Notes and discussion questions from Period 9 of the Life of Jesus: The Beginning of the Great Galilean Ministry.
Reading
- Matt. 4:12-17
- Luke 4:14-30, 5:1-10a
- Matt. 4:18-22
- Luke 5:10b-11
- Mark 1:21-38Matt. 4:23-25
- Mark 1:40-2:12
Jesus travels to Capernaum
- Jesus leaves Nazareth for Galilee, staying in Capernaum.
- News of Jesus spread throughout the surrounding region.
- Jesus taught in their synagogues and was glorified by everyone. From this time Jesus began to preach, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Jesus travels to Nazareth
- Jesus read Isa. 49:8-9 in the synagogue on the Sabbath day
- People were shocked, saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
- The people got so angry at Jesus they threw Him out of the town and attempted to kill Him by throwing Him off the cliff but He escaped.
- What specifically made the people of Nazareth angry enough to try and kill Jesus?
Jesus travels to Galilee
(note: the exact order of events recorded in Luke 4:31-5:11 and Mark 1:14-39 are uncertain.)
- Jesus taught a multitude beside the Sea of Galilee. They thronged Him to the point that He got into Peter’s fishing boat and had Peter put out a little from the land. He taught from the boat.
- After Jesus finished speaking He told Peter to launch out into the deep and put his net down for a catch. Peter reluctantly agreed and hauled in so many fish that the nets were breaking.
- James, John, Andrew and Peter left their stuff (and Zebedee) behind and followed Jesus.
Jesus, Peter, Andrew, James and John travel to Capernaum
- Jesus taught the people about the Sabbaths.
- Jesus casts out a demon in the synagogue.
- Word of Jesus spread into every place in the region.
- Jesus went to Peter’s house and healed his mother-in-law who was sick with a fever.
- After sunset people brought Jesus the sick and demon-possessed and Jesus healed them and cast out the demons.
- The next morning Jesus got up before sunrise and found a deserted place and prayed.
- What lessons can we learn from the importance Jesus placed on prayer?
- Why is it helpful to find a deserted place to pray? Do you practice this today?
- Peter and a crowd of others found Jesus and tried to keep Him from leaving their city but Jesus persisted.
Jesus travels around Galilee
- Jesus travels throughout Galilee preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.
- Jesus’ fame spread throughout Syria and great multitudes followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond the Jordan River.
- Jesus healed a leper and told him not to tell anyone, however, the leper told everyone.
- It got so bad that Jesus couldn’t openly enter the city, but instead stayed in deserted places. People came to Him from every direction.
Jesus travels to Capernaum
- People heard Jesus was in a house and a crowd so large assembled that there was no more room. Jesus preached the word of GOD to them.
- Jesus forgave the sins of a paralytic man whose friends lowered him down through the roof. Some scribes were sitting there reasoning in their hearts that Jesus was blaspheming, and Jesus, perceiving this, healed the paralytic.
- Why would it be difficult for scribes – those who knew the Law – to properly understand who Jesus was?
- What was the primary problem the scribes and Pharisees had?
