Articles from Biblical Horizons

No. 22: Galilee of the Gentiles

1991-02-01 00:02:45 Peter J. Leithart

BIBLICAL Horizons, No. 22 February, 1991 Copyright 1991, Biblical Horizons Matthew records that Jesus
"withdrew" to Galilee to begin His public ministry there after He "heard that John had been delivered up"
(Mt. 4:12). Matthew's typically matter-of-fact style veils the truly remarkable character of Jesus'
withdrawal. Matthew has been presenting Jesus as the Messiah, the Seed of Abraham and Son of David
(1:1, 16), Immanuel (1:23), the King of the Jews (2:2), God's Son (2:15; 3:17; 4:3, 6), the One who
baptizes with the Spirit and fire (3:11ff.) -- in sum, as the fulfillment of all the Old Testament types and
prophecies. Yet, this Messiah spends a large part of His life in Galilee, Galilee of the Gentiles (4:15). The
area known as Galilee was part of the land conquered under the leadership of Joshua, and was given to
the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. In the 8th century B.C., the land was invaded by the Assyrians, many of
the inhabitants were taken into exile, and the region was repopulated with Gentiles. Despite an attempt in
the second century B.C. to forcibly circumcise and convert the populace, it remained a religiously and
ethnically mixed province. It was here that Jesus chose to concentrate at the beginning of His public
ministry. How could this be? Can anything good come out of Galilee? Matthew, writing as he apparently
was for a Jewish audience, had to defend Jesus' movements from the Old Testament Scriptures. He had
to show that Jesus' Galilean ministry itself was a fulfillment of prophecy. That is the purpose of Matthew's
quotation from Isaiah 9:1 in Matthew 4:15-16; these verses show that the Messiah was to be a light among
the Gentiles of the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali. But, as usual, Matthew's use of the Old Testament
raises difficult questions for the modern reader. True, Isaiah 9:1 mentions the land of Zebulun and
Naphtali, but Isaiah 9:1 does not say anything about the Messiah's traveling and living in that region. This
objection can be answered rather simply. The Messiah is, after all, the true light (Jn. 1:9), and was
expected to be a light specifically to the Gentiles (Lk. 2:32). In addition, Isaiah is obviously looking ahead to
the coming Messiah in 9:6-7. Messianic prophecy is never far from his mind. It is, therefore, appropriate
for Matthew to use Isaiah's prophecy to justify Jesus' movements into the land of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Perhaps, however, we can establish a deeper connection between prophecy and fulfillment. A look at the
context of Isaiah 9 reveals that it is first of all a prophecy of Israel's deliverance from the Assyrian
oppression. The Lord promises to break the yoke of the oppressor through a bloody battle. The birth of the
Child is prophesied in connection with this battle; this Child would become a mighty warrior to deliver
Israel from her oppressors. What does this context have to do with Jesus' ministry in Galilee? In what
sense is Jesus' withdrawal into Galilee the fulfillment of a prophecy about the deliverance of Israel from
Assyria? In order to understand this connection, we need to recall the context in Matthew's gospel. Jesus'
withdrawal took place immediately after His temptation (4:1-11). Jesus, the Last Adam and the True Israel,
was victorious in His conflict with Satan. The temptation was the beginning of Jesus' campaign to conquer
the enemy of His people, to deliver them from the slavery that God had justly imposed upon them because
of their sins. Thus, His withdrawal to Galilee follows on His triumph over the oppressor. Having dealt an
initial defeat to Satan, Jesus went into Galilee to announce His victory, and the coming fulness of the
kingdom. Jesus' conquest of Satan was the reality of which the Lord's conquest of Assyria was the dim
shadow.

Theosniglets & Theoneologisms

Abominomianism - n. hatred of God's law. Abominomy - n. hatred of either (a) Theonomists, followers of
Greg Bahnsen, or (b) theonomists, those advocating any kind of contemporary societal application of
Biblical law. Abdominomy - n. the result of the implementation of Jeremiah 15:16. Ecclesiolupe -- n. a
Church wolf (Acts 20:29). Ecclesiolupus -- n. the generic term for Church wolves. Ecclesiolupine -- adj.
wolfish behavior in the Church. Ecclesiolupinicity -- n.the phenomenon of wolfing in the Church.
Logogogue -- n. a demagogue skilled at manipulating the meanings of words. Minimillennialism - n. the
theory of Max King and others that the millennium lasted only forty years, from A.D. 30-70.
Micromillennialism - n. the theory that the millennium is the Day of the Lord and happens all at once when
Christ returns. Peribwzw (Peribozo) -- vb. Greek: "to clown around." Povert -- n. person who spends
money on televisions, videocassette recorders, rental videos, and Nintendo games, but who owns no auto
insurance and does not provide adequately for his family. Cf. also Poversion (n.) , Poverted (adj.).