth, declares submission to the Father. So if His objective was to carry a message from God to man, He fit the bill of a prophet entirely, although His relationship to God was different than any prophet who came before Him. He wasn’t there as a seer or soothsayer, as some pagan prophets, and His knowledge was not restricted to a few pronouncements God gave Him, as with previous Biblical prophets. He was a physical manifestation of God’s message to people who needed a tangible messenger.

Message

Regarding this message from God, Jesus’ inaugural address, in the passages above from Matthew and Mark, conveys the basic, critical message He had come to deliver, but why would it motivate the populace to hear the Kingdom is near? Both Jesus and John the Baptist delivered this same message, and the people found it remarkable because they were not necessarily expecting the Messiah to preach duty, but deliverance. They expected the Messiah to return and reestablish the great prosperity and independence of David and Solomon. The Old Testament prophecies said God was going to send a ruler, so they were expecting a king. As such, if Jesus was the king they had awaited (and if they believed Him), they were obliged to do the will of their king and would likely have done so enthusiastically if it meant freedom from Roman rule. However, they soon started to suspect Jesus was not going to achieve this Hebrew dominion they anticipated. Jesus later said His kingdom was not of this world, which was very confusing to the people who had been waiting their whole lives for someone to rebuild their nation, not save their souls. In these first teachings, Jesus tells the people that their response to the imminent arrival of the kingdom should be repentance. Keeping in mind their expectation was a physical kingdom, my first thought as a Jew would be, “If we’re being freed from oppression, what does that have to do with me repenting from my sins?” Perhaps they recalled, however, that throughout their history they had seen their people suffer for their disobedience to God, as well as receive blessings for obedience, so it’s possible they knew they would have to return to God in order for the Savior to fulfill His purpose.

Since both John the Baptist and Jesus delivered similar messages, calling for an “about face”, let’s take a look at what Jesus and John the Baptist might have been specifically asking them to change in their hearts and actions. They needed to change their allegiance from Rome and from their legalistic Jewish way of life to Jesus, the Messiah, committing to do His will above their own. They also needed to change their expectations, since the kingdom wasn’t the physical place they were expecting and did not appear to be fulfilled by the time Jesus left the earth. (However, Jesus did lay the cornerstone and promised to return to complete the establishment of His kingdom forever.) Thirdly, they needed to change their values. They valued physical comfort, power, and independence, perhaps higher than the souls of their people and the souls of their neighbors. The kingdom is about souls, not about physical comforts on earth. Jesus challenged the people to seek first the kingdom of God, even when they were in pursuit of basic physical needs. Finally, they needed to realign their purpose, as they realized the physical kingdom was not the end they had expected. The kingdom was not near, but here. Now their objective was to accept the lordship of Jesus and to spread the gospel message to as many others as possible (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1627).

Finally, in Mark 1:15, Jesus follows His admonition and command for repentance with encouragement to believe in the good news (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1238). He was teaching this message, at least in the beginning, in the synagogues, per Luke 4:15. Virtually every Jewish town had a synagogue, where the Jews were accustomed to learning about the Old Testament. Jesus, while teaching in the synagogue, used the Old Testament prophecies to point to Himself as the Messiah who had been foretold (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1270). This would have been extremely good news for those who had ears to hear, and Jesus was trying to impress upon them that both repentance from sin and belief in the Messiah were critical components to their salvation.

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/08/16/child-healed-at-capernaum/

Scripture References

John 4:43

John 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days.

John 4:44

Matthew 13:57 And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

Mark 6:4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is without honor only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household.”

Luke 4:24 Then He added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

John 4:45

Luke 13:1 At that time, some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

John 2:23 While He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in His name.

John 4:54 This was now the second sign that Jesus performed after coming from Judea into Galilee.

Luke 4:15

Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

Luke 4:16 Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,

Matthew 4:17

Matthew 3:2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Mark 1:14 After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God.

Luke 3:23 Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was known as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,

Mark 1:15

Matthew 3:2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 20:21 testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

Galatians 4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

Ephesians 1:10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.

1 Timothy 2:6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all–the testimony that was given at just the right time.

Titus 1:3 In His own time, He has revealed His message in the proclamation entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.

Commentary

Matt. 11:20 Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His [a]miracles were done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the [b]miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in [c]sackcloth and ashes. 22 Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the [d]miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. 24 Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

Ex 4:16 Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him.

Matt 1:22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

Matt 2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

Is 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel

Mic 5:2 “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

Is 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah.

Many Samaritans Believe, John 4:39-42

John 4:39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Commentary

We’ve been really focused on Samaria for a few weeks, so I thought it would be helpful to sum up some of the region’s history in this last study of this scene in Sychar.

~875 B.C. – Even though the city of Samaria was built by Jews (1 Kings 16:24), the city and surrounding region quickly became known for its idolatry (Is. 8:4; Jer. 23:13; Hos. 7:1-7; Mic. 1:6-7). “Archaeologists have unearthed nearly 500 fragments of ivory plaques and inlaid wood portraying Egyptian and Syro-Phoenician gods and goddesses (compare 1 Kings 22:39; Amos 6:4)” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 625).

722 B.C. – After a 3-year siege, the northern kingdom of Samaria fell to the Assyrians, and, as was typical for many superpower nations at the time, the king of Assyria deported 27,290 Hebrews (this number is from Assyrian inscriptions) to other Assyrian-held territories, such as Nineveh, Halah, Gozan, and Media (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 2 pg. 424). These were mostly upper-class citizens and were scattered in order to prevent them from being able to mobilize a rebellion. Meanwhile, citizens of other Assyrian territories, such as Babylon, Elam, and Syria, were brought in to promote loyalty to the Assyrian king, Sargon II, with the secondary effect of religious, racial, and cultural intermarriage (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 672).

587 B.C. The southern kingdom of Judah had also fallen to the Assyrians, and its people were likewise scattered among Gentile territories.

538 B.C. A small group of southern Jews was allowed to return and rebuild Jerusalem. This was vehemently opposed by the new mixed population of the northern kingdom in Samaria, and their opposition fueled the racial division between the full-blooded, monotheistic southern Jews and their idol-worshipping, intermarried northern cousins. Once the temple in Jerusalem was built, the Samaritans refused to worship there (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 672).

400 B.C. Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizim, and this worship site was condemned by Jerusalem authorities.

167-166 B.C. Samaritans may have rededicated their temple to the Greek god Zeus, based on political pressure from Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, in an effort to buy some peace.

128 B.C. Jewish king John Hyrcanus burned down the Gerizim temple.

63 B.C. The Roman general Pompey invaded Jewish territory, and Samaritans sided with Pompey against the southern Jews.

37 B.C. Herod the Great was installed by Rome to govern the area, and he received support from Samaritans. As a result, he chose the city of Samaria as a safe home for his mother and children. He also “depopulated Judea by resettling Jews in new or rebuilt cities in Samaria and Galilee” (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1710). He rebuilt the city of Samaria and showed considerable favoritism toward it, which continued to foster hatred from the southern Jews.

A.D. 25 By Jesus’s day, Jews wouldn’t even pass through Samaria, even when it was the most direct route. This practice was well-known by both Jews and Samaritans, which made Jesus’s sojourn there so remarkable to both the disciples and the Samaritan people.

Back to the study at hand: the Samaritans had not been exposed to Jewish teaching for a long time, and, despite their partially pagan roots, they were still waiting for a Messiah and were still studying Jewish texts. When Jesus told His disciples that the people were ripe for harvest, He knew that the truth spoken in love would fill the void in their hearts that had resulted from years of neglect. The people so readily accepted the gospel message that they begged Jesus to stay with them, which He did for two days. These two days would have been really precious for Him because of the brevity of His time on earth, so it was somewhat surprising to me that He agreed to their request. However, in looking back at John 4:24, when Jesus explains that worship involves spirit and truth, it makes sense that Jesus would want to complement the initial zeal of the Samaritans with an abiding truth that would supersede the religious views they had created over time. Additionally, God seems to hold a special place for the Samaritans, as evidenced by Jesus’s commission to His disciples in Acts 1:8 to take the gospel message to Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, then the ends of the earth. The fact He names Samaria, out of the three places He mentions, is indicative of its importance.

The theme of evangelism is especially important to explore in the context of this scene in Sychar, where we see an example of evangelism in its purest form. The woman at the well has a personal experience, and she enthusiastically shares that experience with others, inviting them to join in her joy. Through her witness, the others become interested, and her testimony begins to sow the seeds of belief. The others, as they try and test this revelation for themselves, have their own individual experiences, which lead to true personal belief and allegiance. Though the text doesn’t say so, they undoubtedly continued this trend, as they shared their experiences with their children and further evangelized about Christ, creating a generational effect from Jesus’s two-day visit. I read an inspirational book called Chase the Lion, by Mark Batterson, and he spends a lot of time focusing on that exponential or generational effect of each person’s legacy. Evangelism starts small, but the ripple effects can be profoundly far-reaching.

Evangelism isn’t exclusive to the New Testament, either. God’s message seems to always have been crafted to reach the ends of the earth. In Deuteronomy 28:64, the Lord says He will scatter the Jews among all nations if they do not observe the law. When I was studying the history of the Assyrian conquest, it seemed clear this was a fulfillment of God’s oath. I was interested, in this context, to run across the city of Nineveh, which I of course recognized from the story of Jonah. The most frequently accepted date for the authorship of the book of Jonah is 450 B.C. (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 3 pg. 676), a little less than 300 years after Jews had been transplanted there. I was struck by the similarity in effectiveness of Jonah’s message in Nineveh, as well as Jesus’s message in Samaria. They both went into a city, and within a matter of days, found the people repentant and committed to true worship. I wonder if it helped that those seeds of Judaism had been planted so long before the arrival of either of these prophets. Is it possible that, while God was punishing the Jews by scattering them among Ninevites and Samaritans, He was also working the situation to His glory for the ultimate redemption of the Gentiles in these cities?

See the next post here https://onthepath.online/2019/08/09/arrival-in-galilee/

Scripture Reference

Verse 39

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.

John 4:5 So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

John 4:8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

John 4:29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

John 4:30 So they left the town and made their way toward Jesus.

John 4:38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor.”

Verse 40

Acts 8:8 So there was great joy in that city.

Verse 42

Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

Luke 2:11 Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Acts 5:31 God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

Acts 13:23 From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.

1 Timothy 4:10 To this end we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

1 John 2:2 He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.

Verse 43

John 4:44 Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

Commentary

1 Kings 16:24 He bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and named the city which he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

Is. 8:4 for before the boy knows how to cry out ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

Jer. 23:13 “Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

Hos. 7:1 When I would heal Israel, The iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, And the evil deeds of Samaria, For they deal falsely; The thief enters in, Bandits raid outside, 2 And they do not consider in their hearts That I remember all their wickedness. Now their deeds are all around them; They are before My face. 3 With their wickedness they make the king glad, And the princes with their lies. 4 They are all adulterers, Like an oven heated by the baker Who ceases to stir up the fire From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened. 5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; He stretched out his hand with scoffers, 6 For their hearts are like an oven As they approach their plotting; Their anger smolders all night, In the morning it burns like a flaming fire. 7 All of them are hot like an oven, And they consume their rulers; All their kings have fallen. None of them calls on Me.

Mic. 1:6 For I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the open country, Planting places for a vineyard. I will pour her stones down into the valley And will lay bare her foundations. 7 All of her idols will be smashed, All of her earnings will be burned with fire And all of her images I will make desolate, For she collected them from a harlot’s earnings, And to the earnings of a harlot they will return.

1 Kings 22:39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and the ivory house which he built and all the cities which he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Amos 6:4 Those who recline on beds of ivory And sprawl on their couches, And eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall,

John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.

30 – Challenge of a Harvest, John 4:27-38

John 4:27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” 28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not [a]the Christ, is it?” 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”

Footnotes

1. John 4:29 e. the Messiah

Commentary

During this passage, we are still at the scene of the well in Samaria, where Jesus has been speaking with the Samaritan woman. Since the last post was a little long, I thought I would take a moment here to further expand upon the site of Jacob’s Well. Scholars believe that the NT town Sychar is the OT Shechem, which Jacob had purchased in Canaanite territory. “Today [the well] is [about] seventy-five feet deep, but it has probably been filled with much debris over the years since it was dug. There are hardly any sites that have less doubt as to their authenticity than the site of Jacob’s Well. All traditions agree on this as being the scene described in John 4, and with this the Biblical details fit perfectly. Through the centuries, churches have been built over the well, as various medieval pilgrims have recorded. Today the well is in a cave, or crypt, under the floor of a Greek Orthodox church, that has never been finished above the exterior walls” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 3 pg. 388).

As the disciples return to the well, where they had left Jesus when they went into town, they are surprised to see Him talking to someone. Because of all the cultural divides we discussed in the last study, I almost missed the reason the disciples were shocked in verse 27. They were amazed He had been speaking with a woman. As I was researching this passage, I learned it was considered “disreputable and beneath his dignity for a rabbi to speak to a woman in public” (Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1868). While they may have been surprised to see Him conversing with a Samaritan, that wonder paled in comparison with their astonishment over seeing Him talk to a woman in public. This counter-cultural respect and inclusiveness of women and societal outcasts played a major role in the success of Jesus’ ministry, facilitating His ability to reach people quickly and personally.

In the next verse, we find the woman going specifically to the men of her town, to tell them about Jesus. This may be a peek into a clannish Samaritan culture, where women lacked the authority to make substantive decisions, even for themselves, as evidenced by her question to the men, “this is not the Christ, is it?” Even though Jesus had already told her He was the Messiah, and she appears to have believed it (otherwise, she probably would not have left her precious water pot, unless she trusted Him and had plans to return), she doesn’t run to the men claiming to have met the Messiah. She has to give them evidence and let them make the decision about who He is (The Word in Life Study Bible pg. 1870).

While the Samaritan men are approaching, the disciples urgently implore Jesus to eat while He still has time. Jesus, looking forward to teaching the approaching crowd, declines the food and says to them that His hunger is sated by doing the will of the Father and completing His work. While Jesus is reaping what the Father sowed, He encourages the disciples to look up and see the approaching crowd as a field white for harvest, the seeds of which have been sown by Christ before them (Nelson KJV Bible Commentary pg. 1305).

The metaphor of a harvest does not merely convey the chore of gathering a crop; in the agrarian society of the day, to harvest was to eat, not only immediately, but throughout the year until the next harvest. “The Joy in harvest was a highlight of the year (Isa 9:3)” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol 3 pg. 36). The disciples were to see this as a joyful time in doing work that would sustain them through the challenges of ministry and into their eternal life in the presence of God. As with the Samaritan woman, Jesus creates a metaphor of something truly necessary to human life, such as water or food, and impresses upon His audience that spiritual matters are of even higher importance.

Scripture References

Verse 27

Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those following Him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

John 4:8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

Verse 29

Matthew 12:23 The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?”

John 4:17 “I have no husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said to her, “You are correct to say that you have no husband.

John 4:39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

John 7:26 Yet here He is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying anything to Him. Have the rulers truly recognized that this is the Christ?

John 7:31 Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him and said, “When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”

Verse 30

John 4:39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

Verse 31

Matthew 23:7 the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.

Matthew 23:8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.

Matthew 26:25 Then Judas, who would betray Him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said it yourself.”

Matthew 26:49 Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed Him.

Mark 9:5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Mark 11:21 Peter remembered it and said, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree You cursed has withered.”

Mark 14:45 Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

John 1:38 Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”

John 1:49 “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

John 3:2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.”

John 3:26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about–He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”

John 6:25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

John 9:2 and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

John 11:8 “Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”

Verse 33

Luke 6:13 When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:

John 1:40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus.

John 2:2 and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

Verse 34

Psalm 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

Matthew 3:15 “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.

Luke 2:49 “Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”

John 5:30 I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 5:36 But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish–the very works I am doing–testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.

John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

John 8:29 He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”

John 17:4 I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.

John 19:28 After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

John 19:30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.

Verse 35

Isaiah 49:18 Lift up your eyes and look around. They all gather together; they come to you. As surely as I live, declares the LORD, you will wear them all as jewelry and put them on like a bride.

Matthew 9:37 Then He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Matthew 9:38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”

Luke 10:2 And He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.

Verse 36

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”

John 5:24 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.

Romans 1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

Romans 2:7 To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 9:17 If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.

1 Corinthians 9:18 What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it.

Verse 37

Job 31:8 then may another eat what I have sown, and my crops be uprooted.

Micah 6:15 You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine.

John 14:12 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Verse 38

John 4:39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

John 17:18 As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world.

2 Corinthians 10:15 Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that, as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well,

Commentary

Isa 9:3 You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.