Christ's Third Tour of Galilee
AS WE have already seen, Jesus conducted three distinct tours of Galilee each of which covered approximately six months. The first of these occurred during the latter half of the first full year of His public-ministry. The two subsequent tours covered the second full year of His ministry.
Our Lord's Commission to the Twelve Disciples
In Luke 9:1-6 we have a record of our Lord's commissioning the twelve Apostles to perform the task of evangelizing Galilee. To them He gave power and authority over demons and the ability to effect cures of diseases. As they went forward, they were to preach the kingdom of God. They were to take nothing along for their journey because the workman is worthy of his hire. In the event that they went to a place that did not receive them they were to shake the dust from their feet "for a testimony against" it.
A person should study carefully the commission and the execution of the same as set forth in Matthew 10:1-33. Especially should he study Matthew 10:16-23. Upon such an investigation he will see here an application of the law of double reference--that principle of the prophetic word that presents two situations, similar in character, but separated from each other by a period of years. Thus our Lord blended His prophecy concerning the Apostles' evangelizing Israel with the evangelization in the end time of the nation by others who will proclaim the truth to the people who are now gathering back in Palestine.
Herod's Guilty Fears
The Apostles, as they went forth under the restricted, or limited, commission, wrought many miracles by the power conferred upon them by the Lord Jesus. The reports of these extraordinary occurrences reached Herod, who had beheaded John the Baptist something like twelve or more months before this time. His guilty conscience lashed him with abnormal fears. People had various ideas concerning Jesus. Some thought that He was Elijah or one of the old prophets who had risen from the dead. Herod said, "John I beheaded: but who is this, about whom I hear such things?" A guilty conscience needs no accuser, we are told. (A fuller account of Herod's perplexity is found in Matthew 14:1-12.)
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
In Luke 9:10-17 we have an account of Christ's feeding five thousand men, besides women and children. This occurred at Bethsaida, which was on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and which must be differentiated from Bethsaida on the west side, that was near Capernaum.
The occasion of our Lord's feeding this host of people was that they had followed Him to hear the Word of God. Those who needed healing were cured. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to Jesus and told Him to dismiss the multitude in order that they might go into the villages and buy provisions for the evening meal. Jesus told the Apostles for them to give the multitude something to eat. Of course, they did not have anything; but He said this, testing their faith by drawing out an expression from them. They answered Him: "We have no more than five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy food for all this people." Jesus said to them, "Make them sit down in companies, about fifty each." When they had sat down, He took the five loaves and two fishes, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, then broke the food, and distributed it to the Apostles, who in turn passed it out to the multitude. "And they ate, and were filled: and there was taken up that which remained over to them of broken pieces, twelve baskets."
The Lord gives us bread in the normal, natural way by means of the plant kingdom. The wheat plant comes up from the seed, grows, and develops during the growing season, drawing sustenance from the earth, the air, and the water, and deposits these various elements in the grain of wheat. The grain of wheat matures and is then harvested. This is the Lord's ordinary, usual way of providing bread for us today.
On this occasion, however, our Lord by His miraculous power brought together all these various elements that constitute the grain and caused it, by His mighty power, to pass through certain processes. The result was the real appearance of the actual, literal bread in the hands of the Apostles--as well as the fishes--so that they could hand the food out to the multitude. We might call this a "rush order" on account of the emergency. The One who created the universe, the One in whom we live, move, and have our continual being is able by His miraculous power to provide anything for us at any time--when it is consistent with His will and for the advancement of His cause and our spiritual welfare. (See the parallel account of this event in Matthew 14:13-21. The reader should differentiate the feeding of the five thousand, concerning which we have just studied, from the feeding of the four thousand, which occurred a little later on the southeast shores of the Sea of Galilee. See Matthew 15:32-39.)
Peter's Confession of the Lord Jesus
The feeding of the five thousand occurred at the time of the Passover, one year before the crucifixion (John, chapter 6). Immediately after the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus and the Twelve went northward to the region of Caesarea Philippi. At that time Jesus asked the Apostles, since they had been out on a preaching tour among the people and had doubtless heard expressions by the people concerning Him, what they were thinking and saying about Him as to His identity. They reported that some thought of Him as John the Baptist; others, as Elijah; and still others, as one of the prophets. When Jesus put the question to the Apostles as to what they thought about Him, Peter answered immediately, saying, "Thou art the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of the living God." (See Matthew 16:13-20.)
According to Luke's record, when Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah of God, the Lord Jesus commanded them that they should tell no one about who He was. He then made a prediction concerning His rejection by His people and His execution. But, according to this prediction, He would rise on the third day. Sometimes Jesus spoke of His being raised on the third day, whereas on other occasions He spoke of His rising after three days. The two expressions refer to the time that He was to be in the tomb. Literally, three days, or after three days, are not the same as on the third day. But the Jews were rather loose in their use of such expressions, using a fraction of a day and speaking of it as if it were a whole one. In this connection, Jesus began to urge His disciples to make up their minds to deny themselves, to take up their cross and to follow Him daily. Nothing is of any value if a man gain the whole world and lose his own life.
The Transfiguration
While Jesus and the Apostles were in the regions of Caesarea Philippi, He made a prediction that there were certain ones who were present, and who would not taste of death till they should see the kingdom of God (Luke 9:27; Matt 16:28; Mark 9:1).
About eight days after this Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him up into a very high mountain, which probably was Mount Hermon--snow-capped Hermon, which on bright days is clearly visible from various parts of Palestine. While Jesus was praying, the fashion of His countenance was altered and His raiment became white and dazzling. Then appeared two men talking with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, and who appeared in glory with Him. They "spake of his decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem" (vs. 31). It is to be noted that there were two actual persons who appeared with Jesus, Moses the lawgiver, and the great and fearless prophet, Elijah. This shows the existence of the spirits of men after death. These departed ones are thoroughly conscious and are in full possession of their intellectual faculties.
Peter became so very enthusiastic concerning this scene which he had observed that he asked Jesus to allow him to build three tabernacles: one for Him, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Of course, he did not understand what he was talking about. Then, according to the account of Matthew, the voice came from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matt. 17:5).
After the vision had passed, the disciples asked Jesus saying, "Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come?"--that is, come before the Lord Jesus Himself comes in glory. "And he answered and said, Elijah indeed cometh, and shall restore all things." (See Matt. 17:9-13). In other words, the prophecy of Malachi 4:5,6 which foretells Elijah's coining before the great and terrible day of the Lord will be literally fulfilled by Elijah's appearance in Israel. But, declared Jesus, an Elijah has appeared. By this statement He was referring to John the Baptist. And Jesus said of him that "... they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they would."
The full significance of the transfiguration scene is explained by the Apostle Peter in his second Epistle (II Peter 1:12-21). We see from this passage that the transfiguration was a revelation of the coming and the majestic glory of the Lord Jesus when He returns to take up His great authority and reign upon this earth for a thousand years.
Jesus Cures on Epileptic
After the transfiguration scene Jesus with the three Apostles came down from the mountain and discovered the embarrassing situation in which the other nine Apostles found themselves. A man had brought his son, who was an epileptic, to them to be cured. The cause of this epilepsy is attributed to demon possession. When these Apostles had been on their tour of Galilee they had been able to cast out demons, as well as to effect many cures and to raise the dead. But on this particular occasion they were unable to cope with the situation. The father of the boy asked Jesus to cure him and reported the inability of His disciples to effect a cure.
Why were they on this occasion unable to cast out the demon, whereas they had been able to perform such miracles on former occasions? By reading the accounts of this incident, one sees that these Apostles had let down in their prayer life and the power of God was not able to flow through them as it had done before. Jesus therefore rebuked them by saying, "0 faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and bear with you? Bring hither thy son" (9:41).
Demon possession is a reality. Satan, having blinded the eyes of many people who have good intentions, has led them to believe that there was no such thing as demon possession in the days of our Lord, and that there is no such thing as this in our own day and time. But the Word of God stands fast. On many occasions faithful, competent investigators have studied different cases similar to those recorded in the Scriptures and have found that there is a reality in demon possession today, and that the scriptural accounts are absolutely accurate and correct. (See Luke 9:37-43a; Matt. 17:14-18.)
Jesus Foretells His Death
In 9:43b-45 and Matthew 17:22ff we have a record of our Lord's foretelling His death. On this occasion He said: "Let these words sink into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered up into the hands of men" (9:44). But these things, though spoken in clear, concise, definite language, the Apostles did not understand; for they were concealed from them, and they could not perceive them. They were, however afraid to ask Jesus further concerning His prediction.
Strife Among the Apostles
It is indeed a great surprise to us that the Apostles, who were so very close to the Lord Jesus, should be animated by a spirit of ambition and rivalry. Nevertheless, this is true, as we see in Luke 9:46-48. They actually had an argument as to which of them was the greatest, an incident which revealed the carnal nature of those participating in the discussion. But Jesus taught them an object lesson. He put a little child in their midst and said: "Whosoever shall receive this little child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same is great."
In this connection we should study Matthew 18:1-35, which is Matthew's account of this same incident, or a similar one.
A Sectarian Spirit
In verses 49 and 50 we have an account of a narrow, bigoted, sectarian spirit that animated John. He saw a man casting out demons--actually doing the work--in Christ's name, who was not in the apostolic company. John proceeded to forbid his doing such work in the name of Christ and by the power of the Spirit. Jesus reprimanded this sectarian, bigoted spirit.
The Inhospitable Attitude of the Samaritans
In Luke 9:51-56 we have an account of our Lord's going steadfastly toward Jerusalem, realizing that the days of His public ministry were drawing close to their end. The journey mentioned in 9:51 is doubtless the same one that is given in John 7:1-13, which was at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles in the last year of our Lord's public ministry.
Since it was evident that Jesus was not going to Samaria, but rather to Jerusalem, the Samaritans became actively hostile toward Him and would not receive Him. James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven and destroy them, but the Lord reproved them for their revengeful spirit.
Discipleship Exacting
In Luke 9:57-62 we have an account of a man who volunteered to follow Jesus, but who wanted to go and bury his father first. It is quite evident that he did not realize the gravity of the situation in which he found himself. When one accepts Christ he should never turn back for anything of a worldly nature. No man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. This is the very thing that this young man was proposing to do.
