January 3, 2007

• In the Dust of the Rabbi: When the Rabbi says “Come”
  “Why Did Jesus Choose Galilee as the Focal Point for His Message”

  
  

  (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) This is Part 4

  
  

  

  
  

  This is the beginning of Jesus Galilean preaching ministry as it is relayed by the apostle Matthew. Capernum, which is considered Jesus’ “home base” for His ministry in Galilee, is in the land of Naphtali, the northern part of which was inhabited by a mixed race of Jews and pagans. Note: Israel was divided into the land of the 12 tribes after the conquest of Canaan under Joshua. Zebulen and Naphtali were two of the original tribal areas of Israel. This region was also known as the “Galilee of the nations” and it’s people were called Gentiles. 
  
  Why did Jesus choose Galilee as the focal point of His ministry and what was His message?

  
  

  Matthew 4:12-17 (NIV)
  12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

  
  

  In Jesus’ day, many might have expected the Messiah to teach and minister in Jerusalem. However, The prophecy from Isaiah 9:1-2, pointed to the reality of Jesus’ mission: He came to preach salvation by grace even to those in the deepest spiritual darkness, and he brought that message to the entire world, Jews and Gentiles.

  
  

  A interesting point I would make is that John the Baptist basically ended His ministry with those very same words that Jesus starts His ministry with: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near”.  Jesus came not for just the Jews, but for all mankind, as a bright light to us, living in darkness.
  

  
  

  Who was the audience Jesus wanted to reach with His message, and how serious was he about delivering it?

  
  

  Matthew 10:5-7 (NIV)
  5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’

  
  

  I have learned that we must always look at context and at the complete picture before drawing hard and fast conclusions. We always see trouble when a person’s words are taken out of context, and often, the thought changes dramatically when put in context of what the person was saying/doing.

  
  

  First, let’s look briefly at the Gentiles and the Samaritans. A “Gentile” was anyone who was not a Jew. The “Samaritans” were a race of people that resulted from the intermarriage of Gentiles and Jews. Jesus was not opposed to evangelizing these people, for He had already driven our demons among the gentiles (Matthew 8:28-34) and the apostle John tells us about Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman in John, chapter 4.

  
  

  Matthew 15:21-28 (NIV)
  21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”

  
  

  I would note here that at this time in history, there was no country named “Canaan”. The term “canaanite” is an Old Testament term and is only fount this one place in the New Testament. This same story is told in the Gospel of Mark, 7:24-30. Matthew’s description was designed for a Jewish audience, thus, they would understand “Canaanite”. Canaanites as bitter enemies when Israel was settling the Promised Land. Mark referred to her political background. His Roman audience would easily understand the location that she was from.

  
  

  23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
  
  Jesus wasn’t opposed to going to these people, but the “near term mission” He commissioned the disciples to do was to work among the Jews in Galilee, the lost sheep of Israel. I would note that the Gentile region was to the north of Galilee and the Samaritan region was to the South. Clearly, later in Matthew, chapter 28, verse 19, Jesus commissions them to go to all the world. Here, the woman recognizes both that Jesus primary message was for the lost sheep of Israel, but she also recognizes that the rightous Gentiles would share in the world to come and Jesus grants her request.

  
  

  The apostle Paul tells us in his epistle to the Romans (Romans 1:16) that Jesus came not only for the Jews, but He did come to them “first”. You see, first they were to go to the lost sheep of Israel because God chose them to tell the rest of the world about Him.

  
  

  Jesus choose Galilee as the focal point of His message because it was composed of common people, far from the urban centers of the day. His audience was all people, Gentile and Jew. 

  
  

  What do you think?

  • 12:12 am
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