Another Walk with Jesus
week 10
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It has been said by an ancient writer that even though God created the seven seas, that God has chosen for himself the Sea of Galilee, as His special delight.
It has been said by an ancient writer that even though God created the seven seas, that God has chosen for himself the Sea of Galilee, as His special delight.
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Matthew’s Gospel calls this body of water the Sea of Galilee. John in his precious Gospel calls it the Sea of Tiberias. In Luke’s Gospel, and Luke has travelled widely, he calls it a lake - not a sea - the Lake of Gennesaret. The ‘lake’ is shaped like a harp. King David played the harp - and God liked David’s heart. The Lake is about 700 feet below sea level, is 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. It is fed by the waters of the upper River Jordan. It was in the Jordan River that Jesus came to be baptized by John the Baptist. Our Gospel reading begins again with John the Baptist. This is the year of Matthew’s Gospel, however, we have begun this year with referring to John the Baptist on many occasions. On his occasion, today’s Gospel fleetingly mentions that John has been arrested. It is not until the 14th chapter of Matthew (14:1-12) do we hear ‘the rest of the story’.
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The Gospel today also fleetingly mentions that Jesus left Nazareth. Matthew doesn’t give us anything but the bare bones. Luke informs us that the reason Jesus left Nazareth was because when he preached in his home town synagogue, the people there, his friends & neighbours, ran him out of town. (Luke 4:14-30).
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Having left Nazareth, Jesus went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. Here Matthew finds an Old Testament verse of scripture from Isaiah to suit his need. Now we must pass over this as it is too complicated to explain here in these few lines - suffice to say that the land of Zebulun and Naphtali has great significance for the Jewish reader of Matthew’s Gospel and Jesus would spend a large part of his ministry in and around ‘the land of Zebulun and Naphtali’ which encompassed the area of Galilee
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We must note however, that not only did Jesus ‘move’ to Capernaum, he also appears to have taken up residence in Peter’s house, which would serve as the base of operations for his ministry in and around the Sea of Galilee.
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Now Matthew’s quote from Isaiah is very fascinating indeed. He alludes to ‘Galilee of the Gentiles’. From the Jewish perspective it was a region that was in ‘darkness’ and ‘the land of the shadow of death’. Perhaps it was because it was far removed from the religious influences of Jerusalem and because large numbers of Gentiles ( non-Jews) lived there. We are told by the historian Josephus "that there were 204 villages, none with a population of fewer than 15,000 people. It was a prosperous and densely populated area and what better place for Jesus to begin to preach to the people. Jesus went to where the people were at - and they came flocking to hear Him.
M. Matthew 4
Matthew’s Gospel calls this body of water the Sea of Galilee. John in his precious Gospel calls it the Sea of Tiberias. In Luke’s Gospel, and Luke has travelled widely, he calls it a lake - not a sea - the Lake of Gennesaret. The ‘lake’ is shaped like a harp. King David played the harp - and God liked David’s heart. The Lake is about 700 feet below sea level, is 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. It is fed by the waters of the upper River Jordan. It was in the Jordan River that Jesus came to be baptized by John the Baptist. Our Gospel reading begins again with John the Baptist. This is the year of Matthew’s Gospel, however, we have begun this year with referring to John the Baptist on many occasions. On his occasion, today’s Gospel fleetingly mentions that John has been arrested. It is not until the 14th chapter of Matthew (14:1-12) do we hear ‘the rest of the story’.
.
The Gospel today also fleetingly mentions that Jesus left Nazareth. Matthew doesn’t give us anything but the bare bones. Luke informs us that the reason Jesus left Nazareth was because when he preached in his home town synagogue, the people there, his friends & neighbours, ran him out of town. (Luke 4:14-30).
.
Having left Nazareth, Jesus went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. Here Matthew finds an Old Testament verse of scripture from Isaiah to suit his need. Now we must pass over this as it is too complicated to explain here in these few lines - suffice to say that the land of Zebulun and Naphtali has great significance for the Jewish reader of Matthew’s Gospel and Jesus would spend a large part of his ministry in and around ‘the land of Zebulun and Naphtali’ which encompassed the area of Galilee
.
We must note however, that not only did Jesus ‘move’ to Capernaum, he also appears to have taken up residence in Peter’s house, which would serve as the base of operations for his ministry in and around the Sea of Galilee.
.
Now Matthew’s quote from Isaiah is very fascinating indeed. He alludes to ‘Galilee of the Gentiles’. From the Jewish perspective it was a region that was in ‘darkness’ and ‘the land of the shadow of death’. Perhaps it was because it was far removed from the religious influences of Jerusalem and because large numbers of Gentiles ( non-Jews) lived there. We are told by the historian Josephus "that there were 204 villages, none with a population of fewer than 15,000 people. It was a prosperous and densely populated area and what better place for Jesus to begin to preach to the people. Jesus went to where the people were at - and they came flocking to hear Him.
M. Matthew 4
Jesus Begins His ministry in and around Galilee.
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T. Matthew 11
T. Matthew 11
The Evangelical Triangle - Korozin, Bethsaida, Capernaum.
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W. Mark 8:22-26
W. Mark 8:22-26
Blind man healed at Bethsaida
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T. Matthew 17:22-27
T. Matthew 17:22-27
Fishy Goings on in Capernaum
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F. Matthew 15
F. Matthew 15
The pagans of Tyre & Sidon Receive Jesus’ Ministry
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