Exegesis of Mt 4:12-25:
John arrested by Herod Antipas and Jesus “withdrew to Galilee.” It sounds like he’s running away but nothing could be further from the truth. Herod’s palace was in the city of Tiberius, located on west side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus immediately heads to Galilee and makes his headquarters in Capernaum, which is also on the Sea of Galilee, a few miles north of Tiberius. If anything, Jesus went into the eye of the storm.
However, he did not go to antagonize Herod. He went there to begin his preaching in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali. Those were the first two tribes (of the 10 lost tribes of Israel) to fall to the Assyrians in 730BC. Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be king over all 12 tribes once again. So now you know why Jesus started there.
Jesus said the Kingdom of heaven was at hand. What did this mean to the Jews of that time?
They Jews were waiting for the Messiah to restore the kingdom. Some hoped it would be like the Kingdom of David and Solomon (1000BC), but many expected it would be more than that; something new: a new age, a new exodus, a new Jerusalem; perhaps something closer to paradise. Indeed, this seems to be the kingdom Jesus is talking about also, but whatever kingdom it was, it was not just for the Jews. The Jews were to be the first ones invited, but then God was ready to move outward and beyond.
What does Jesus mean by “repent”?
So far, God is doing all the work. We must have something to do on our part, right? This is what that special word “repent” is for. God may be willing to pay for our sins, lay down his life for us, and send us his Holy Spirit, but we have something to do. But, what is repent, really? The Greek translation is “metanoia.” Metanoia is a change of both mind and heart, implying a transformative change. Not just a good deed here and an apology there – these are external. An internal change requires a relationship change, a kind of spiritual “continuous improvement” journey, where we are not afraid to face down our faults, discuss them with God, ask to have them removed, and then let God be part of our improvement plan. This is Metanoia. Again, it’s the reason he sent the Holy Spirit – to be our own, personal Trinitarian advisor-protector-therapist.
When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John from their boats – and they followed him immediately, was this the first time they had met Jesus?
No. Andrew met Jesus after he was baptized by John and it appears he introduced the others to Jesus at that time.
Why was Jesus calling 12 apostles?
To represent the new 12 tribes of Israel. 10 would be the number for the 10 lost tribes of the North, and 2 for the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which would soon be rejecting Jesus and even conspiring to have him crucified.
Why was Jesus calling apostles to begin with?
To carry on the job of spreading the good news. The represented the beginning of new church to take over the role of the Temple, which had already rejected the proper priestly lineage (Maccabees) and would be destroyed 40 years later.
What stands out about the selection of these particular men?
They were nobodies. God is the god of underdogs (think David and Goliath). He came himself as a poor nobody. Now he picked a bunch of nobodies to take his message to the world. Jesus did everything the opposite of this world’s standards. His message of humility as the key to love, wisdom, and salvation was evident in everything little thing he did.
We also dissected the beginning of the Our Father, but that will have to be another post!
Maranatha!
Ron
Commentaires