The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

 The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

MK 1:14-15 (NRSV)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee

MT 4:11-17 (NRSV)

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

    “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,

    On the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the

        Gentiles —

    The people who sat in darkness

        have see a great light,

    and for those who sat in the region and shadow of deaths

        Light has dawned”

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

LK 4:14-15 (NRSV)

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

Jesus Returns to Galilee

John 2:43-45 (NRSV)

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

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(1) In the Synoptic Gospels this pericope The Proclamation of John the Baptist, The Baptism of Jesus and the Temptation of Jesus. In GJohn it occurs early like the Synoptics but in John. Jesus has already called his first disciples, turned water into wine at The Wedding at Cana, gone to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem, Cleansed the Temple (a pericope that inspires the passion narratives in the Synoptics), Visited with Nicodemus, John the Baptist (before he was arrested) reassures his disciples that it is OK that Jesus and his disciples baptizes more people than John, talked with the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob and stayed with Samarians for two days (the two days mentioned in the pericope above).

(2) GMark and GMatt share the following

(a) Both mention that John the Baptist has been arrested.

(b) Both call for repentance and state that the kingdom of God (GMark)/heaven (GMatt) are near.

(3) GMark is unique in proclaiming directly it is “good news”

(4) GMatt is unique in stating that Jesus moved from Nazareth (in the land of Zebulon) and made Capernaum (in the land of Naphtali) his home. He did this in order to fulfill a prophesy from Isaiah. The verses GMatt quote come from Is 9:1-2. Here is Isaiah 9:1-7 (NRSV) for the entire context:

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

    The people who walk in darkness

        have seen a great light;

    those who lived in a land of deep darkness —

        on them light has shined.

    You have multiplied the nation,

        you have increased its joy;

    they rejoice before you

        as with joy at the harvest,

        as people exult when dividing plunder.

    For the yoke of their burden,

        and the bar across their shoulders,

        the rod of their oppressor,

        You have broken as on the day of Midian.

    For all the boots of the tramping warriors

        and all the garments rolled in blood

        shall be burned for the fire.

    For a child has been born for us,

        a son given to us;

    authority rests upon his shoulders

        and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

        Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

    His authority shall grow continually,

        And there shall bee endless peace

    for the throne of David and his kingdom.

        He will establish and uphold it

    with justice and with righteousness

        From this time onward and forevermore.

    The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

GMatt knows Isaiah well. And he sees Isaiah as heralding the Messiah. He wants to show that Jesus is fulfilling this prophecy and it certainly seems like it is an obvious reference to Jesus. But is this the message Isaiah’s audience would have gotten?

Isaiah is actually a compilation of writings by at least 3 different authors. Porto-Isaiah wrote chapters 1 through 39 so this is part of Proto-Isaiah’s work. Proto-Isaiah wrote in the Southern Kingdom (Judah as opposed to Israel) right before Israel falls to the Sumerians in 722 BCE; 718 years or so before Jesus is born. It is unlikely Isaiah’s audience would see this as a reference to him. What would they think? To understand that the verses have to be put into historical context.

This is a tough time for that Judah, they are a tiny kingdom under huge pressure from the dominant civilization in the area at the time … Assyria. In order to survive Israel has made an alliance with Damascus. That alliance could easily subdue Judah. This problem would be foremost on the people’s mind.

A couple of chapters prior to this Isaiah has already prophecized that the Lord will give them a sign that he will help Judah out. That verse is the famous Isaiah 7:14 given here in the NRSV translation:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” 

The birth narrative in GMatt quotes this verse as a prophecy for Jesus. GMatt had the Septuagint (LXX; a Greek translation of the Hebrew bible) as its source of scripture. The Hebrew Bible was written in Hebrew. The Septuagint translated the Hebrew word “bethulah” as “virgin”, but it is more properly translated as “young woman”. So GMatt had thought the verse said “ … the virgin is with child and shall bear a son,” So he viewed this as the quintessential prophecy for Jesus; as have Christians for centuries. But it suffers from the same problem as does the verses from Isaiah GMatt quotes from in this pericope. Isaiah 7:14 is NOT a prophecy about Jesus … for one thing at no point other than the GMatt’s reference to the verse in Isaiah is Jesus actually ever called Immanuel (which means “God is with us”). Isaiah gives us big hints on who Immanuel exactly was in the next chapter:

IS 8:1-10 (NRSV)

Then the LORD said to me [Isaiah], Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters, “Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz,” and have it attested for me by reliable witnesses, the priest Uriah and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah. And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. The the LORD said to me, Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz; for before the child knows how to call “My father” or “My mother,” the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.

The LORD spoke to me again: Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and melt in fear before Rezin the son of Remaliah; therefore, the Lord is bringing up against it the mighty flood waters of the River, the king of Assyria and all his glory; it will rise above all its channels and overflow all its banks; it will sweep into Judah as a flood, and pouring over, it will reach up the neck; and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.

    Band together, you peoples, and be dismayed;

        listen, all you far countries;

    gird yourselves and be dismayed;

        gird yourselves and be dismayed!

    Take counsel together, but it shall be brought to naught;

        speak a word, but it will not stand.

        for God is with us. [Emphasis added]

Immanuel was Isaiah’s own son, who he had with the prophetess. He has another name as well … Maher-shall-hash-bad (which means “Swift to the spoils, speedy to the plunder” in Hebrew). The baby was God’s sign that Assyria would sweep into Judah but it will all come to naught. They will not stand, because “God is with us” (i.e. Immanuel).

The section of Isaiah that GMatt references in this pericope is pretty much more of the same. The lands of  Zebulun and Naphtali are areas of the Northern Kingdom (Israel), not to Jesus moving from Nazareth to Capernaum. The child that “has been form for us, a son given to us” refers o Isaiah’s son Immanuel/Maher-shalal-hash-baz. It is he, not Jesus, who is the “Wonderful Counselor”/“Prince of Peace”.

As one would expect, a prophet prophesizes to his own people … not to people that will come 700 years after his death.

(5) GLuke is interesting. There is no parallel in words to that of GMark or GMatt, but it occurs in the exact same place and deals with the same subject matter as GMark and GMatt. In GLuke Jesus “returns” to Galilee; in GMark Jesus “came” to Galilee; and in GMatt Jesus “withdrew” to Galilee. In GLuke Jesus is “filled with the power of the Spirit”; reports about him spread through the countryside; he teaches in their synagogues and everyone praises him. None of this is mentioned in GMark or GMatt.