Dear Explorer,
Read Matthew 4:12-17
We know that Jesus left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, a city in Galilee. According to Matthew, why was this significant?
Because it fulfilled another prophecy concerning the Messiah.
Let's do a quick geography and history lesson here. Your Bible may have maps near the back that will make it easier to understand.
Most of the Old Testament is about the nation of Israel formed from the descendants of Abraham. After King Solomon, the nation of Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom (called Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (called Judah).
When both Kingdoms rejected God and turned to idols, God caused them to be captured by two different foreign nations. The Northern kingdom fell, and the people were taken into captivity by the Assyrians. They never returned. Instead that area was settled by non-Jews. The Southern Kingdom fell, and the people were taken into captivity by Babylon. But 70 years later the people were allowed to return in mass to re-populate their homeland.
At the time of Jesus, the nation of Israel was under Roman rule and there were 3 distinct regions within the nation of Israel.
I've drawn a diagram to help you get the locations in your mind. To the left of these 3 areas was the Mediterranean Sea and to the right of the Jordan River were other countries of the Middle East. There were also other countries to the north and south of Israel.
So, at the time of Jesus the southern region was called Judea and it was primarily a Jewish area. Some cities in Judea are Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
The middle region was Samaria. This area was populated by non-Jews who located there. They knew about the Jewish religion and so adopted it and incorporated it into their own pagan beliefs. They also intermarried with the few Jews who remained there. So, they were a mixed-religion and mixed-race people. The Judean Jews hated them and called them half-breeds. And the Samaritans hated them back!
The northernmost region was Galilee. This area was primarily populated by non-Jews – mostly Greeks and Romans. They were pagans (people who did not worship God). But there were some small areas of Jewish people there, too. The region of Galilee includes towns like Capernaum and Cana.
Now, that you know the geography, do you see another reason that Jesus' moving to Capernaum might be significant?
Jesus spent time preaching, teaching, and healing outside the predominantly Jewish area of Judea. He spent a lot of time with the Gentiles, too!
Read Mark 1:14-15
And
Read John 4:43-45
What is the “Good News” or the “gospel”?
The “Good News” or the “gospel” is that the Messiah has come to take away our sins and fill our empty spot! “Gospel” can refer to this fact or to these four books written to tell us about it.
What was the people's response to Jesus?
Read John 4:46-54
Capernaum was about 20 miles from Cana in the region of Galilee. What do we know about this man from John 4:46-47?
But Jesus knew something else about this man that was invisible to the outside. Do you see it in John 4:50?
This man REALLY was trusting in Jesus. He had enough faith to believe that Jesus could and would heal his son. How do I know?
Because when Jesus told him that his son was well – he left and headed home! You see, faith is not faith, unless it changes your behavior.
I can say that I trust Jesus to provide for my needs, but if my actions and attitude show that I am worried and stressed – then my faith is not real. It is just words. Real faith changes our behavior!
In His service, dale
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