Matthew's text moves from one phase of Jesus' ministry into the next. For the past two chapters, Matthew has been busy stockpiling healing and miracle stories one after another in order to build an indisputable case for Jesus' divinity. Matthew's focus on the miracles has been so intense that there has been little said up to this point about the disciples who follow him and are witnesses to all these wondrous works.

Verses 35-38 serve, then, a transitional purpose. They offer a final summing up of Jesus' healing ministry while opening up a new line of discussion the mission and message that must continue to be spread throughout the land. Verse 35 nicely encapsulates the activities which had defined Jesus' own mission up to this point healing, teaching and preaching ("proclaiming the ... ki…