Biblical commentary on the New Testament - The Christian ...

286 Matthew IV. 12-16.
nite as those to time ; particularly in Matthew. At the very beginning
of this section (iv. 12) this Evangelist does indeed transfer the scene
to Galilee and Capernaum ; hut we cannot infer thence, that Matthew
knew nothing of Christ's extending his labours beyond the
limits of G-alilee, till his last journey to Jerusalem; for it cannot
possibly be demonstrated where the separate events recorded by
Matthew took place, since paying but slight regard to time and
place, he arranges all according to certain general features.* Though
it is probable, therefore, that as a Galilean, he narrates especially
what took place in Galilee, yet his narrative assumes so general a
form (see from ix. 35 onwards ; x. 1 ; xi. 1, 2, 7 ; xii. 19 ; xv. 22),
that it may refer equally well to events in Judea and in Galilee.
Yer. 13.—After intimating, in general terras, that the Saviour
selected Galilee as the chief scene of his ministry, Matthew in-
forms us that not Nazareth, the dwelling-place of his parents, but
Capernaum, became the centre of his labours. {Ka-epvaovn, more
correctly Kacpagvaovjx = ci^tii nss, vicics consolationis. It lay on the
lake of Gennesaret [hence called T^aQadaXaaaia, see John vi, 17], on
the border of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, in the neighbourhood
of Bethsaida, not far from the mouth of the river Jordan.)
There is no reason assigned here for his leaving Nazareth ; but, ac-
cording to Luke iv. 16-30, it was the unbehef of its inhabitants that
constrained our Lord to withdraw his blessed influence from these
ungrateful people. The parallels to this narrative in Luke do not
occur tin Matth. xiii. 54, ff. ; Mark vi. 1, £f. ; and the same cure,
which Luke places immediately subsequent to the occurrence at
Nazareth, Mark (i. 21) transposes quite to the commencement.
Although we think it highly probable, therefore, that Luke has
placed the occurrence at Nazareth in a more correct chronological
order, we prefer to postpone the exposition of the passage till we
come to Matth. xiii. 54, ff. For we should not think ourselves jus-
tified in departing from our plan of following Matthew in this
part of the Gospel-history, unless it could be proved (as it certainly
cannot) that Luke iv. 16, ff., is to be understood of a much earher,
and Matth. xiii. 54, ff., of a second, and much later, visit of Jesus to
Nazareth.
Ver. 14-16.—Even the choice of these districts the Evangelist
does not regard as accidental, but recognizes in it the fulfilment
of a prophecy of Isaiah (viii. 22, ix. 1.) The passage quoted
contains the prediction, that the light of the Messiah will be mani-
fested with the greatest splendour in the most despised regions of
Palestine. (Micah v. 2 is similar.) Moreover, Matthew gives the
passage abbreviated, and specifies only the names of the tribes of
* For a more complete discussion ou this subject, see the author's programmes on the
amlienticity of Matthew.