Matthew 4:12-16

Posted by DJL on Jan 23, 2014 in Daily Bread | 0 comments

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”

The land of Zebulun and Naphtali?

This feels a little bit like coming across a deserted town where the railroad ran a hundred years ago but now the few remaining buildings have boarded-up windows and no paint left on their sides.

So where in the world is the land of Zebulun and Naphtali?

Actually, a better question than where is who? Zebulun and Naphtali, it turns out, are two of Jacob’s sons and so represent two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Other than that, we don’t know a whole lot about them as they occupy little space in Israel’s story. As a friend of mine says, “They are to the tribes of Israel what Thaddeus and Bartholomew are to the disciples.”

We do know, however, that Capernaum and its surrounding environs fell into the territory that was traditionally considered a part of their lands. And knowing this, Matthew remembers a quotation from Isaiah (9:1ff) and sees in Jesus the fulfillment of that promise.

Was this what Isaiah was thinking when he recorded this oracle? We have no idea. Yet Matthew, believing that Jesus in the Messiah God had promised Israel, is not so much trying to line up Old Testament prophecy to prove Jesus’ status but instead is confessing that in almost every detail of Jesus’ life there is a profound consonance and consistency with the promises God has made to God’s people through the ages.

In this case, that promise is that Jesus is the One who brings light into the world and bears – in word and deed – news of God’s great mercy.

Prayer: Dear God, we give you thanks for all the faithful who have shared word of your grace and mercy, from Isaiah to Matthew to those who proclaim the gospel today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Post image: Israel in the Time of the Judges (Northern), from Enter the Bible.