Series: Matthew

Galilee of the Gentiles

September 20, 2020 | Jeff Crotts

Passage: Matthew 4:12-17

Verse 12 marks the beginning of Jesus’ mission. 

  • Everything centralizes in Galilee.
  • Notice the Galilee is referenced 5x in verses 12-25 (vv. 12, 15, 18, 23, 25).

I know from experience, where your ministry begins is both meaningful and memorable. 

  • God at work in the details of where you end up.

 

  • Clear from verses 12-17.
    • Relationships forged early in ministry are indelibly impressed in your heart.

 

  • Clear from verses 18-22.
    • Seeing God’s blessing on early ministry is inspiring (vv. 23-25).

 

  • For Jesus this is Galilee!

Verse 15 frames Jesus’ first mission post from Isaiah’s prophecy. 

  • “The land of Zeublun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles” (v. 15).

 

  • The phrase “Galilee of the Gentiles” is curious (v. 15).

“I thought this was Jewish territory, what does this have to do with the Gentiles?” 

  • As it turns out, Galilee was populated with Gentiles [ethvwv – ethnicities].

Like Anchorage, Jesus’ mission post was to the nations. 

Though Jesus came as King of the Jews, the greater mission was to be Savior of the world. 

  • Matthew 1:1 traces Jesus’ line to Abraham through whom “all the families of the earth would be blessed.”

 

  • Remember the magi (cf. 2:1-12) and Matthew 8:5-13 highlights the faith of the Roman centurion.

 

  • Matthew ends with Jesus’ commission to “Go…and make disciples of all nations [ethvn] …” (Mt. 28:19).

Jesus starting out in a very specific place, marked by Isaiah’s prophesy (Is. 9:1,2) “in Capernaum…in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali” has meaning and purpose. 

  • Your mission post directly relates to your mission.
 1. Where Jesus was (vv. 12-13)

The scene opens with John’s arrest. 

  • John’s gospel tells us Jesus and John have had concurrent ministries – preaching and baptizing (cf. John 3:22-23 – two ends of the Jordan).
    • There is an undisclosed period of time when disaster strikes.
    • John is arrested and imprisoned in the dungeon Castle of Machaerus by Herod Antipas on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea.

John’s crime?  Denouncing Herod for seducing and marrying his brother’s wife. 

  • Rebuking a despot is unsafe.

ESV  2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to alive a godly life in Christ Jesus bwill be persecuted,

            (2Ti 3:12 ESV)

  • Herod Antipas, ruthless like his father, non-Jewish Idumean was tetrarch of Galilee by Roman appointment (like his father).
    • Sons splayed out as leaders with multiple wives.
    • Herodias induced her daughter, Salome, to trick Herod into serving the head of John the Baptist on a platter, to guest at a royal dinner (cf. 14:6-11).
    • Herod himself was “distressed.”

For Jesus this marked a turning point. 

  • Jesus did not “withdraw into Galilee” out of fear or protection but for mission.

 

  • John the Baptist – the Herald’s job was complete making Jesus’ mission primary.

Capernaum was still under Herod Antipas’ jurisdiction, but an intenerate preacher would be less a political target. 

  • Jesus left Nazareth to live in Capernaum.
  • Left his home identity for a new one! Preacher, missionary.
  • Sound familiar?

Galilee, northern district of Palestine. 

  • East of Mediterranean, west of the Sea of Galilee.
  • A coastal and commercial region and agriculturally fertile.
  • Not large, only 50 miles from north to south, and 25 miles east to west.
    • Small but densely populated - fifteen thousand people.
    • Population open to new ideas and change.

 

  • It has been said, “Judaea is on the way to nowhere: Galilee is on the way to everywhere.”
  • The Damascus road led down to Egypt to Africa.

 “Why was this region populated with Gentiles?” 

  • Originally assigned to the tribes of Asher, in the land Canaan.

 

  • These tribes (Zebulun and Naphtali) did not expel all the Canaanites from their territories, compromising with mixed marriages and pagan influence.

 

  • Invasions from Assyrians (8th Century B.C.) meant exile of Jewish population and so Gentiles settled there.

 

  • This land was in Gentile hands when the Jews returned this now a melting pot.

 

“Why isn’t Jesus in Bethlehem with his people?” 

Isaiah’s prophecy tells us! 

2. Why Jesus is there (vv. 15-16)

Jesus began to inaugurate the kingdom in Galilee. 

  • Isaiah 9 describes this messianic kingdom a few verses later:

ESV  Isaiah 9:6-7 aFor to us a child is born, to us ba son is given; cand the government shall be dupon1 his shoulder, and his name shall be called2 Wonderful eCounselor, fMighty God, gEverlasting hFather, Prince of iPeace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace athere will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it bwith justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. cThe zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

 

  • This was an unexpected place for Immanuel (cf. Is. 7) to be!
    • Without a religious witness, at a disadvantage?
    • Land of “darkness” (v. 16).

 

ESV  Job 10:21 before I go--and aI shall not return-- to the land of bdarkness and cdeep shadow,

ESV  Psalm 107:10 aSome sat in darkness and in bthe shadow of death, prisoners in caffliction and in irons,

  • However, this is where salvation has come.

In the words of Simeon:

ESV  Luke 2:30-32 for amy eyes have seen your bsalvation 31 athat you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,aa light for revelation to the Gentiles, and bfor glory to cyour people Israel."

 

  • Prophecy 8 centuries before was precisely fulfilled.

 

  • What stands out is that the Galileans were God’s choice to first glimpse the Messiah and hear his message.

 

  • Not to the pure and learned Jews of Jerusalem but the mongrel, nontraditional mixed multitude of Samaria and Galilee.

 

  • Jesus came as Savior of the whole world!

 

ESV  Isaiah 42:6 "I am the LORD; aI have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you bas a covenant for the people, ca light for the nations

 

ESV  Isaiah 49:6 he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; aI will make you bas a light for the nations, that cmy salvation may reach to the end of the earth."

 

ESV  Isaiah 52:10 aThe LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, band all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

 3. What this means (v. 17)
      a. We have the same problem

 The phrase “From that time” (repeated 16:21; 26:16) marks the major divisions (turning points) in Matthew’s gospel. 

  • Meaning this is Jesus’ consistent mode, “Jesus began to preach” (v. 17).
    • Jesus’ ministry was many things but his main thing was to preach.
    • Jesus is the Word!

He preached – not argued, reasoned, disputed, or convinced. 

  • He just proclaimed Truth and left it there.
  • A preacher makes proclamations with certainty while the Spirit of God convicts and convinces those listening.

 

This is why we have a radio ministry spanning Anchorage and the valley and beyond.  Some villages.  Preaching works. 

“Jesus’ message?”  Same as John the Baptists. 

  • “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (v. 17).
    • Jesus’ calls people to change their thinking and direction.
    • When God is working in you, then you will!

I want to dive into two important implications of Jesus’ example, preaching this message in the Galilee of the Gentiles. 

  • One of the primary issues our country is constantly trying to solve is Racism.

 

  • A simplified definition of racism is to hate, oppress, marginalize, or disrespect someone because of someone’s ethnicity.

 

  • This is the opposite of what the Bible teaches about race.

 

  • No amount of social gestures or public statements or education will fix this issue.

 

  • Only one thing will.

 

  • Truly repenting of sin and being saved by the grace of the Gospel.

 

  • It is impossible to counteract any sin and in this case racism without saving grace!

Preaching repentance is what gets people to grace. 

  • Grace is what changes your heart from being “hateful and hating one another” (cf. Titus 3:3).

ESV  Titus 3:3 For awe ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

      b. We have the same solution

Our solution is clearly defined in Ephesians 2. 

ESV  Ephesians 2:13-17 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were afar off have been brought near bby the blood of Christ. 14 For ahe himself is our peace, bwho has made us both one and has broken down cin his flesh the dividing wall of hostility15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in aordinances, that he might create in himself one bnew man in place of the two, so making peace,16 and might areconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.17 And he came and apreached peace to you who were bfar off and peace to those who were cnear.

 

  • Hostility between Jews and Gentiles was there from the establishment of Israel.
    • Jews, a people designed to be separate from the Gentiles for the sake of ethnic purity.
      • Jesus interrupted this design coming as light to the nations!
      • The light of the world!

 

  • In Christ, these polarized groups are called to become one.

 

“How does this happen?”  “Making the Gentiles part of Israel?”  “Is it supposed to be a separate-but-equal coexistence?”  No! 

Kent Hughes said: “Jesus didn’t Christianize the Jews or Judaize the Gentiles.  He didn’t create a half-breed.  He made an entirely new man.” 

  • The two became one!

 

  • Gospel transformation – nothing more and nothing less – solves racism! Period! 

Paul wrote this to the churches of Galatia! 

  • Ministry to this wide group of races became a focal point in the early church (cf. Acts 15 “The Jerusalem Counsel”)!

ESV  Galatians 3:27-29 For as many of you as awere baptized binto Christ have cput on Christ.

28 aThere is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave1 nor free, bthere is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.29 And aif you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, bheirs according to promise.

 

“Is blood thicker than water?” 

  • In Christ, we are closer to one another than an identical twin, if that person does not trust Jesus as Savior and Lord.

ESV  Acts 6:1-7 Now in these days awhen the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists1 arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in bthe daily distribution.2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.3 aTherefore, brothers,1 pick out from among you seven men bof good repute, cfull of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

4 But awe will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, aa man full of faith and bof the Holy Spirit, and cPhilip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, da proselyte of Antioch.6 These they set before the apostles, and athey prayed and blaid their hands on them.7 And athe word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests bbecame obedient to cthe faith.

 

Verse 5 tells us these seven names listed are all Greek names meaning they were Hellenists. 

  • The neglected side.
    • Seven Hellenists were chosen and trusted to make sure the resources were allocated to meet the needs of the widows.

 

  • This was done to diffuse any perception of a turf war!

Verse 6 says they were “set before the apostles” and publically prayed for with the laying on of their hands! 

  • Men were affirmed as trustworthy and godly, in front of the entire church.

Verse 7 shows the results of this kind of love and trust rooted in the Gospel were dramatic.  Word influence! 

In Christ, we all are one new man!  

 

One personal testimony. 

  • I grew up in Virginia during the 70’s, in the wake of desegregation of schools.
  • My schools were a mix of ethnicities.
  • There was bullying and fights and not only the children.
  • I remember watching my mother sob to my best friend’s mother as they together chose to stand against their neighborhood club.
  • A club that had disinvited our new neighbor across the street because she was black.
  • This was a women’s club and some who attended who were also part of our church.

 

Sin separates. 

Unrepented sin destroys. 

Hating people for their nationality OR not loving every nationality are both real and dramatic sins. 

At the root there is one problem – SIN.  And one solution – Jesus. 

A dramatic Savior who transforms hearts. 

Repent and go to this One.       

 

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