Matthew 4:12-17 12Now when he heard that John had been handed over, he withdrew into Galilee. 13And after leaving Nazareth after going, he lived in Capernaum by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled saint, 15“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, a light has dawned on them.”
The next phase of Jesus’ ministry began after John was arrested by Herod. John’s story is continued later in Matthew 14. John’s ministry was essential in preparing people hearts and minds for the Messiah by alerting them to the need to repent and turn their focus to God in expectation. Jesus returned to Galilee from the wilderness of Judea after his time of testing. It was time to begin his public ministry because John’s ministry was finished.
Matthew follows his pattern in the next section of showing how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of Scripture. Jesus left his home town of Nazareth and went to the area around the Sea of Galilee. It was time to find those who would become fishers of people. Nazareth was located in the hills of Galilee in the area given to the tribe of Zebulun. Capernaum on the northern shore of the Sea in the area given to the tribe of Naphtali. Matthew points out how Jesus’ travel to these two areas fulfilled Isaiah 9:1-2.
Isaiah’s prophecy suggests several significant ideas about Jesus’ ministry. First, this was an area where there were many Gentiles. It was a transition area from Judea to other people groups. Taking the gospel to the whole world and the inclusion of Gentiles in Jesus’ ministry are subtle but important themes in Matthew’s Gospel. The message of Jesus is for the whole world.
Second, the people who lived in this area dwelled in darkness, representing their ignorance of God and God’s will for humanity. They were far from the religious headquarters in Jerusalem, with the temple and sacrificial system. They likely had little access to religious training, but like many people today, just survived from day to day the best they could.
Third, they also had the shadow of death, which could refer to spiritual death and the threat of physical death from a lack of resources or political unrest. This area was a crossroad that had experienced terrible wars in the past as the great empires of Assyria, Babylon, and other military forces collided with southern powers, including Egypt, Judah, and Israel. This area was ideal for Jesus to launch his ministry because it symbolized the desperation of the human condition. Jesus as the Light and Life of the world (John 8:12; 14:3) brought a message of hope to all people.
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