Mt 4:12 Therefore, Matthew, taking his beginning from the works of Christ which occurred after the imprisonment of John, added: "But when Jesus heard" from John's own disciples (which, however, he most certainly foreknew), namely that John had been handed over by God permissively into the hand of Herod Antipas, and by Herod into the hand of his servants, that they might imprison John because he had reproved the illicit marriage and Herodias, "he withdrew into Galilee," that is, he distanced himself from the place where John was captured, yielding to Herod's fury lest he be killed by him, according to Chrysostom—not that he feared death, but that he might suffer at a more opportune time, and also that he might give an example of fleeing when it is not profitable to appear.
Mt 4:13 "And leaving the city of Nazareth," in which he was conceived and nurtured, "he came and dwelt in the city called Capernaum by the sea," that is, situated above the Sea of Gennesaret, on whose shore were situated Capernaum, Tiberias, Bethsaida, and Chorazin, cities pertaining to the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali; therefore it is added "in the borders," that is, in the lot or territories of Zebulun and Naphtali, namely of the two tribes, to one of which Capernaum pertained. Whence Christ, dwelling in Capernaum, dwelt in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, that is, the borders and cities of the Jews descended from the tribe and seed of Zebulun and Naphtali, "of the sea," that is, in which there is a common way.
Mt 4:14 "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet: 'Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, which is the way'" by which merchandise is carried from the Jordan to the Mediterranean, "'beyond the Jordan,'" that is, by which way one goes beyond the Jordan, extending in it as far as the Jordan, "'Galilee of the Gentiles,'" that is, near which is Galilee of the Gentiles, that is, that province which in Kings we read Solomon gave to Hiram king of Tyre, to whom he gave twenty towns in Galilee. And because Hiram was a Gentile, part of Galilee was called Galilee of the Gentiles, which Hiram himself called the land of Cabul. Or thus: "The way of the sea, beyond the Jordan" is the way by which one goes from the aforementioned sea to the Jordan of Galilee of the Gentiles. This land therefore is called "the way" because there was a public way in it.
Mt 4:15-16 But what is principally understood by the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, he adds: "'The people who walked in darkness,'" that is, the inhabitants of these lands who lived in the darkness of ignorance, perfidy, and sin, "'saw a great light,'" namely Christ, who says, "I am the light of the world." The evangelist's quotation is truncated; while striving for brevity, he introduced obscurity. For fuller understanding, therefore, it should be known that in Isaiah it is said thus: "In the first time the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali was lightened, and made heavy was the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked," etc., as it is now quoted. The sense therefore is: "In the first time," that is, in the evangelical preaching made by Christ, "the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali was lightened," that is, the inhabitants of these [lands], namely those born of Zebulun and Naphtali, who for the greater part were transported and captured long before Christ's advent; some, however, remained, of whom we speak. These therefore were lightened and relieved in spirit from the yoke of the devil and the servitude of sin. For in these places Jesus began to perform signs and many believed in him. "And in the last [time]," that is, around the end of Christ's preaching, "was made heavy the way of the sea," that is, this people dwelling in these lands was burdened with vices, the heart returning to vomit and rejecting Christ's teaching. Whence the Savior reproaches these cities, saying, "Woe to you, Bethsaida, woe to you, Chorazin," etc.
"This people who walked in darkness saw a great light," for they saw with their eyes and understood Christ's teaching. "To those sitting," that is, living, remaining "in the region of the shadow of death," that is, in a land full of sins, which are the shadow of death because they hide the light of grace and make [one] close to eternal death, "the light of Christian truth has risen."
Mt 4:17 "From that time," that is, after the handing over of John and the dwelling in Capernaum, "he began to preach" manifestly and as if continuously—though he had also begun before—"and to say: 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Such was also the beginning of John's preaching, whose [message] the Savior, wishing to confirm and show that he himself is the one about whom John testified, began in a similar way. These words have been explained above.
Mt 4:18 "But Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee"—which by another name is called Gennesaret and was a great lake—spiritually [walking] in their office, according to Jerome, but it is called "sea" according to the custom of the Hebrew idiom, [whereby] they name any great congregation of waters "sea." "He saw two," namely "Simon, who is called by another name Peter," that is, "firm," "and Cephas," that is, "principal," which two names [Jesus] imposed on him, "and Andrew his brother," who was a disciple of John, "casting their [net] into the sea that they might catch fish, for they were fishermen"—which office indeed signified that through the catching of fish, [there would be] the catching of rational fish in this great, spacious sea, flowing down, as it were, of men, by the net of heavenly words.
Mt 4:19 "And he said to them: 'Come after me,'" that is, of body and also of the virtues of the soul, denying and deserting yourselves that you may seize the palm of evangelical perfection, "'and I will make you become,'" that is, I will constitute you through grace and virtue, "'fishers of men,'" that is, of diverse peoples within one Church through the spreading of doctrine over them, just as fish are gathered by a net within one boat. By the net therefore is signified the word of preaching; by the boat, the Church; by the sea, the world; by the fisherman, the teacher and preacher; by fishing, [the action] by which diverse [people] are spiritually gathered in the same faith, hope, and charity. According to this similitude the Lord says: "Behold, I will send many fishers, and they shall fish them" (Jer. 16:16).
Mt 4:20 "But they immediately, leaving their nets" and the other things they had, according to what Peter [says] elsewhere: "Behold, we have left all things," "followed him" in mind and body.
The calling of these disciples was threefold. First, to a simple acquaintance, which is described in John. For when [Andrew] heard from his master, John the Baptist, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world," as John pointed to Christ, he followed Jesus and brought his brother to him. There also is described the calling of Philip and Nathanael.
The second calling was to intimacy, described in Luke, when, having seen the miraculous catch of fish, [Peter] fell at the knees of Jesus, saying, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." At that time, they left everything for a while, but later returned to fishing as they had done before.
The third calling was to the apostleship, when they left everything permanently; and this is what is described here. These two [latter] callings were presented to John and James, the sons of Zebedee, at the same time as Peter and Andrew.
The Calling of James and John
Mt 4:21-22 Wherefore it is now added: And going on from there—that is, Jesus, moving a little further—saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending—that is, repairing and improving—their nets, and he called them. Perhaps he used the same words he said to Peter and Andrew, namely: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." John and James were blood relatives of Christ, namely sons of the sister of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They immediately, having left their nets and their father Zebedee, followed him with a devoted and prompt heart. Many report—and Jerome and Bede seem to hold this view—that this John was the bridegroom at whose wedding Christ turned water into wine, and that Christ then called him to his discipleship so that he never knew his bride; thus John would have been called three times by Christ.
The Ministry in Galilee
Mt 4:23 And Jesus went about with his disciples through all Galilee, going from one city to another, teaching in their synagogues—that is, in houses set apart for the worship of God and religious matters. For although the Jews had only one Temple in which they offered sacrifices according to the Law, nevertheless individual cities had a synagogue where they gathered at appointed hours to praise God, to read from the Law and the Prophets, and for teaching, praying, and hearing wholesome things.
And he preached the Gospel of the Kingdom—that is, the doctrine of the new law and of grace, in which the heavenly kingdom is proposed as a reward, which he taught was drawing near and would soon be provided in himself.
The Necessity of Miracles
For his teaching surpassed the Mosaic and prophetic doctrine, because the doctrine of Christ was new and supernatural, transcending all human reason and proposing invisible goods. It was necessary for it to be confirmed by miracles, as arguments of divine truth and the seals of God, so that it might be known that he who preached such things was true and sent by God.
Just as natural truth is proven through first principles and through reasons deduced from first principles by way of conclusions, so the truth of faith is strengthened by miraculous works possible only to God. Thus it is shown to be from God, who cannot be a confirmer or witness of falsehood. Therefore the Savior says: "The works which the Father gave me bear witness of me."
Healing the Sick
Hence, having described Christ’s new and admirable doctrine (which is introduced further below), the text adds regarding his miracles: and healing every lingering sickness—whether grave or naturally incurable—and every infirmity—even those curable by art or natural means, such as the blindness of Tobit—among the people who humbly approached him for a remedy.
However, he does not seem to have healed absolutely everyone who was sick in Judea or Galilee, since his disciples after the Resurrection healed many sick people in Judea and Galilee who had been infirm before the Passion of Christ.
CONTINUE
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