When he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” 17 From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
After Jesus’ temptations (see events Jn. 2:1-3:36) he went to Samaria (Jn. 4:3) Cana (Jn, 4:46), and then back to Nazareth (Lk. 4:16 ff). After being rejected in the town where he grew up, Jesus moved to the busy town of Capernaum in Galilee (Lk. 4:31) after John the Baptist was imprisoned (Mt. 14:3-12). John had said, “He must increase; I must decrease (Jn. 3:30).” This move happened months after Jesus’ temptations. From Capernaum Jesus could easily move freely to other neighboring territories if necessary because his mission was just beginning and being arrested at that time was not God’s plan.
Matthew believed that Isaiah’s prophesy of the light rising upon Zebulun and Naphtali (Is. 8:22-9:1) was fulfilled in Jesus’ move to Capernaum. For Matthew, this was the advent of the Messianic age. Galilee of the Gentiles was the non-Jewish district of Western Galilee. Galilee was the first region to hear Jesus’ preaching about the Kingdom of Heaven. The people who sat in darkness were both Jews and Gentiles. The people were suffering, and Jesus had come to preach the good news of the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven which is the light that will lead the lost and the suffering out of the darkness. Jesus ushered in the Messianic age using the same words as JBap, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Mt. 3:2). The Messianic age that Isaiah prophesied about was being fulfilled.
Almighty God, the doors to your kingdom were opened to fallen mankind by the obedience and willing sacrifice of your Son. Grant that we may be sanctified by our obedience and be made worthy to receive eternal life. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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