Jesus Begins to Preach in Galilee (Matthew 4:12–17)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 14 (on Matthew 4:12–17) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.XIV.html

On why He withdraws when He hears that John is delivered up:

Again instructing us not to go to meet temptations, ... but to give place and withdraw ourselves. For it is no reproach, the not casting one's self into danger, but the failing to stand manfully when fallen into it.

On the great light, and the shadow of death:

For that thou mightest learn that neither the light nor the darkness which he speaks of are sensible, in discoursing of the light, he called it not merely light, but "a great light" ... and in describing the darkness, he termed it, "a shadow of death."

On the light springing up of itself, and not first sought by men:

Then implying that they did not of themselves seek and find, but that God showed Himself to them from above, he saith to them, "Light is sprung up;" that is, the light of itself sprang up and shone forth: it was not that they first ran to the light.

On those who did not merely walk, but sat, in darkness:

Since they more than "walked in darkness;" they "sat in darkness;" a kind of sign that they did not even hope to be delivered.

On why He did not preach until John was cast into prison:

For this cause, neither did He preach before John, nor did He work miracles, until John was cast into prison; lest in this way the multitude should be divided.

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St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (on Luke 4:14–15) Source: trans. R. Payne Smith, Library of Fathers, 1859. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_luke_02_sermons_12_25.htm

On "Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee":

Having therefore mightily prevailed over Satan, and having crowned in His own person man's nature with the spoils won by the victory over him, He returned unto Galilee in the power of the Spirit, both exercising might and authority, and performing very many miracles, and occasioning great astonishment.

On His working miracles as the true Son of the Father, and not by a gift from without:

And He wrought miracles, not as having deceived the grace of the Spirit from without and as a gift, like the company of the saints, but rather as being by nature and in truth the Son of God the Father, and taking whatever is His as His own proper inheritance.

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St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 4:15–17) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.iv.html

On the great light, not faint like the Prophets' but the light of the world:

the people who either sat, or walked in darkness, have seen light, and that not a faint light, as the light of the Prophets, but a great light, as of Him who in the Gospel speaks thus, "I am the light of the world."

On the difference between death and the shadow of death:

Between death and the shadow of death I suppose this difference; death is said of such as have gone down to the grave with the works of death; the shadow of such as live in sin, and have not yet departed from this world; these may, if they will, yet turn to repentance.

On the mystical sense, that the Gospel begins where the Law leaves off:

Mystically interpreted, Christ begins to preach as soon as John was delivered to prison, because when the Law ceased, the Gospel commenced.

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Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

The Harmony of the Gospels, Book II (on Matthew 4:12) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.iv.html

On the days that intervened between the calling John records and the return into Galilee the other Evangelists relate:

John relates in his Gospel the calling of Peter, Andrew, and Nathanael, and the miracle of Cana, before Jesus' departure into Galilee; all these things the other Evangelists have omitted, carrying on the thread of their narrative with Jesus' return into Galilee. We must understand then that some days intervened, during which the things took place concerning the calling of the disciples which John relates.

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Remigius (c. 841–908)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 4:13–17) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.iv.html

(Remigius of Auxerre is a later Western compiler; his Gospel comment survives in public-domain English only through the Catena.)

On leaving Nazareth to preach where He might do the most good, an example to all preachers:

He left one, viz. Nazareth, that He might enlighten more by His preaching and miracles. Thus leaving an example to all preachers that they should preach at a time and in places where they may do good, to as many as possible.

On the kingdom that is at hand being the kingdom of heaven, not an earthly one:

And note, He does not say the kingdom of the Canaanite, or the Jebusite, is at hand ... The law promised worldly goods, but the Lord heavenly kingdoms.