July 25 Daily Devotional

Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4; John 4

Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people which sat in darkness saw a great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up.” From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the gospel.” And he went about all Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of diseases among the people. And his fame went throughout the country over unto Syria; and they brought to him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy, and those possessed with devils; and he healed them.

Meanwhile the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. “And he found in the temple those that sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, and the changers of money, sitting: and when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; and he said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence: make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them.”

It appears as though Jesus and his disciples stayed for some time in Jerusalem and at other points of Judea, teaching and performing miracles. It is said, “Many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.” We do not know the details of these miracles. As to the faith which was shown at that time, it seems to have been somewhat shallow, for the report says, “Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man.”