And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease among the people

 

 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. 

 

- Matthew 4:18-25

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.  And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:  The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."  From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

 

  And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.   My study Bible tells us that these first disciples had already heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and so they were prepared to accept Christ immediately (see John 1:35-51).  It says that although they were illiterate and unlearned in religion, these "people of the land" called by Christ will be revealed at Pentecost to be the wisest of all.  

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  My study Bible asks us to note that the crowds do not swarm Jesus when He commands repentance (see yesterday's reading, above), but only when He begins to heal and to work miracles.  This shows that the people misunderstand the true nature of His Kingdom.  It also shows Christ's concession, in the words of Theophylact, "to give credibility to what He teaches" among the inconsistent multitudes. 

At this time in Israel's history, expectations of a worldly Messiah, who would deliver the people from the Romans -- like a great king in the style of David -- were very high.  So much so, that the people await one who can do what Jesus does, and be accompanied by the signs prophesied in the Scriptures.  But Jesus is not going to be that kind of worldly king or deliverer, and He comes preaching repentance.  The stage is, therefore, already set for the conflicts that will arise later on in Christ's ministry.  People will be annoyed with Him (such as in His home town of Nazareth, as His neighbors simply cannot accept this identity in the Person they know as the carpenter's son; see Matthew 13:53-58), they'll be outraged at Him, eventually His very persecution will center on this idea that He could be the Christ.  The religious leaders will claim He stands convicted of blasphemy for even answering their question about this identity (Matthew 26:63-65).  Although John the Baptist had many followers, and preached a baptism of repentance in preparation for the Messiah (see this reading), Jesus the Messiah is a completely different proposition, and the expectations for a Messiah are much more worldly than the Messiah that Christ actually is.  He does not come as a conquering king who will re-establish the kingdom of Israel, but He comes instead preaching the kingdom of heaven.  But when Jesus begins using divine power to heal, that is another matter.  These are signs of the kingdom of heaven being quite present, effecting cures prophesied for the time of the Messiah, such as in these passages from Isaiah:  "In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness" (Isaiah 29:18).  Moreover, Jesus has command over unclean spirits, and so also heals the afflictions caused by such, including torments.  This is one kind of a deliverer that makes sense, someone who can relieve people of these effects of a fallen world into which has come death and sin.  So, therefore His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  So Jesus now has followers from everywhere in the historical Jewish world, and soon even those who come as pilgrims to Jerusalem will before long be seeking Him as well.  Note that He preaches the gospel of the kingdom as He teaches in the synagogues of all Galilee.  In our next reading, Jesus will begin preaching the greatest sermon we know on the gospel of the kingdom, the Sermon on the Mount.  For now, let us consider into what world of expectations Jesus comes as a Man, One who preaches repentance and the kingdom, but also bears signs of the Messiah.  

Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan

 

 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. 

 

- Matthew 4:18-25 

 

In yesterday's reading, we were told that when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.  And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, / By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, / Galilee of the Gentiles: / The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, / And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death / Light has dawned."  From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 

 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  These first disciples had already heard the preaching of John the Baptist and were prepared to accept Christ immediately (see John 1:19-42).  although they were illiterate and unlearned in religion, my study Bible says, these "people of the land" whom Jesus calls will be revealed at Pentecost to be the wisest of all.  

 

 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. My study Bible remarks that the crowds do not swarm Jesus when He commands repentance (see 4:17, from yesterday's reading, above), but only when He begins to heal and work miracles.  This fact, it says, shows that the people misunderstand the true nature of Christ's Kingdom.  It also shows Christ's concession, as Theophan puts it, "to give credibility to what He teaches" among the fickle multitudes.  

What is the power of the presence of God, of God being extraordinarily near -- of God manifest as one of us?  How can we put limits on it, or know precisely its nature?  Jesus is Son of God and also Son of Man, both human and divine.  These signs of healing are signs of the power of the Logos, God who brings order out of chaos and who is always making all things new (Revelation 21:5).  These are signs of the presence and the power of God, these healings which include the casting out of demons, and the healing of various difficult and serious diseases such as episepsy and paralysis.  It's almost as if Jesus can't help it, that the people who come near Him receive the influence of this holy power that is within Him and comes from Him.  We read this quite clearly in the story of the woman with the blood flow (Matthew 9:20-22), in which Jesus is seemingly startled in the midst of a jostling crowd because He feels power going out from Himself; it is the response of this holy power to the faith of the woman who touched Him, desiring healing.  In a sense, the holy power of Christ and how it works in the world provides to us a contrast to the chaos of things we might consider to be the effects of evil, the influence of demons, and ailments and illnesses that afflict humankind in our mortality, also understood in the context of the Bible to be the result of distance from God (Genesis 3, esp. verses 23, 24).  In a very imperfect world beset with ailments and grief, influences of evil and distance from God, Jesus comes among the crowds and heals.  The influence is clearly immediate, as we can see from the swift change as reported in Matthew's Gospel from which Jesus begins to call His first disciples and seemingly extremely quickly is known for His ministry to multitudes from all over Israel who come to Him:  from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  Perhaps this seemingly swift response is also a factor that involves the mysterious power of God that not only heals but also communicates to us in ways we do not know nor understand.  Note that my study Bible comments that the people respond to healing right away, and seek Him out, but that this response does not come from His first word of preaching, to repent.  And almost as quickly, Jesus will also be making enemies of those who resent Him, who question His power and authority, and envy His place.  So when we look at our world, and we observe Jesus in His ministry in the world, we should not be confused by the fact that we live in an imperfect world, created by God but also with influences that are "against God."  The illustration of our faith is not one in which our lives will fall into place perfectly -- in which people will automatically adore us for our good devotions to our faith -- but rather one in which there will also be difficulties and upsets, stumbling and hurdles put in our way, even at times because we love God.  All of this is put before us in the Gospels, but one thing we know remains true:  it is Christ's influence that helps to put us in order, to get a grip on our lives and discipline over ourselves, God's power that can be at work in our lives through our prayers and through worship to become fruit of the Spirit in us (such as "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control," according to St. Paul), and which we share with others.  God's work in the world has most of all the hallmark of love, and of compassion, and in His strength and power, and through participation in His life, we may also grow in this image that we are given.  Through His power and that of the Spirit, we grow in the ways God holds for us, and we are also led to repent in the ways God holds for us, to cast off that which keeps us from becoming and manifesting the things He calls us toward, changing our lives and setting us on a deep path to His holy work and through our faith.  God's way is surprising, and not easy or simple, but it is always good and good for us, even when we must turn away from things we thought we loved.  Let us remember the power of His healing and how deeply that goes into our lives, even into who we think we are.

Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men

 

 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

 

- Matthew 4:18–25 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.  And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:  The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."  From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

 

 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  My study Bible asks us to note here that these first disciples had already heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and so were prepared to accept Christ immediately (see John 1:35-51).  Although they were illiterate and unlearned in religion (as opposed to the scribes and Pharisees, for example), these "people of the land" whom Jesus calls will be revealed at Pentecost to be the wisest of all.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  My study Bible remarks on this passage that the crowds do not swarm Jesus when He commands repentance (verse 17), but only when He begins to heal and work miracles.  This fact shows that the people misunderstand the true nature of His Kingdom.  It also shows Christ's concession, as Theophan comments, "to give credibility to what He teaches" among the fickle multitudes.

It's remarkable how the text records a phenomenal acceleration in the fame of Jesus, how it went throughout all Syria, and great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  What this means is that almost immediately, He would have drawn the attention of the religious leadership in Jerusalem.  Of course, packed into one verse is the phrase that He went about all Galilee, and from there His fame spread.  In the following chapter (indeed, in our next reading) Jesus will preach the Sermon on the Mount, meant for a great multitude indeed.  But our study Bible, which records the traditional perspective understood and accepted through the centuries, quite sensibly comments that the people do not respond when Jesus preaches repentance.  Rather, the great multitudes gather and His fame spreads when He begins to heal and to work miracles.  Theophan comments that He does so in order to "give credibility to what He teaches," reminding us of the time He had forgiven the sins of a paralytic who was brought to Him by being lowered through a roof by his friends.  In Mark's version of the story, Jesus understands that the scribes criticize in their hearts, asking, "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  Jesus replies by asking, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!" (see Mark 2:1-12).  We notice in this passage that the original dispute was over the forgiveness of sins, directly connected to the issue of repentance, but it became an occasion for a display of His power to heal.  So it is with the effects of His ministry:  it is the physical healing that gives credibility to what He teaches, as Theophan notes.  In today's world, we see sin in a way that is not as powerful as the scribes understood forgiveness to be.  Perhaps we don't see sin as the crime against community that was understood through the Mosaic Law.  We might understand it better if we thought about public penalties for crimes in the law of the state, such as murder or theft.  While the scribes understand that only God has the power to forgive sins -- and in our faith, this power is extended by Christ to the Church -- in our present day we understand that only the state has the power to assign or revoke guilt of a crime and evade the penalties that result.  But in a time that celebrates sin and even, to some extent criminality in popular media, we might consider sin in a deeper sense by recognizing its communal effects.  One person's selfishness or hostility can affect a whole family and several generations to come with repercussions, hardships inflicted, patterns of behavior taught.  A crime of theft in an organization can set back all those who are employed or benefit from the institution.  A person who harms a spouse or a child commits a crime against a family, for the whole of the family becomes impacted in one way or another, and the effects spread outward from there.   From the beginning, our spiritual history in Scripture has taught us that the first sin had repercussions that we, as community, inherit as the conditions or environment in which we live, and so it continues.  Unfortunately, community then as now does not respond to a call to repent with this depth of understanding of how sin impacts us all and those whom we love and care about.  In this context, we must view Christ's physical healing as on par with the spiritual and soul healing offered via repentance.  The care of spirit and soul is not something we should dismiss lightly, and possibly the scribes -- who do not understand who Christ is -- have something to contribute to we moderns in this respect.  A materialist or literalistic understanding of life cannot convey to us the meanings present in our faith, the understanding that we all act in community for good or ill.  But Christ's healing mirrors the healing He offers through salvation and redemption, for this is our Savior vividly giving credibility to what He teaches.  Let us understand His mission of repentance and redemption, otherwise we miss the whole point in our blindness to what He offers.   The disciples were those capable of grasping this mission, for to be "fishers of men" is to address the hearts and minds of those who can accept healing at this deepest and truest of levels.  It's not the great crowds in the Gospels who get it right, but those who can hear the message, for whom the fishermen will be sent.  Mark's Gospel tells us of the first mission for which the apostles will be sent out:  "So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them" (Mark 6:12-13).  The anointing with holy oil and healing remains a part of the gospel and the mission of the Church, but it is an integrity of body, soul, and spirit which is the full healing message of Christ.

 

 

Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them

"Christ the Healer" mosaic

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

- Matthew 4:18-25

Yesterday we read that when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.  And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:  The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."  From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  My study bible lets us know that these first disciples -- two sets of brothers -- had already heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and therefore they were prepared to accept Christ immediately.  They are not great scholars of religion nor experts in the Scripture, but they are those faithful who will live the discipleship of Christ.  My study bible calls them "people of the land" who are called by Jesus, and who will be revealed at Pentecost to be the wisest of all. 

 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  My study bible remarks upon the fact that the crowds do not swarm Jesus when He commands repentance (verse 17, from yesterday's reading, above), but it is when He begins to heal and work miracles that the crowds come.  It shows that the people misunderstand the real nature of His Kingdom.   It also shows, in the words of Theophan, that Christ gives concession "to give credibility to what He teaches" among the multitudes whose fickle attitude will be a hallmark of the Gospels.  Here Matthew compresses the action of Christ's early ministry into a few verses, so that we understand the broad appeal He effects across the territories of the people of Israel, as His fame spreads everywhere from Galilee.

In the healings that Christ does of the crowds who bring the ill to Him, we see literally great affliction.   The language of the text tells us of oppression (literally, in the Greek word for affliction).  Their torments could could also be translated as "torture."   Their diseases usually would considered to be incurable.  Let us also note the lack of control over their own lives that is implied in the several afflictions listed:  to be demon-possessed speaks for itself.  But also the word translated as epileptic could be literally translated as "lunatic" as it means to be controlled by or under the influence of the moon.  (It was considered that the disease waxed and waned with the moon.)  To be paralyzed is also a kind of involuntary binding and control, an oppressive affliction.  Each of these could be understood as a type of imprisonment, the torment the pain of torture in a prison.  The language speaks to us of a need for liberation, or more specifically, for a liberator -- a redeemer.  It tells us about the action of Christ, which is to set free.  Let us note that it also does so in the context of spiritual battle, as the "demon-possessed" are among those brought to Christ.  It is how we understand Christ's ministry overall and how we understand the work of the "prince of this world," the devil by whom Christ was tempted in this reading, just before He began His public ministry.  There is the power that truly liberates, and then there is the power that oppresses and enslaves and tortures.  Hidden  behind and within all things seems to be this choice, between one and the other.  Of course, even the elements of those things which are brought for Christ to healing have a kind of spectrum in today's reading.  Once Christ's fame spreads, the more serious afflictions are brought to Him for help.  But all of it tells us something about healing and the actions of Christ.  As we understand that the very Incarnation itself is meant to heal, by bringing all the elements of the world and our worldly lives into union with Creator, so we should see in this text Christ's actions in conjunction with that reality.  What He is becomes expressed through His work and action in the world.  He has come to heal and to liberate, to save.  Even His preaching comes under the context of healing and freeing, for as He is the truth (John 14:6), so also He will teach, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32).   For every aspect of Christ's being, so His work in the world also reflects that identity.  This is consistent with an important understanding of theology:  that God's mercy (that is, God's work in the world) reflects God's being.  We cannot know God in God's fullness of being.  We are not divine Persons like the Persons of the Holy Trinity.  But we can know God in what are called God's "energies" -- that is, in God's work in the world.  Christ's ministry exemplifies this perfectly.  So it is the same with love as expressed through ourselves and others in the elements of our world.  We can talk about love all we want, but love is more than simply a feeling or emotion.  Love needs expression through action.  Whether that action is prayer or sympathy or particular actions to alleviate suffering or effect healing in other ways, to work at discipleship and to learn to be "pure in heart" is to live from the inside to the outside.  That is, to live a life that reflects a heart that seeks discipleship and to be transformed in that discipleship to be more "like Christ."  If that all seems to complicated, consider this:  what is the purpose of repentance, Christ's first word of ministry?  A repentance is a turn around, a literal "change of mind" in the Greek but which implies a true change of heart and orientation -- and one which is expected to affect how we engage and interact, our actions in the world.  Christ repeatedly emphasizes the heart, and does so, as He says, because it is the heart that creates the action:  "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things" (Matthew 12:35).  This is what Christ's ministry is for, so that we become the disciples who in turn may become more like Him.   This is what it is to be truly healed, redeemed, liberated, saved.   The fickle crowds seek the healing He offers -- but it is discipleship that brings us the freedom He offers.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed

 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.

At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

- Mark 1:29-45

Yesterday we read that after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel."  And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.  And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.  Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.  And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit.  And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone!  What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did You come to destroy us?  I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"   But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"  And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.  Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this?  What new doctrine is this?  For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."  And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  Even in this shortest of the Gospels, we are given Jesus' life not only in its public aspect, but also in private.   Here, after preaching in the synagogue and astonishing the people, Jesus and the disciples go to their "headquarters," which is Peter's family home in Capernaum.  There is need for His healing here, too, as Peter's mother-in-law is ill.  The setting is intimate; He takes her by the hand and lifts her up, and she is restored to her place in the home, a place of honor and respect.

At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.  The public in need comes to Jesus; all come to Peter's family home to be healed, and others come to see what is happening.  The demons know Him; Jesus does not want them to speak because His divine and Messianic identity is at this time a secret.  My study bible gives several reasons for this:  the growing hostility of the religious leaders; the people's misunderstanding of the Messiah as an earthly, political leader; and Christ's desire to evoke genuine faith that is not based solely on marvelous signs.  That the demons know Him is also a sign of a deeper reality at work here, another realm we don't see but with which Jesus is familiar and where He is known.  The word mystery comes from a root meaning "secret."

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Again, we are given multiple dimensions of Jesus' life, and here is another example of intimacy.  In His private life, He sets out an example to the disciples of spiritual life.  He goes very early in the morning, while it's still dark, to a solitary place to pray.  Jesus sets the example of continual prayer and devotion to prayer life.  A solitary place is where He can be free from distraction, although so many people seek Him and have need of Him.  My study bible says that Christ's ministry comes forth from His communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and flows to people in their needs.  His praying in the morning shows us that we must put as first priority our commitment to God; only then are we equipped to serve others.  Prayer in our own lives strengthens us for what we need to do, and supplies to us as well wisdom, discernment, renewal, and faith.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.   The biblical law regarding leprosy is found in Leviticus 13-14.  Deuteronomy 24:8 describes the purification of lepers and leprous houses, a duty which was entrusted to the priests.  My study bible explains that leprosy was considered a direct punishment for sins.  As lepers were considered unclean, they weren't permitted to live in the community or to worship in synagogues or the temple.  to touch the unclean was forbidden (Leviticus 7:21).  But Jesus touched the leper, showing His compassion, and also that He is not subject to the Law but over it.  To the clean, my study bible says, nothing is unclean.

Although Jesus' fame is spreading everywhere, Mark's Gospel also gives us His intimate moments.  This is a sign of the testimony of disciples, as they share not only His public ministry but also His private life.  They learn by living with Him.  We're told that Mark's Gospel was written for the community at Rome that was ministered by Peter, and so the stories we know of the intimacy of life in Peter's home in Capernaum, which served as a kind of headquarters for the Galilean ministry, seem to come out of this history.  The story of Peter's (Simon's) mother-in-law appears in all the Synoptic Gospels, and we're given the details of Jesus' touch; He takes her by the hand and lifts her up, and she takes her place again in the household, restored.  It's Peter and those with Him who seek out Christ in the earliest hours of the morning.  There is a deep privacy and intimacy in the gesture toward the leper; Jesus reaches out his hand and touches him.  Someone was there to witness and to tell us the story of Jesus' personal ministry, full of moments like these in which He reaches out to those whom He heals.  Without the kind of discipleship in which they learned by sharing each of these moments with Him, we would not be able to learn as they did.  We would not know the deeply personal and humane character of Christ, we would only know the public ministry, the divine Messianic identity, the miraculous healings -- but not His character and persona, His compassion, His love, His devotion to the Father and to constant prayer.  What we are given is the true "personhood" of Jesus (if you will), His character and personality, the fullness of the Person, and not merely a distant and magisterial image.  We are given the fullness of identity in these moments, the same Person to whom we pray and with whom we are also invited into the true intimacy of communion.  We, too, may know this kind of discipleship and the immediacy of His love.  This distinguishing mark of the Gospel gives us the power of that love at work within and for each one and also for all.  Without His prayer (and the many direct examples given us in the Gospels), what would we know of Him?  What would we understand?  His relationship to the Father also informs us about ours, and what we are a part of through faith.  God condescends not only to be one of us, but to be with us at all times and in every way.  Let us be grateful for that which truly sets Him apart and stamps our faith:  God who is with us and has made Himself known to us.  His sacrifice for all those who are His friends will be the gesture of love, and there is no greater.

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel

 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel."

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.  And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.  And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit.  And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone!  What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did You come to destroy us?  I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"   But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"  And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.  Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this?  What new doctrine is this?  For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."  And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

- Mark 1:14-28

In yesterday's reading, we started reading Mark:  The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in the Prophets:  "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You."  "The voice of one crying in the wilderness:  'Prepare the way of the LORD;  Make His paths straight.'"  John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.  Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.  I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."  It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.  And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beats; and the angels ministered to Him.

 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel."   My study bible says that Mark's emphasis on John first being put in prison before Jesus begins preaching reveals that a key purpose of the old covenant, which was to prepare the people for Christ, had been completed (Galatians 4:1-5).  The time of preparation, therefore, is fulfilled.   To repent, it says, is to do a total "about-face."  As discussed in yesterday's reading and commentary, to repent is to do a complete "about-face."  In Greek, the word for repent literally means to "change one's mind."  Repentance, my study bible says, is a radical change of one's spirit, mind, thought, and heart -- a complete reorientation to a life centered in Christ.

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.  And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.  Mark's is the earliest and briefest of the four Gospels.  What is not in the text is that these first disciples had already heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and were prepared to accept and to follow Christ immediately.  Although they are illiterate and unlearned in religion, my study bible says that these "people of the land" who are called by Jesus will be revealed at Pentecost to be wisest of all.

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.  And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit.  And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone!  What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did You come to destroy us?  I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"   But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"  And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.  Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this?  What new doctrine is this?  For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."  And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.  My study bible notes that the word immediately occurs nearly forty times in Mark's Gospel, and nearly all of them before Christ's entrance into Jerusalem.  The sense of urgency and purpose permeates Mark's Gospel as Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem to fulfill His mission of redeeming the world.  It makes Mark's account not only the shortest but also the most direct of the four Gospels.  To teach as one having authority is to teach from one's own knowledge and wisdom, rather than the scribes who would quote from famous rabbis.  But Christ's authority, as noted by the people, extends further -- even commanding the unclean spirits, and they obey.

Mark's Gospel moves along quickly.  We're given events due to their importance to the early Church, and most likely the ministry of Peter in Rome during a time of persecution of Christians under Nero.  The urgency present in the Gospel perhaps reflects the time of persecution, and a time when war was looming over Jerusalem and its outcome unsure -- but the Church had Jesus' warnings.  There is a sense of things moving quickly, and a cosmic influence present in those events giving them an even greater importance than one might assume of the great events of the world, its rulers, and wars of empires.  In this context of urgency we hear the repeated use of the word immediately.  Things happened quickly for the early Church.  The Twelve Apostles (with the exception of Judas, of course) traveled the known world spreading the message of Christ.  If already by Nero's time Christians were significantly enough in the vision of the emperor to result in persecution, then we can simply imagine the immediacy of the growth of the Church.   War in Jerusalem meant that even apocalyptic events were happening for the Church, of the greatest significance to the whole history of the Jews and the ministry of Christ, the suffering Messiah.  Such times presented to the early Church the greatest uncertainty.  Within that context, Mark sets out the stories important for the community that was itself facing suffering and persecution as did Christ.  Jesus is different from all the teachers of the synagogue the people know.  He acts decisively, He speaks with authority, and He astonishes the people because even the demons are subject to His commands and obey Him.  He commands His disciples to "Follow Me," and they do so immediately.  All of these things reflect the urgency and fast pace of shifting times of great import for all of history.  They reflect the need for discipleship, strength, courage, and commitment in His followers who must be like Him, and take up their own crosses for the sake of the Kingdom.  In this context, these words, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel" take on potent significance for each believer.  It was a time of choices, decisive change in which a world was to disappear forever, and new history take shape.  The whole community centered at Jerusalem would have to be uprooted in haste, and the Church itself become one of diaspora.  For the early Christians, it was a time to be aware of what was happening, to be alert to events in ways others could not perceive.  What Mark's Gospel seems to hold for us is a reminder that time does not stand still; that the moments of our lives and the choices we make are also important and have consequences.  There are all kinds of things that may take time -- and the journey of faith is a lifetime -- but right now there is always the decisive action of faith just before us, the choice to follow Christ immediately.   

Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan

 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. 

- Matthew 4:18-25

Yesterday we read that when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.  And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,/By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,/Galilee of the Gentiles:  The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,/And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death/Light has dawned."  From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.  He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  These first disciples have already heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and so they are prepared to accept Christ immediately.  Although they are illiterate and they are unlearned in religion, these "people of the land" called by Jesus will be revealed at Pentecost to be the wisest of all.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  My study bible calls our attention to the fact that the crowds do not swarm Jesus when He commands repentance (see yesterday's reading, above, verse 17).  It is only when He begins to heal and work miracles that great multitudes followed Him.  This shows that people don't really understand the true nature of His Kingdom.  It also shows that Christ has given concession, according to commentary by Theophylact, "to give credibility to what He teaches" among the fickle multitudes. 

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  This is the message with which Jesus began His ministry (yesterday's reading), and it's also the message that John the Baptist was preaching.  As noted in yesterday's commentary, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" will also be the instructed message to preach when Jesus sends out the disciples on their first apostolic mission (10:7).  As my study bible notes, the crucial question here isn't necessarily that the Kingdom is at hand, but rather just what that Kingdom is or what it is like.  For those who expect an immediate material manifestation of heavenly life, it's not to be.  The healing of diseases and the torments of people are signs of the presence of that Kingdom, that it is present with Jesus.  The miracles that Jesus will produce are also signs of the presence of the Kingdom.  But these things do not constitute the full reality of that Kingdom.  That Kingdom is dependent on our own capacity to be temples of God, to carry it within us (Luke 17:20-21).  As discussed in yesterday's commentary, to repent means to change one's mind, to turn around -- and this is still required for the acceptance of the presence of the Kingdom of God and our participation in it.  We find different ways of relating to one another in that Kingdom, we find ways of learning love, of participating in and sharing the love of God with others.  It is a full reorientation of our spiritual life, and it feeds the soul; it gives meaning to life and it will repair things within us that are damaged by the ills of the world, all the forms of selfishness we may encounter and suffer from.  All of this requires a great change of mind, a way of looking at things which doesn't simply judge by immediate tangible results we can measure.  But the healing and relief from affliction that accompanies Jesus is powerful, and draws people to this Kingdom.  He gives an orientation to disease that isn't about punishment but rather about what it is to be really healthy, to live within the reality of the presence of God in our lives.  By the time He sends out the disciples on their first mission (and so they become apostles), however, we can read that He will teach them that they are sent "out as sheep in the midst of wolves," and that they must therefore "be wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (10:16).  The reaction of the world to this Kingdom is a hostile one, also a sign of the need for repentance in order to truly accept it.  How do we approach the love of God?  What characterizes, for you, the presence of this Kingdom that is within you?  Have you had experience with healing?  In Twelve Step programs, there is the need for recognition of and dependence upon a Higher Power to help heal.  For some, this is controversial and it is rejected.  But if we study the Twelve Steps, we see a program that is geared for repentance, for change of mind.  One can apply these steps to any problem in life, regardless of whether or not it involves nominally addictive behavior.  The first step is an admission of powerlessness over certain problems or situations.  Nowhere is this more true than over conditions of childhood that may have done harm, or abusive relationships of any type.  To admit that we are not in full control over every aspect of our lives (or other people's choices) is to admit that we have a need for guidance and for love to teach us how to negotiate our lives and find the necessary values for life.  Jesus' teachings begin and end with the fullness of such teachings:  we are taught that we need an ongoing openness to change of mind, and that the presence of the Kingdom of God is what is truly necessary -- the real good news.   It is within that presence that we find the transcendence we need, the healing we need, the love of the One who knows all hearts, and the wise advice we need for our lives.  To live "as wise as serpents and harmless and doves" is good guidance; to understand and seek His wisdom is prudent and wise.  It is our true Shepherd we need; let us be grateful for the gift of His Kingdom, even in the midst of an imperfect world.  These men in today's reading whom Jesus first calls are not the most wise and learned, but they are those who can accept the Kingdom and respond to His call immediately.  To become fishers of men, they will go through their own forms of repentance and change; the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost will again create transformation.  It is the basic love of God that begins our response to the call, that cushions our orientation to the Kingdom in the knowledge of God's love for us.

Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

- Matthew 4:18-25

In yesterday's reading, we were told that when He heard John was put into prison, Jesus left Nazareth and went to Galilee to begin His ministry.   He lived in Capernaum, "which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 'The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.'"  Jesus preached as did John:  "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  My study bible says that these men had already heard the preaching of John the Baptist, and so were prepared to follow Jesus.  Many of Jesus' early disciples were first those of John.  We notice the action here, the scene -- they are casting their nets into the sea.  We take the common work of man, perhaps in a very elemental sense.  Akin to a kind of hunting, they work in the sea and are fishermen, casting their nets for what they can catch.  In this image, Christ will call them to work for the kingdom, turning their worldly skills into nets of faith cast into the world among the people.  He will make them "fishers of men."  Their work will come through His work.

Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  The first apostles, those "called" by Christ, are Peter and his brother Andrew.  The next are James and John Zebedee.  Peter, James and John will form His "inner circle," and be present with Him in particular times of healing and revelation.  Here, the brothers, along with their father Zebedee, are mending their nets.  We can think of this illustratively, as those who are prepared for the work that will be given them.  My study bible says of these first apostles, "As His disciples, Jesus  chooses men who have not been trained in any sacred school, most of whom are unlearned and illiterate, considered by the various religious groups within Judaism as 'people of the land,' or peasants.  At Pentecost these men will be revealed to be the wisest of all, by the power of the Holy Spirit."

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.  Great multitudes followed Him -- from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  In these few verses is summed up all of Jesus' activity in His ministry.  Matthew teaches us right away of His spreading fame, so that all have heard of Him, from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.  These are lands both of mixed races and religions and the central heart of Judaism.  My study bible notes, "His miracles bear witness to the presence of the Kingdom and serve as an introduction to the Sermon on the Mount."  In the following readings, beginning Monday, we will start reading the Sermon on the Mount.

The revelation of the Kingdom "brought near" happens with Jesus' miracles, or signs, which bear witness to the power of God at work, the Kingdom in the midst of the people, and especially in the person of Jesus.  Even before He begins His great work, His ministry, He selects His earliest disciples:  Peter and Andrew, and James and John Zebedee.  They will become His closest circle.  James and John Zebedee's mother, Salome, will also be known in the Gospels.  These fishers of men begin as relatives and perhaps friends, known to one another.  But in relationship to Christ, all is transformed, used for the growing Kingdom and its revelation in the world.  Fishermen become "fishers of men" -- and these sets of brothers and friends becomes family of Christ by adoption, going out to spread this net of the faith and relationship.  Christ will call all those who seek the will of the His Father and do it "My brother and sister and mother."  The net of faith becomes the net of family by adoption.  In this age of networks, let us consider what it is to be part of a net, a network of Spirit, a relatedness in which we all work, in a spiritual sense, in and through one another, growing the "catch" of faith.  The fish will become a symbol for the early Christians; the letters of the ancient Greek word for fish (IXTHYS) will form an acronym in the Greek for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior."  We are His by adoption, we are related by faith, a living net of a "great cloud of witnesses."  Let us think about nets and networks, what it is to be a part of this growing, expanding Kingdom with all the abundance of the fish in the sea, and how the net interweaves to support, to strengthen, to give us the capacity in the Spirit to grow with, through, and from one another.  The prayers of all the faithful become its threads and its weavings, bringing one another to the place we need to be, for His work to be done in us.  It is a great net of light, the light of life in abundance.