Mateus 4

Mateus 4

Trapp adds "“Here He dwelt in a house, either let or lent him; for of His own He had not where to rest His head (Mt 8:20). Here He paid tribute as an inhabitant; and here He resorted and retired when He was tired.” (Trapp) Settled (resided) (2730)(katoikeo from kata intensifies verb oikeo = dwell, reside in) means literally to settle down in a place so to take up residence or even permanent abode. To live or dwell in a place in an established or settled manner. The same verb katoikeo describes Joseph returning with his family from Egypt "and lived in a city called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Mt 2:23+) Click to Enlarge for Labels In Capernaum, which is by the sea - In the aerial view of the ruins of Capernaum, you can see that the city is situated directly by the sea of Galilee. Capernaum (Kfar = village + Nahum = "Nahum's Village) was a city of Galilee (Lk 4:31+), in the tetrarchy of Herod Antipas on the border of his brother Philip’s domain. (map of Jesus' Ministry in Galilee) and was 680 feet below sea level (cf Nazareth at 1200 ft above sea level so Nazareth to Capernaum is "straight downhill" so to speak - which explains Luke's verb that they "came down to Capernaum" Lk 4:31+), located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee and began Jesus' "headquarters" during His Galilean ministry. Capernaum was the largest city on the lake (NICNT says up to 10,000 population) because it was located about two miles west of the Jordan River and was a crossroads of a major trade route between Damascus then along the Mediterranean coast and down to Egypt. Other places in Galilee and surrounding areas were easily accessible, either from the nearby road going from Damascus to the Mediterranean, or by boat on the lake itself. Capernaum was about twenty-five miles from Nazareth and ten miles from Tiberias, an important city not mentioned in the New Testament. The Romans had a famous spa at Tiberias and hot baths attracted many sick people. From Isaiah’s day on, many foreigners had lived in Galilee; in the first century more than half the population was Gentile. It had a customs tax office because of its thriving fishing industry and a Roman garrison because it was a potential area of crime because there was so much action, so much trade, so much travel traffic. Capernaum was the base of the fishermen Peter, Andrew, James, and John the fishermen as well as Matthew the tax collector (Mt 8:14+; Mt 9:9). Collins Dictionary note is interesting referring to Capernaum as "a ruined town in northern Israel (Ed: Compare Jesus' words to this city - Mt 11:23, 24), on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee." Capernaum is no longer a city and in Lk 10:15+ Jesus warned the city that because it had rejected the Light (Jesus actually lived there), "you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades!" Dear reader, if you have not received Jesus as Savior, then you too will be like Capernaum for you have rejected the Light of the world (Jn 8:12), just as most of the inhabitants in that ancient city did! (read 2 Cor 6:2, Acts 16:31+, Ro 10:9-10+). In the region of Zebulun and Naphtali - see map above. Chamblin - Naphtali’s territory lay along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee and extended northward; Zebulun’s lay west and southwest of Naphtali. ‘The way of the sea’ denotes land lying between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean. (Mentor Commentary - Matthew) Related Resources: map of the setting of Luke map of Jesus' Ministry in Galilee. map of ministry around the Sea of Galilee map of Jesus' Ministry in John Other Maps related to Galilee - map, map What is the significance of Galilee in the Bible? Who were the Galileans in the Bible? Matthew 4:14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: This was to fulfill: Mt 1:22 2:15,23 Mt 8:17 12:17-21 26:54,56 Lu 22:37 24:44 Joh 15:25 Joh 19:28,36,37 what was spoken through Isaiah: Isa 9:1,2 Matthew 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ISAIAH'S PROPHECY FULFILLED Beloved, every fulfilled prophecy ought to be another truth undergirding and strengthening our faith in our God as One Who is worthy of our complete trust and Who will fulfill everything prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled. We can count on His Word of Truth! This reminds me of the aged Joshua's last words (last words are always lasting words!) "“Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed." (Joshua 23:14, cf Ro 10:17+) This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet (cf similar statement in Mt 8:17+) - In Greek the first word is hina, which is used to express result or purpose and means "in order that." Isaiah 8 contains a prophecy of coming judgment, but in Isaiah 9 God promised to deliver His people through a child who would be born, whose name would be "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:6). This reference the Messianic prophecy fulfilled by Jesus is not found in either Mark's or Luke's parallel passages. Jesus' move to Galilee was fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 9 and it signals a salvation not just to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. In short, Jesus is showing He is the Savior of all men, for as Mark 10:45 said “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (MANY JEWS AND MANY GENTILES)." But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali (LOCATED IN GALILEE - SEE LOCATION ON MAP) with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light (John 1:4, 5, 9+, Jn 8:12+, Jn 12:46+); Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. (Isaiah 9:1-2+) John Walvoord commenting on Isaiah 9:1-7 writes - These prophecies, as interpreted in their normal literal sense, predicted fulfillment of the expectation of a kingdom on earth after the second coming of Christ in keeping with the premillennial interpretation of Scripture. There was nothing in this passage that corresponded to the present reign of Christ on earth or the present position of Christ in heaven, the interpretation of amillenarians. In this passage, as in many passages in the Old Testament, the first and second coming of Christ were not distinguished and the Child who was born (Isa 9:6) in Bethlehem in His first coming will be the same Person described as the Everlasting King who will reign forever (Isa 9:7). The theme of the future kingdom of Christ on earth was a familiar subject of the prophecies of Isaiah (Isaiah 11:4; Isa 16:5; Isa 28:5-6, 17; Isa 32:16; Isa 33:5; Isa 42:1, 3-4; Isa 51:5). (Every Prophecy of the Bible) Matthew 4:15 "THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES-- Galilee: Jos 20:7 21:32 1Ki 9:11 2Ki 15:29 Matthew 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ZEBULUN AND NAPHTALI THE LAND OF ZEBULUN - Zebulun was the sixth son of Jacob and Leah; the name means “dwelling” (cf. Gen. 30:20). Part of what would later be called Galilee was apportioned to the tribe of Zebulun after the conquest of the promised land (cf. Josh. 19:10; 19:16, 27; 21:34; Jdgs 1:30). What divine irony, the region of Israel's first national defeat in 722 BC by the Assyrians, would now be the region of the presentation of her Great Deliverer! AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI - Naphtali was the second son of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid; the name means “wrestling” (cf. Ge. 30:8; 35:25). The tribe of Naphtali also settled in the north (cf. Dt. 33:23; 34:2; Josh. 19:32; 20:7). BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN - Blomberg says that "The phrases “way to the sea” and “along the Jordan” (literally, beyond the Jordan) probably reflect the perspective of foreigners from the northeast heading through Israel to the Mediterranean (as with the Assyrians’ invasion that Isaiah consistently predicted)" (NAC)