Dispensation Bible Study #11

Approaching Grace-Jesus’ Second Year of Ministry - Early Galilean Period

John 4:43-45 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. 45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

The second year of Jesus’ ministry is referred to as the Year of Popularity. This “year” is actually about 14 months. Throughout his second year of ministry and into the beginning of his third, Jesus ministered in Galilee. For that reason, these periods are known as Galilean Periods. After about 4 months of ministry, Jesus attended the Passover in Jerusalem before returning to Galilee to finish his work there. The period before the Passover is referred to by Bible scholars as the “Early Galilean Period.” The remaining months of His second year, is referred to as the “Middle Galilean Period.” The Early Galilean Period can be divided into four stages: Throughout Galilee, At Capernaum, Throughout Galilee, At Capernaum.

John 4:46-54 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Jesus’ second miracle was the healing of a man’s son from a distance! The second year of Jesus’ ministry was where the majority of Jesus’ miracles and wonders were performed!

Luke 4:16-21 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Jesus then returned to Nazareth, his boyhood home to bless them with many miracles and wonders! As was the custom, in the local synagogues, on the Sabbath anyone could read a scripture and then expound upon it. Jesus read a prophecy about himself and revealed himself as the Messiah! Surely, He would do His greatest miracles for the ones He loved the most.

Luke 4:28-30 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

The people that Jesus loved the most and knew the best, rejected Him! This is known as the first Nazareth rejection, because the Nazarenes would reject him again.

Matt 4:18-22 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Now in Galilee, Jesus walks by four of the original disciples that He had met, while occasionally accompanying Jesus, these disciples were still working their old jobs as fishermen. But now Jesus called them to come follow Him continually. It has been often preached that their leaving their nets was an instant decision, but Peter, Andrew, James, and John had already met Jesus and heard his doctrine before making their decision!

Luke 4:31-37 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. 32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. 36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. 37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

Jesus then went into Capernaum and, like in Nazareth, taught in the synagogue. The people of Capernaum, however, accepted Jesus’ teaching. One day while Jesus was teaching, a demonic-possessed man interrupted the service. Notice that the devils knew who Jesus was! They were confused, however, because they did not know why Jesus had come. Jesus rebuked and cast out the unclean spirits, thus setting Himself apart from every prophet that had come before him. The prophets of old had perfomed miracles, wonders, and deliverances but never had they had power over demonic possession! The Messiah was here, and His fame was quickly spreading!

Mark 1:29-34 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

What a day of miracles and wonders! The same day that the possessed man was delivered, Jesus also heals Peter’s mother-in-law. The rest of the day was spent teaching the multitudes, and then in the evening, Jesus worked more miracles for the people.

Mark 1:38-42 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. 39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. 40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

Leaving Capernaum and going throughout Galilee once more, Jesus continued His delivering of possessed souls. The sickness of leprosy was the most feared sickness in Israel at the time. To this day, there is no cure for this disease which causes the flesh to literally rot! Because leprosy is contagious, an infected person was immediately forced out of society and forbidden to even come near the people. Jesus, however, did not run from the disease, He cured it!

Mark 2:1-12 And again he entered into Capernaum, after some days ... 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

After Jesus returns back to Capernaum, the people all come to here Him teach in a house. This is the famous miracle where the men who brought the lame man, tore up the roof and let the man down from above to get to Jesus! Jesus used the opportunity to teach the people of His power to forgive sins!

Matt 9:9-10 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

Having named six disciples already, Jesus chose a despised tax collector named Matthew to be His next follower! Jesus then went and ate with him at his house.

John 5:1-9 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Jesus interrupted His Galilean ministry by attending the Passover in Jerusalem. All Jewish men were required to be at this feast, so Jerusalem would be packed with people. Jesus used this opportunity to reveal to the people who He was. Going to the pool of Bethesda, Jesus healed a man who had been sick for 38 years! Jesus broke Jewish law by healing him on the Sabbath!

John 5:9-18 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. 16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

The Jews were so mad about their broken law, they failed to even give thanks for the miracle. Jesus infuriated them further by explaining a little more about himself.

John 5:39-47 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41 I receive not honour from men. 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. 43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible. The Jewish leaders knew these books by heart, yet failed to see that Jesus fulfilled all of the perfectly! It was Moses who had asked God, “whom shall I say has sent me, what is your name?” God had answered say “I AM that I AM” has sent you (Exodus 3:13-14). Jesus told them “I am come in my Father’s name!” It was not time yet in Moses’ day for the name of God to be revealed, but now in the Messiah, the precious name of God was revealed: Jesus! Later when Peter would preach about Jesus he summed it up perfectly:

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

While in Jerusalem, Jesus had several other clashes with the Jewish leaders over their laws. These can be read in Matthew 12:1-8 and Mark 2:23-28. Before leaving Jerusalem, however, Jesus performed another miracle on the Sabbath.

Mark 3:1-6 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

As Jesus is about to leave Jerusalem and return to His Galilean ministry, we see opposition beginning to rise. The people were still behind Jesus, but He was developing enemies among the Jewish leaders. How sad for people so learned in the scriptures to reject the very fulfillment of those scriptures because of their traditions.