Matthew 4:12

Public Ministry in Galilee

12 Now [when he] heard that John {had been arrested}, he withdrew into Galilee.

Matthew 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 4:12

Now, when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison,
&c.] John was cast into prison by Herod; the reason of it may be seen in ( Matthew 14:3 Matthew 14:4 ) . The prison into which he was cast, according to Josephus ^F19, was the castle of Machaeras: here he continued some time before he was put to death; for from hence he sent two disciples to Jesus, to know if he was the Messiah, ( Matthew 11:2 ) . Now when Jesus heard of this his imprisonment,

he departed into Galilee;
not so much on account of safety, or for fear of Herod, but to call his disciples, who lived in that country.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Antiq. l. 18. c. 7.

Matthew 4:12 In-Context

10 Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan, for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and began ministering to him.

12 Now [when he] heard that John {had been arrested}, he withdrew into Galilee.

13 And leaving Nazareth, he went [and] lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

14 in order that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("heard") which is understood as temporal
• [b]. Literally "had been handed over"