Matthew 4:12-22
As you read the above passage, you will discover that it hearkens back to a familiar passage from Isaiah, most commonly read during the Christmas season. Isaiah’s prophecy proclaims that a great light would dawn, not only on the people of Israel, but on “Galilee of the Gentiles.” As Matthew tells the story of Jesus’s early public ministry, he notes that Jesus’ move from Nazareth (where He had presumably spent several years as a carpenter in the family business) to Capernaum fulfilled this prophecy (Matt. 4:12-17). The context of this move happens just after Jesus experienced His temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11) and had just found out that His cousin and forerunner John has been arrested. John’s arrest and death is a sad story in which we see Jesus reacting to it and grieving. Jesus picks up on and begins to proclaim the exact message which we know John was preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matt. 3:2, 4:17). He also begins to call disciples to Him. In this passage, Jesus calls the brothers Andrew and Simon Peter and the brothers James and John. John 1:35-42 gives us the added, and intriguing detail that Andrew and Simon had been John’s disciples first. In the middle of a season that asks us where we see new signs of God at work, I think it’s very interesting that this passage reminds us that the new is not completely discontinuous from the old. Jesus moves to a new place to do a new thing – and it fulfills an old prophecy. Jesus begins doing the new thing – and He does not reject the message or the disciples of His cousin the prophet, but folds them into what He is doing, connecting them to the story of salvation history that has been going on since the very beginning. As you look for manifestations of God’s glory during this season, remember that some of them may surprise you because you would never have thought to look for God in a new place – and some of them may surprise you because you never would have thought to look for God in an old place. The great hymn of the church, “Now Thank We All Our God” (copy and paste on your browser: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCKRHp2Yuzs) beautifully ties together God’s presence in the past with hope for the future as it reminds us” “Now thank we all our God, with heart, and hands, and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, in Whom His world rejoices; who from our mother's arms hath blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.” Listen to the hymn and think about the way Jesus has manifested His glory in your life and the lives of those you know and love. Ponder where his glory might lead you to follow. As you reflect on this passage, ask yourself two questions. First, where do you see God doing something new and unexpected? And second, where do you see God doing something continuous? Comments are closed.
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