The Ministry of the King

Thoughts from Matthew 4

What does it mean to be like Jesus?

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

How can we be imitators of Jesus Christ?

Matthew 4 tells the beginning of Jesus Christ‘s ministry on earth. He had been waiting for 30 years, until he learned that John was baptizing in the Jordan River. He then came to be baptized, launching His three and a half year ministry (see here). In a dramatic showing, the Holy Spirit descended on him after His baptism and God the Father audibly accepted Jesus as His son.

Jesus was then taken immediately by the Holy Spirit after His baptism. He was brought to the wilderness where, after an extended fast, He was severely tempted by the devil (see here). Jesus started his ministry with a challenge from the enemy.

Now, almost a year has passed. John’s Gospel accounts tells us about this year that followed the temptation, when Jesus had stayed in the south country of Judea, gathering disciples (see John 1-4) . It was there that He met Andrew, Peter, John, Phillip, and the Nathanael (see here). It was also during this time that He threw out the corrupt businessmen from the temple (see here), and shortly afterward had a lengthy discussion with one of the top teachers of Israel, Nicodemus (see here).

Jesus also had taken a brief visit to Galilee during that year. John’s gospel account tells of how He came up to Cana for a wedding feast, and where he performed His first miracle (see here). It was also during this visit to Galilee that Jesus relocated his family from his hometown of Nazareth to the town of Capernaum, by the sea of Galilee (John 2:12).

It was about a year since Jesus‘ baptism when John the Baptist was arrested by Herod Antipas. John had been preaching in the North (Galilee) while Jesus was was in the South (Judea, John 3:22-24). Yet, when Jesus heard the news that John was arrested he knew that the time has come for him to head north. The opposition was mounting against Him and the time was growing short.

Jesus’ message was the same as John – repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The king was here, and He was getting ready to set up his kingdom. It was now time to prepare yourself for the kingdom, starting with getting right with God!

He also gathered followers as he went through Galilee. He had already known Peter, Andrew, James, and John from His time in Judea, but he now called them to leave their professions and follow him, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. When they heard Him, they left their fishing and immediately followed Him.

Many pastors have preached on this passage, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men“. It is a well-known quote from the gospels and it is often applied toward missions or evangelism. I have heard one popular pastor use this passage as a launching point to explain why we need to strategize and determine how to reach the world with the gospel. This is a good sentiment and is true to Scripture. However, that is not what Jesus is saying here. He gave a command and the promise. The promise is that Jesus will do the making. He will make us into fishers of men. It is not a job that we take on upon ourselves.

What is our job? Our job is to follow Him. That was Jesus’ command to Peter, to the other disciples, and therefore to all of us who believe in Him. We are to follow Him! The last scene in the four gospels is when Jesus appeared again, to Peter, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had risen from the dead and had come to restore and commission His broken disciples. His final message to Peter was the same as at the beginning, “Follow me!“ (See here).

What does it mean to follow Jesus Christ? Just like the disciples of old, we spend our time with Him, and hang out with Him. Jesus Christ consumes our thoughts and our focus. He becomes our role model.

We cannot imitate Jesus’ every action on earth, so that cannot be what it means to follow him. We cannot heal the sick like Jesus did. We cannot raise the dead. We better not say that we are God, and I trust that we will never have the opportunity to be crucified!

But this passage in Matthew shows us how we are to follow Jesus Christ. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit as he went to his temptation (Luke 4:1). Luke again highlights the fact that Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee (Luke 4:14). This is the key to Jesus‘ ministry, and this is how we are to follow him. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit in the same way that Jesus did. He is to direct our every move, so that we work through His power.

It is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus began His ministry in Galilee:

 

He was a light in the darkness

John was in prison but the need was as great as ever. This land of Galilee was historically dark because the people of that region had turned away from God, and were terribly abused by conquering nations. Isaiah predicted that “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:1-2). The persecuted, wicked people of Galilee would have the first light of the Messiah — He would bring them truth and life.

Isaiah lived over 700 years before Jesus Christ. But the people was just as dark in the time of Jesus. The people were consumed by their self-seeking ways and needed to turn back to God.

We also need to be a light to the darkness. Matthew says that Jesus went out preaching the good news about the kingdom. Our message about the kingdom may be different from Jesus (we are not the king, nor are we preaching the message of an imminent physical kingdom), but we need to be a light in darkness, bringing the good news about Jesus Christ to those who do not know Him.

 

He called others to follow Him

Jesus called his disciples to come and follow Him. He promised that He would make them fishers of men.

We need to call others to Jesus, but we also need to remember that we are fishers of men. The first four disciples — Andrew, Peter, James, and John — all lived different lives and had radically different ministries, yet God uses each of them to being people to Him.

We need to follow Him. He does the transforming.

“Jesus never commanded the disciples to catch fish. He commanded them to follow him and He would make them fishermen.” – Stephen Davey ⁶

 

He taught, preached, and healed

Jesus went throughout the land of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the message of the kingdom, and healing many. His fame became so great that people from the surrounding areas all came to see Him. Even the people from Judea, whom He had left to return to Galilee, followed Him north!

We will not have a ministry like Jesus, but this example shows what can happen when we are led by the Holy Spirit. God will more than fill up what we leave behind!

 

As a final thought, it would be good to remember what happened to the first four fishers of men. Jesus had called each of them, and promised that He would use them.

Andrew is the most noted for bringing others to meet Jesus. He first brought his brother Peter to see Him (John 1:40-41, see here). Andrew was the one to bring the boy to Jesus when He fed the 5,000 (John 6:8-9, see here), and the Greeks went through Andrew when they wanted to see Jesus in Jerusalem (John 12:20-22, see here). Church tradition holds that Andrew traveled north to preach the gospel in what is now eastern Europe and Russia.

Peter was typical example that we think of when we hear of the term, “fisher of men”. We see him leading the church in Acts, and preaching to thousands (Acts 2:38-41). Jesus predicted that Peter would die a martyr’s death and tradition says that he was crucified upside-down by the Romans.

James was always known in the gospels as accompanying his brother John, through the good and the bad. James was the first Apostle to be killed, being murdered by Herod Agrippa I in Acts 12:1-2.

John was the disciple who lived the longest. He referred to himself in the fourth gospel as “The disciples whom Jesus loved” (e.g. John 13:23). His only claim to fame was that Jesus chose to love him. John was the writer of five books of the New Testament, including the fourth gospel and the final book of the Bible, Revelation.

These were four disciples with for different lives and four different ministries. Jesus does not tell us how we will become fishers of men, he only says that we are to follow him.

Follow him!

 

Previous post:  The Temptation of the King

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Matthew 4:12-25
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

 

Mark 1:14-20
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

 

Luke 4:14-15
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

 

John 4:1-3
Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee.

 

John 4:45
So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

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Matthew 4:12
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.

Mark 1:14
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,

Luke 4:14a
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee,

John 4:1-3
Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee.

John 4:45
So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

About a year had elapsed since Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11, see here). Matthew, Mark, and Luke all write about Jesus’ return to Galilee immediately after the temptation, and it would be easy to assume that these events occurred in rapid sequence. Only John’s gospel account tells about the events in between. Jesus had a great Judean ministry, where he gathered many disciples (John 1:19-3:36) while John the Baptist’s ministry began to wane (John 3:22-36, see here).

The period of time covered in this section was likely from June/July of the year 30 AD., and covered through the feast of the Jews described in John 5, likely in September/October of that year. Therefore, the events in the passage covered about four (4) months. ⁴

Matthew and John’s accounts give two reasons for Jesus leaving Judea and returning to Galilee. John’s account says that Jesus left Judea after learning that the Pharisees considered Him a greater influence than John. Matthew’s account says that Jesus withdrew to Galilee when He heard that John had been arrested. Is this a contradiction? How do we reconcile these accounts? What were Jesus’ reasons for moving His ministry to Galilee?

It appears that both of these events happened in a short time: John was arrested and the Pharisees realized that Jesus’ ministry had eclipsed John’s ministry. Both of these events factored into Jesus’ plans to move north.

Matthew’s account focuses on the Galilean ministry, and emphasizes why Jesus came to Galilee. John had been arrested by Herod Antipas (Luke 3:19-20), and so his ministry had come to an end. Jesus could not have been motivated out of fear of Herod, because Herod was the ruler over Galilee. John’s ministry was mostly in the North (John 3:22-24, see here) while Jesus was in the South. Jesus appears to have been keeping his distance from John in order to avoid competition between their ministries. But the need was the greatest in Galilee, so without John, Jesus came north to fill that need. ²The herald had done his part, and now it was time for the King. ¹

John’s account focuses on the Judean ministry, and emphasizes why Jesus left Judea. The Pharisees heard that Jesus’ growing ministry was eclipsing John the Baptist, and so it was time to leave. This may have been to avoid direct confrontation with the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem (although the temple leaders were Sadducees, not Pharisees; see here), ³ or it may have been an indicator that the time had come to go north. Jesus saw the rising opposition and realized that His time was short.

It is important to note that both Matthew and John speak of Jesus acting on what He heard and what He learned. This shows an example of Jesus limiting His omniscience. He needed to learn this information.

Jesus’ fame preceded Him into Galilee and he was already able to attract large crowds.

 

Matthew 4:13-16
And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”

Jesus came initially to His hometown of Nazareth, but then moved to Capernaum.

Luke 4:16-30 tells about Jesus teaching in Nazareth, where he was rejected and almost murdered. If this visit to Nazareth happened shortly after His return to Galilee (i.e. between Matthew 4:12 and Matthew 4:13), then it explains one of the reason for leaving Nazareth and moving to Capernaum.

It also appears that Jesus had already intended to set up His base in Capernaum. Many of His disciples were from Capernaum (at least Andrew, Peter, James, John, and Matthew; Matthew 9:9), and Jesus may have relocated His family there in an earlier visit (see John 2:12).

But Jesus’ move to Capernaum also fulfilled prophecy. Capernaum was in the tribal lands of Zebulun and Naphtali (Joshua 19:10-16, Joshua 19:32-39). Isaiah included this part of Galilee in his prophecy on the Messiah (Isaiah 9:1-2). Isaiah’s immediate context was about the oppressed people of the northern tribes of Israel. They were in darkness because they had left worship of God, and they were severely abused by conquering nations, especially Assyria. Isaiah promised light and peace and justice under the rule of the Messiah (Isaiah 9:1-7).

The term, “Galilee of the Gentiles”, shows that even in ancient times, this land was populated with a mix of both Jews and Gentiles. In the times of Jesus, this led the racially “pure” Jews to the south to despise the mixed population in Galilee. ⁵

What is the “light”? This is the first metaphor used in this passage, contrasting darkness and light. The “darkness” represents the wickedness of mankind when the are separated from God. It shows both the ignorance of God as well as the willful disobedience to Him, followed by God’s judgement. By contrast, the “light” is the presence of God, chasing away the darkness. It brings purity and knowledge of God, and the right to be sons of God. One of the best descriptions in scripture of the light is the prologue of John in John 1:4-12(see also here).

The light of the Messiah will shine in the darkness!

 

Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Mark 1:15
and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus preached the same message as John the Baptist, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1, see here). This is the same kingdom that was preached by John.

“Christ is presented as taking up the message of His Forerunner, only with wider sweep, since, instead of adding to His announcement of the Kingdom of Heaven and call to repentance that to a Baptism of preparation, He called those who heard Him to ‘believe the Gospel’ which He brought them” – Edersheim ⁴

“The King Himself now announces the nearness of the earthly kingdom. The subjects are to prepare themselves spiritually, since the kingdom is founded by the Messiah, the Righteous One.” – Stanley D. Toussaint ¹

 

Matthew 4:18-20
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Mark 1:16-18
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

The Sea of Galilee was home to a large fishing industry in the first century. ⁹ Fishing was one of the hardest-working occupations on the lake, but could also be very lucrative. The presence of servants (see below) shows that Zebedee’ family was well-off.

The next scene shows Jesus gathering his first four disciples. He had already known Peter and Andrew (see John 1:35-42 and here), but he called them now to follow him. This was not the request of a stranger but the summons of a known teacher, to leave their work behind and to follow him in a new role.

Some commentators believe that several months may have elapsed since Jesus arrived in Capernaum. The visit to the feast in John 5 may have occurred before these events. If so, these events would have occurred in September/October of that year (see here). Jesus had already gathered them at the very beginning, but now the call was to a higher level of commitment. They were now to leave their employment to follow him full-time.

Jesus gave a call and a promise, “follow me and I will make you fishers of men“. The responsibility of the disciples was to follow him and his promise was that they would no longer be catching fish but they would be catching people.

This was not a new concept to them or to their culture. The Greek philosophers called themselves “fishers of men”. It was common for a Greek or Jewish teacher to surround himself with his disciples so that they would not only listen to his teaching, but to follow their teacher through every aspect of life. ⁵

What does it mean to be a fisher of men? This is the second metaphor used in this passage. Jesus had come to show light in the darkness (see above), and he was now calling His disciples to proclaim the news about the Kingdom of heaven. The people need to repent so that they can be prepared for His kingdom.

But this call to be fishers of men goes beyond only Andrew and Peter, and is more than their immediate task of telling the Jewish people that the Messiah was coming. Peter would continue to be a fisher of men long after Jesus had returned to heaven (Acts 2:37-41). The call to be fishers of men is for all disciples, both in the present and the future, including you and me. We are to follow Jesus Christ, and He will make us fishers of men, calling people into His kingdom. We show his light into the darkness, so that they may repent and come to know Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to follow Jesus? This could be literally translated, “stick to me”. They were to stay with Jesus and let Him direct their every aspect of life. He would then transform them into fishers of men.

“This was not their initial call to faith and salvation; it was an ini­tial call to discipleship.” – Wiersbe ⁵

The response of Andrew and Peter was immediate. They left their nets right where they were, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and followed him.

This scene may be connected with the events of Luke 5:1-11. In this scene, Jesus teaches from Simon Peter’s boat and miraculously fills the boat with fish after an empty night of fishing. If so, then this call to Peter and Andrew would have occurred after this miracle (when they were back on shore), and then they left everything and followed Him (Luke 5:11).

“All the deeper, then, must have been their loving belief in Him, and their earnest attachment, when, with such unquestioning trust, and such absolute simplicity and entireness of self-surrender, that it needed not even a spoken Yea on their part, they forsook ship and home to follow Him.” – Alfred Edersheim ⁷

 

Matthew 4:21-22
And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Mark 1:19-20
And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Jesus continued the call for the next two disciples, James and John. They were in the boat, mending nets with her father, but when Jesus called them, they left the work to their father (and his servants) and followed him.

John the son of Zebedee is the apostle who wrote the fourth gospel account. He should not be confused with John the Baptist. The passages from Mark 15:40, Matthew 27:55-56, and John 19:25 seem to indicate that Salome, the mother of James and John, was Mary’s sister. If so, then James and John would have been Jesus’ first cousins.

 

Matthew 4:23
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Luke 4:15
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

The synagogue was the local center for prayer, worship, education, and Bible study. It was a common practice that if a visiting rabbi was present, they would invite him to speak. Jesus had used this practice to teach in Nazareth (see Luke 4:16-17), and He likely used the same methods throughout the synagogues in Galilee (Paul also used the same method to preach the gospel to the Jews in Acts 13).

Jesus had a ministry of teaching. He would explain scripture, showing that He was the Messiah.

Jesus also had a ministry of preaching. Matthew says that He was “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom”. He was announcing the good news that the kingdom was coming!

Finally, Jesus had a ministry of healing. He healed every disease and affliction among the people — there was no ailment that he could not cure! The miracles attested that He was from God (see John 10:37-38, John 14:11).

Jesus went through all Galilee, teaching and preaching and performing miracles, but it was directed primarily to the Jews.

 

Matthew 4:24-25
So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

Luke 4:14b
and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country.

Jesus’ fame became so widespread that people came from the neighboring provinces. They came from Syria (the region to the north), Decapolis (the 10-City confederation to the east), and Judea (to the south) bringing their sick and afflicted. “Beyond the Jordan” is region of Perea, to the southeast).

Syria and Decapolis were primarily Gentile regions. Jesus’ ministry was directed to the Jews, but He had a large Gentile following! Jesus had left Judea to come north, and now the people from Judea were coming to Him!

Jesus’ ministry began with the Jews but it brought in people of all nations. ¹ Matthew continues to show one recurring aspect of the kingdom is that it is open to all nations.

 

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[1] Stanley D. Toussaint, Behold The King, Kregel Publications, 1980, Matthew 4:12-25, pages 81-85

[2] The religious center of the Jews was in Jerusalem, in the province of Judea in the South. However, most of the Jews lived in the northern province of Galilee. Galilee also had a large population of Gentiles, so the Jewish leaders had less political influence in Galilee than in Judea.

[3] Commentators debate about the influence that the Pharisees had in regard to John’s imprisonment. The Pharisees had influence in the synagogues across both Judea and Galilee, but their power was the strongest in Judea. Some commentators speculate that the Pharisees may have had a hand in getting Herod to imprison him. The Pharisees were at least complicit in John’s capture. Herod would not have taken John if he feared a protest from the people. ¹

[4] Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Book III, CHAPTER IX: THE SECOND VISIT TO CANA, CURE OF THE ‘NOBLEMAN’S’ SON AT CAPERNAUM (St. Matthew 4:12; St. Mark 1:14; St. Luke 4:14, 15; St. John 4:43-54.), https://www.ccel.org/ccel/edersheim/lifetimes.viii.ix.html

[5] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament, David C. Cook, 2007, Matthew 4:12-25, Pages 17-18

[6] Stephen Davey, The Master Disciple Maker, Matthew 4:18-22, 1/13/1991

[7] Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Book III, CHAPTER XIII: BY THE SEA OF GALILEE, THE FINAL CALL OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES, AND THE MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OF FISHES (St. Matthew 4:18-22; St. Mark 1:16-20; St. Luke 5:1-11.), https://www.ccel.org/ccel/edersheim/lifetimes.viii.xiii.html

[8] John MacArthur, One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus, Thomas Nelson, 2012, Jesus’ First Call of the Four – Matthew 4:13-22, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 4:31a, pages 104-105

[9] The Sea of Galilee was also known as the Sea of Chinnereth (Numbers 34:11), the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), and the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1). It is about 13 miles long, 7 miles wide, and about 690 feet below sea level. ⁸