Morning – Psalm
31, 2 Sam. 16:5-19, 2 Cor 5:11
Evening – Psalm
29, 30, Mt4:12
Commentary,
Matthew 4:12-25
John had
committed no crime. He simply preached a
message of hope in God. He simply wanted
people to enjoy the privileges and blessings of the new era of the Kingdom of God . Many followed John, outwardly. Most were unmoved inwardly. Ultimately, his message was soundly rejected
by his people, and he, like his Master, was arrested and murdered by the
corrupt leaders of church and state. Yet
his passing worked to the glory of God, for as John himself had said, “He must
increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30).
Our Lord now
returns to Galilee , where the great majority
of His time and teaching are spent. Note
again how Matthew relates this to fulfilled prophecy. Quoting Isaiah 9:1-2, he shows that the Light
seen in Galilee is Christ, the Light of men
(Jn.1:4). The journey took Christ from Bethany , near Jerusalem , to
Nazareth , about seventy miles north if He
traveled through Samaria . From Nazareth
he walked to Capernaum on the northwest shore of
the Sea of Galilee , about twenty miles. It was in Capernaum that He began His ministry.
His message was
strikingly similar to John’s. “Repent:
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 4:17). Jesus is telling people the time of
fulfillment is upon them. The Old
Testament prophecies and promises regarding the Messiah and His Kingdom are in
the process of being fulfilled right before their eyes. The era of Promise is over. The Era of the Kingdom is now. The Light is come.