Big Idea: Jesus announces the arrival of God’s kingdom by preaching and healing and calls disciples to follow in his mission.

Understanding the Text

This passage begins a new section of Matthew’s story of Jesus in which Jesus begins to minister to the people of Israel in the area of Galilee (as signaled by the narrative formula at 4:17; 16:21). The inaugural message of Jesus—“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (4:17)—is identical to John’s earlier preaching (3:2). Jesus’ preaching of the kingdom’s arrival is coupled with healing and teaching (4:23) and draws large crowds (4:25) as well as particular disciples (4:18–22). With the invitation to four fishermen, Jesus begins his reconstitution of Israel’s twelve tribes by calling twelve disciples, or apostles, who are to minist…