Matthew 4:12 - 25 The beginning of the ministry of Jesus

Matt 4:12-17 The Arrest of the Baptist and the Beginning of the Preaching

Following Mark, Matthew sets the arrest of the Baptist as the pivotal event that begins the ministry of Jesus. He too will tell us about the arrest and death of John at a later date (Matt. 14:1-12). At the present point, the arrest of John is ominously foreshadowed as he too is “handed over” (4:12, cf. 26:2). Here also the summary of the message of Jesus is identical to that of the Baptist: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is come near”. There is continuity between these two eschatological preachers.

There are also immediate differences. In the next pericope Jesus will call his own disciples. Here he moves further away from the locale of John, departing Nazareth for Capernaum. We are not prepared as readers for the move out of the wilderness into the heart of upper Galilee, but as with the move to Nazareth (2:23), scriptural warrant is found (Is 9:1-2) for the memory (?) that Capernaum was “home base” for Jesus in Galilee. It is strange that Matthew has Jesus “withdraw” to Galilee, the territory of Herod Antipas who kills the Baptist. Elsewhere Matthew uses “withdraw” as a term for fleeing for refuge, e.g. 2:13, 14, 23 away from Herod the Great or from Herod Antipas. and for the Magi giving Herod the slip (2:12). Jesus is not running for cover from Herod: If we can borrow a metaphor from Luke 13:32, “that fox” will one day be bearded.

Matthew will use “kingdom of heaven” where Mark and Luke use “kingdom of God” for the dawning reality of the rule of God in this world, actualized in the parables, teaching and healing power of Jesus and experienced in the open and abundant table of God. The summary statement of preaching of John and Jesus may be identical, their fates may be similar, but their roles in bringing in the kingdom turn out to be different. All this we remember and look forward to exploring again.