ESV Study Bible | English Standard Version
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Matt. 4:1–25 Jesus the Messiah Begins to Advance the Messianic Kingdom. Jesus triumphs over the devil in the wilderness (vv. 1–11), proclaims the kingdom of God (vv. 12–17), and calls disciples to follow him (vv. 18–22).
Matt. 4:12–25 Jesus the Messiah Begins His Galilean Ministry. The duration of Jesus' ministry has traditionally been thought to have been three years: a year of obscurity, a year of popularity, and a year of increasing rejection. Matthew and the other Synoptic Gospels (Mark and Luke) largely omit discussing the first, obscure year, but it is recounted in John's Gospel (cf. John 1–4).
Matt. 4:23 The Galilee region had a population of about 300,000 in 200 or more villages and towns, with no major cities in the area. Jesus' ministry included teaching disciples and those already familiar with his message, proclaiming truth to those unfamiliar with the message, and healing physical, emotional, and spiritual infirmities. Healing of every disease and every affliction gives an amazing foretaste of the age to come, where there will be no more disease (1 Cor. 15:42–43; Phil. 3:21; Rev. 21:4). Jesus combined ministry that met people's physical needs with ministry to their minds and hearts (proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom). On synagogues, see note on Luke 4:16 and The Synagogue and Jewish Worship.
