The Gospel for April 30, 2004
Matthew 4:12-17
Hearing that John had been arrested he withdrew to Galilee, and leaving Nazara he went and settled in Capernaum, beside the lake, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea beyond Jordan. Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow dark as death a light has dawned. From then onwards Jesus began his proclamation with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.’
A Study
Matthew's author is fond of finding prophecies in the Hebrew Bible that match what happened in Jesus' walk on earth. Here, as William Barclay says, is a prophecy from Isaiah which the author "tears violently from its context and uses in his own extraordinary way." Isaiah's prophecy spoke of the deliverance of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, in the reign of Pekah, from the Assyrians.
Why Galilee? Of all Palestine, it was the most fertile -- and hence the most densely populated -- and it was the most cosmopolitan. The two Jewish exiles in the 500 years before Jesus came had fairly well washed the land of any racial purity it had ever had. It is even doubtful that the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, and Zebulun (Joshua 9) when Canaan was given to the Chosen People. But they were not very good at racial cleansing and Jewish purity was never well established. Moreover, it was surrounded on all sides by non-Jewish districts: the Syrians, the Phoenecians, the Samaritans, and the lake enclosed it.
Galilee also had a reputation for being open to new ideas.
According to Matthew's author, Jesus picked up John Baptist's message and began to preach it. "Preach" (Greek kerusssein) is a translation better done in the Jerusalem Bible, but still misses the mark if a translator stays approximately within the rhythm and word count of the original. Kerussein is a proclamation from the king, given by a herald, who is an authorized "mouthpiece" for the king, who speaks with certainty and authority. Compare this preaching to the discourses in the synagogue, with Pharisees' constant reference to the scribes who had gone before, but left those remaining with his scholarly interpretation of Torah.
A Reflection
Few things make public figures seem to be more offended than when they have their words taken out of their original context. During an election period, it would be impossible to remove the phrase "out of context" from the language. Politicians would be mute half the time.
Those who have actually read the Bible are similarly awakened from any peace when they hear verses ripped from their context and used as proof texts. [Un]fortunately for those doing the ripping, the Biblical illiteracy of many (most?) people allows the rippers to do it with impunity. But, some jokingly might say that, "if it worked for Matthew, it's good enough for my pulpit."
It is easy to see why some thought that Jesus was only a prophet. He suddenly appeared in Capernaum, preaching John's message, but without John's qualifying "there comes one whose sandal I am not fit to untie." Jesus appeared to be the real deal. Those who were looking for the next revolutionary leader, including the Jews in this mishmash of population in Galilee, awaiting the Messiah, had found their man.
This is the kind of ambiguity we face every day. Things are never what they seem, and we want to see the hand of God in what happens. In this case, we are agreed that the hand of God had set in motion a radical change-agent. How far we are willing to let that agent go in changing us is, of course, a matter of personal volition.
Jesus, open my heart and pour into it.
7:09:05 AM 
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