Matthew 4:23

Went about all Galilee. [First Galilean Tour, Matt. 4:23-25 = Mark 1:35-39 = Luke 4:42-44. Major comment: Mark.] In his gospel account Matthew does not always follow a strictly chronological sequence of events (see p. 274). He tends to group incidents according to kind rather than time. Matthew’s narrative of the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law and of the sick and afflicted who gathered at the door of Peter’s home at the close of the Sabbath in ch. 8:14-17 should be inserted between vs. ch. 22 and 23 of 4 in order to provide a chronological sequence. This is clear from the account as given by Mark, who follows this sequence of events — the call by the sea, the healing of the demoniac in the Capernaum synagogue, the events at Peter’s home, and the beginning of the first missionary tour through Galilee (see Mark 1:16-39).

Matthew here gives a brief summary of the first missionary tour conducted by Jesus in the cities, towns, and villages of Galilee during the summer of A.D. 29 (see on Mark 1:39). The form of the verb translated “went about,” indicates a more extended tour than the brief record of the various synoptic writers might seem to imply. According to Josephus, Galilee was a densely populated area, dotted by upward of 200 towns and villages. The only specific incident recorded of events on the first missionary tour is that of the healing of a leper, which Matthew relates in ch. 8:2-4.

The gospel. This is the first occurrence of the word “gospel” in the book of Matthew (see on Mark 1:1).

Sickness. Gr. nosos, frequently used of diseases of a serious nature, hence, perhaps, better translated “disease.”

Disease. Gr. malakia, a general term for weaknesses such as result from some disease. Here the word describes physical and mental illnesses, perhaps of a less severe type than nosos. The two words nosos and malakia appear together in the LXX of Deut. 7:15.