Following his ordeal in the desert, Jesus sets to work, but in Matthew there's an interesting detail that comes first.
In Matthew 4:12-25 we're told that Jesus moved from his hometown of Nazareth to Capernaum. Matthew--who always likes to draw connections to the Hebrew Scriptures presents this is the fulfillment of a scriptural prophecy from Isaiah 9:1-2. His use of this passage about the people who had lived in darkness having seen a great light really resonates with Christians.
There was probably another very practical reason for Jesus relocating. John the Baptist had been arrested by Herod Antipas. Herod didn't like trouble-making preachers, and probably had a special distaste for anyone closely associated with the Baptist. Jesus had begun his public ministry by being baptized by John and--as the Gospel of Matthew tells us--his preaching picked up right where John's left off. That would have probably made him a person of interest in Herod's eyes and a good candidate for arrest. If Jesus had remained in Nazareth, he'd have been deep inside Herod's territory. Capernaum, on the other hand, sat on the north shore of Lake Galilee and offered a quick escape route if Jesus needed one. A quick boat ride would have carried him out of Herod's jurisdiction.
It's on the shores of Galilee that Jesus calls his first disciples, two sets of brothers: Simon and Andrew, and James and John, the sons of Zebedee. It's a mysterious scene as the young teacher walks along the shore and tells them to come with him to become "fishers of men." The men, without question, drop their nets and follow, abandoning their family business and their only means of livelihood.
I've seen several explanations for this, including a wonderful reflection by emergent pastor Rob Bell in his video, "Dust." Bell explains that Jewish society of Jesus' day had a rigorous educational screening process. Every family wanted their sons to become a rabbi, but most flunked out fairly early in the process and were left in dead-end jobs like laborers or fishermen. In other words, the people Jess was calling to be his disciples--the successors in training to a charismatic rabbi--were failures. Their dreams of reaching that sort of prestige had been crushed long ago. When Jesus called them, it was like a resurrection of their hopes and dreams.
I find this compelling because bringing new life to people who life had left behind was central to Jesus' ministry. He reached out in unqualified love to all the people his culture rejected and marginalized; it only makes sense that he would choose people considered "losers" as his leadership team. Kind of like this bit of humor that's been around for a few years.
Jordan Management Consultants
Jesus, son of Joseph
Nazareth, Galilee
Dear Sir,
Thank you for submitting the résumés of the 12 men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken a battery of tests and we have run them through our computers. It is the staffs’ opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, educational and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would suggest that you continue your search for persons with experience and proven capability.
Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper.
Andrew has no leadership skills at all.
The two brothers, James and John, place personal interest above company loyalty.
Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.
We feel that it is our duty to inform you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.
James and Thaddeus have radical leanings and registered high manic-depressive scores.
Only one of the candidates shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness who meets people well and has a keen business mind. He has contacts in high places and is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your comptroller and right-hand man.
We wish you every success in your new venture.
Sincerely yours,
Jordan Management Consultants
Jerusalem, Judea
The passage goes on to give a description of Jesus' ministry, which was talking about God's Kingdom and doing things to show what that Kingdom was like. When Jesus used the phrase "God's Kingdom" or "Kingdom of Heaven" he was talking about a world in which people made their first loyalty to God rather than to government, or culture, or religion. I won't say a lot about it here because chapter 5 begins a long section on just what the Kingdom is.
One thing I will say is that Jesus' healings really illustrate what life in the Kingdom is supposed to be like. In his day, people with illnesses--whether physical, mental or emotional--were considered unclean and were effectively shunned. In fact, many went so far as to say that anyone with an illness was being punished by God for being a sinner. The poor were often neglected or mistreated, and people could be shunned for offending the morals of their community in any number of ways. I'll get more detailed in later chapters, but suffice to say, you didn't want to be different or have problems in the world of Jesus' day. You'd be treated very badly and very unfairly.
But Jesus' ministry was all about moving past those differences. He touched the people who were considered untouchable, loved the people who were considered unlovable, and forgave the people who were considered unforgivable. He removed the barriers that kept them from taking part in family and community by healing, forgiving, and accepting.
Not surprisingly, people loved this, especially the poor, the sick, and outcasts of every kind. They flocked to Capernaum to hear his words and be touched by him. And that sets the stage for Jesus teachings, which are bundled together in Matthew as the Sermon on the Mount.
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