Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of his public ministry. After spending 30 years in Nazareth, he goes to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist (Mark 1:9). Immediately after his baptism, Jesus spends 40 days in the desert, fasting and resisting Satan’s temptations.
When John the Baptist is imprisoned, Jesus returns to Galilee and begins to preach the gospel (“good news”) of the kingdom (Mark 1:14). His message is simple and can be summed up like this: “Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
I am intrigued by the fact that Jesus returned to Galilee to begin his preaching ministry. Why didn’t he stay in the southern part of Israel? Why not spend your time where most people were: in Jerusalem, the political and religious capital of Israel?
There are at least three reasons why Jesus returned to Galilee.
1. To fulfill prophecy.
Matthew, the converted tax collector, makes good use of the many Old Testament predictions about the Messiah. He points out that when Jesus returned to Galilee, he first went to Nazareth, his hometown. But apparently he does not stay long in Nazareth: “Leaving Nazareth, he went and dwelt in Capernaum, which was by the lake (the Sea of Galilee) in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali” (Matthew 4:13). And why does Jesus go to Capernaum? Answer: “so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled” (Matthew 4:14). Matthew then cites Isaiah 9:1-2, which says that one day God will honor the region of Galilee with the presence of the Messiah, an area that was frowned upon by southern Jews due to the influx of Gentiles living there.
It will be in “Galilee of the Gentiles” that “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light; on those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16). Jesus declared that he was “the light of the world” (John 8:12). And some 700 years before his arrival, Isaiah foretold that Jesus the Messiah would shine his light in Galilee.
2. To find your followers.
A second reason for establishing his ministry in Galilee is that Jesus had a plan to train a small group of disciples to carry on his work after his death. He knew that he was on a divine calendar: three years of public ministry followed by his death, resurrection, and ascension. When you think about it, it’s not really a long time, humanly speaking. And he knew it would be critical to spend as much time as possible during those three short years with men he personally trained to continue what he started.
And where would you find the best candidates for such a project? In Capernaum, because this is where four fishermen lived and worked. Peter and Andrew, James and John, two groups of brothers who spent their days fishing together on the Sea of Galilee, these common laborers would become the inner circle of the men Christ thought would be his apostles.
Jesus had already spent time with at least three of these four fishermen near the Jordan River. These men were disciples of John the Baptist and the forerunner of Jesus had introduced them to Jesus. The book of the Apostle John tells us about this encounter (see John 1:35-42).
So I believe that Jesus came to Capernaum to find these four fishermen and call them into the full-time ministry, which he does in Mark 1:16-20.
3. To emphasize the universal goal of the gospel.
Yes, Jesus was the Messiah, the King of the Jews. But he was also King of kings and Lord of lords. He came not only to save his people Israel, but all peoples. He is calling men, women and children of all nations to follow him. The gospel is for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. And spending time in “Galilee of the Gentiles” shows us the universal purpose of Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost of every tongue.
Throughout the gospel accounts, we see Jesus interacting with all kinds of people: rich and poor, educated and uneducated, just and unjust. He came to offer salvation to all by giving his life on the cross “as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45). After the resurrection, his parting words to the disciples were to carry out this mission by preaching the good news “to all creation” (Mark 16:15) and making disciples of “all nations” (Matthew 28: 19). And so we must continue to do what Jesus demonstrated so clearly in Galilee: as our Master, we must share the gospel with all peoples, Jew and Gentile alike.