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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
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Gospel text (Mt 4:12-23): When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men...”

Beginning of Jesus’ Public Ministry

EDITORIAL TEAM evangeli.net (based on texts by Benedict XVI) (Città del Vaticano, Vatican)

Today, Matthew offers us a brief account of Jesus’ first performance in His public life, in which Galilee is distinctly mentioned as the "Galilee of the pagans"; as the place announced by the prophets (cf. Is 8.23; 9.1) where a "great light" will appear. Thus, Matthew reacts to the surprise of the Savior not coming from Jerusalem and Judea. From the very beginning, Matthew resorts to the Old Testament to discern even the ostensibly most insignificant details in favor of Jesus.

In the first place, there is the synopsis of the essential contents of Jesus’ preaching that desires to give a synthetic clue of His message: "Repent for the Kingdom (sovereignty) of Heaven has come near”. Then comes the choosing of the Twelve, with which Jesus Christ announces and starts up the renewal of the people of the twelve tribes, the new Israel convocation.

—In a few lines, Matthew, outlines before his listeners a first image of the figure and work of Jesus.