Those Important First Steps

Matthew 4:12-17

As we pass through life, we make mistakes … we make some bad choices … we take some wrong roads, encountering some huge obstacles … and come to some dead ends. Many of us have had to say, “I must get a fresh start, make a new beginning, find a new direction”. Thank God, many of us have, indeed, had that opportunity. Hopefully, others will as well.

Whenever that happens, those first steps are so important. Those first steps often determine the direction, the pace, and even the success of the journey.

This Gospel passage offers us some helpful insight into our path to salvation, taking the right first steps in a fresh start toward a deeper life with God as well as those new starts we make in day-to-day living. These are the first steps which Jesus took as He began His earthly ministry.

Please read the passage and note how carefully our Lord ordered these first steps: where He went and what it meant. He had just returned from a 40-day retreat in the wilderness where He had been tempted by the devil. He then heard the news that His forerunner, John, had been imprisoned. It was now time for His work to begin, so …

1. He departed to Galilee (Matthew 4:12)
   • “Galilee” has the meaning of “rolling, revolving, turning as in a circle”.
   • The area of Galilee had been dominated by many nations, non-Jews, for many generations, but had converted to Judaism in the 2^nd Century BC. The people there were considered second class by the Jews of Judea.
   • We may see this as depicting the cycle of history and coming around to the time when the Son of God left His eternal heavenly throne to enter into our time.
   • We may also understand this as a picture of life, trapped on turning wheels, revolving doors, and never-ending circles. St. John Chrysostom describes it as “man rolling down in sin”.
2. He went to Nazareth (Matthew 4:13)
   • “Nazareth” means “a place of consecration, purity”, from “nazir”. The Nazarites took vows of purity, consecrated to God, among whom were Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist.
   • It was in Nazareth where the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus. There, also, our Lord would grow “in wisdom and statute”. By His presence, Nazareth would truly become a place of consecration.
   • Upon leaving (vs. 13), Christ would be showing us how He left the consecrated place with His Father to come to us. Yes, later, He would leave Nazareth again because, due to their unbelief, He could do no mighty works there.
3. He came and dwelt in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13)
   • “Capernaum” means “a village of consolation, rest, peace”.
   • Here we may remember the words of the prophet Isaiah, “His name shall Wonderful Counselor …… Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). While there in Capernaum, He began preaching in the synagogue, He called His first disciples, He healed Peter’s mother-in-law and the paralytic lowered through the roof of His own home!
   • However, He also brought a dreadful word of judgement because they would not repent, “it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgement that for you” (Matthew 11:24).
4. Although this journey does not continue beyond Capernaum, we are reminded that all this occurred in the regions of Zebulon and Naphtali.
   • “Zebulon” means “habitation, to dwell together”.
   • “Naphtali” means “twisting, struggle, wrestling.”
   • These regions have a history of promise and expectation. They were blessed by Jacob and by Moses; they were established by Joshua when he divided the land among the tribes. However, they did not drive out the Canaanites as commanded nor did they turn from the idol worship they embraced 800 years before Christ. After that, they never recovered.
   • Still, it was in the region of Zebulon where Jesus dwelled, found His first disciples, fed the 5000, blessed the children; He made it His home.
   • Likewise, in the region of Naphtali Jesus encountered the demoniacs, storms at sea, dishonor, and rejection from His own people in Nazareth.
   • These were the regions referred to as, “The people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the region of the shadow of death Light has dawned” (Matthew 4:16).

Now, what might this mean for us, those first steps of our Lord so many years ago? In taking these well-planned steps, Jesus fully identified with us, His beloved people, took our adversities and hardships upon Himself so that we could find redemption, forgiveness, and healing through Him. Glory be to God!

Some of us may be:

• in Galilee, going in circles, but getting nowhere, still rolling down in sin.
• in Nazareth, desiring purity but living in unbelief and rejecting His presence.
• in Capernaum, longing for peace and consolation, but refusing to repent.
• in Zebulon, having made our home in darkness and resistant to change.
• in Naphtali, struggling, wrestling within ourselves against our passions and sins.

But dear friends, let us remember our Lord’s first steps. Jesus had been where we are, and He did not get ensnared in those traps. His first steps were sure and sound. So must it be with ours, following Him.

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (I Peter 2:21).

Grace and peace to you all,

Fr. Andrew