Monday 19th January
Read Matthew 4:12-17
“When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali – 14 to fulfil what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 ‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles –
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.’
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’” (NIVUK)
As we near the end of the birth narrative of Jesus and the mission of John the baton is being passed. We see that in the frame that Matthew has placed around these verses today. Jesus heard that John was captured, a narrative Matthew won’t return to for many chapters, and He then deliberately moved and from that time preached a message that is the echo of John’s. He picked up the torch John had held aloft and called people to repent for the kingdom of the skies had bowed to earth.
John was not simply warming the crowd up for Jesus. We need to consider John’s message closely if only because Matthew tells us that Jesus began His ministry with John’s message. There is no doubt that Jesus will fill full John’s message in ways John himself may not have grasped. But Matthew is telling us that Jesus will fill it full. Throughout these early narratives Matthew has shown how Jesus fills full to overflowing not just John’s message, but the message of all the prophets before him.
Have you been meditating on the fullness of the message? Are you passing the baton, the good news, onto others in a way that helps them see fully and clearly?
