The Bible Study Podcast, episode 413.

Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the gospel of Matthew with chapter 4.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen.

We ended last week with chapter 4 in verse 11 at the end of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. And today in

verse 12, Jesus begins to preach. When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew

to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Copernum, which was by the lake

in the area of Zebulun and Naftali, to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah,

land of Zebulun and land of Naftali, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the

Gentiles, 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. From that time on, Jesus began to preach,

repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near. It's interesting that Jesus hears about John's

death and leaves. He withdraws to Galilee, and begins his public ministry,

and in Matthew's version, he begins with the same words as John.

Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.

You could see why, if that's going to be his message, it might be good to get out of town

since John has been put in prison, and John has been put in prison and John has been put in prison

because he was preaching against the behavior of the king, against the behavior of the son

of Herod the Great. You remember we talked about Herod the Great and this is one of those sons

where the acorn did not fall far from the tree. He was sleeping with his brother's wife and John

called him out on it, and

will lose his life eventually because of it. But Jesus goes to Copernum, and we'll hear a lot about

Copernum in the gospel counts, as Jesus is doing a lot of his ministry in Copernum, in Cana,

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