Paper 146 Overview: First Preaching Tour of Galilee

The first public preaching tour of Galilee began on January 18, A.D. 28, and continued for approximately two months, concluding with the return to Capernaum on March 17. During this tour, Jesus and the twelve apostles, assisted by John the Baptist's former followers, traveled through numerous cities including Rimmon, Jotapata, and Ramah, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and baptizing new believers. This tour marked a significant milestone as Jesus permitted his disciples to preach without restraint for the first time, only cautioning them to avoid Nazareth and to exercise discretion in Capernaum and Tiberias.

Throughout the journey, Jesus engaged in meaningful conversations about prayer, faith, and spiritual matters, while performing select healings, including the cleansing of a leper at Iron. The tour featured notable encounters with a Greek philosopher at Ramah and a nobleman from Capernaum whose son was healed. As word spread about Jesus' teachings and healings, crowds grew, occasionally forcing the group to move on to prevent disturbances. The tour concluded at Endor, where Jesus took time to instruct his apostles about spiritual realities before returning to Capernaum.

The first public preaching tour of Galilee commenced on Sunday, January 18, A.D. 28, and lasted approximately two months, concluding with the return to Capernaum on March 17. Jesus, accompanied by the twelve apostles and assisted by John the Baptist's former apostles, traveled through numerous cities including Rimmon, Jotapata, Ramah, Zebulun, Iron, Gischala, Chorazin, Madon, Cana, Nain, and Endor. In these locations, they established temporary residences to teach, while also proclaiming the gospel as they passed through smaller towns along their route.

This tour represented a significant milestone as Jesus for the first time allowed his associates to preach without restraint. He cautioned them on only three occasions during the journey, advising them to avoid Nazareth and to exercise discretion when passing through Capernaum and Tiberias. The apostles experienced great satisfaction in finally having the liberty to preach and teach without restrictions, and they devoted themselves to spreading the gospel, ministering to the sick, and baptizing believers with remarkable enthusiasm and joy.

The small city of Rimmon had historically been dedicated to the worship of Ramman, a Babylonian deity of the air. Many residents still embraced elements of earlier Babylonian and later Zoroastrian teachings, prompting Jesus and his twenty-four followers to devote considerable time explaining the distinctions between these ancient beliefs and the new gospel of the kingdom. Peter delivered one of his most powerful early sermons here, focusing on "Aaron and the Golden Calf." Although many Rimmonites became believers in Jesus' teachings, they later created difficulties for their fellow believers due to lingering attachments to nature worship traditions.

Many of the more enlightened Babylonian and Persian concepts concerning light and darkness, good and evil, time and eternity were eventually incorporated into Christian doctrines, making them more readily acceptable to peoples of the Near East. Similarly, the inclusion of many of Plato's theories about ideal spirits and invisible patterns of material things, as later adapted by Philo to Hebrew theology, facilitated Paul's Christian teachings being more easily embraced by western Greeks. It was at Rimmon that Todan first encountered the gospel of the kingdom, and he subsequently carried this message into Mesopotamia and far beyond, becoming one of the first to preach the good news to those living beyond the Euphrates.

The common people of Jotapata heard Jesus and his apostles gladly, and many accepted the gospel of the kingdom. However, what distinguished the Jotapata mission was Jesus' comprehensive discourse to the twenty-four on the second evening of their stay, prompted by Nathaniel's confusion regarding the Master's teachings on prayer, thanksgiving, and worship. Jesus offered extensive explanations that, summarized in modern language, covered ten essential points about prayer and its relationship to spiritual growth, divine forgiveness, and communion with God.

Jesus explained how harboring iniquity breaks the prayer connection between humans and God, and how prayer inconsistent with God's established laws is rejected by divine beings. He taught that mercy cannot circumvent the basic laws of justice in the universe and emphasized that the sincerity of prayer ensures it will be heard, while spiritual wisdom determines the timing and nature of the answer. Jesus instructed his followers that true prayer occurs when one is wholly dedicated to doing the Father's will, that prayer should focus more on others' spiritual progress than on oneself, and that prayers of thanksgiving are appropriate for group worship while personal prayer remains private. He concluded by teaching that prayer leads to true worship when followed by silent receptivity, allowing the indwelling spirit to speak to the listening soul.

At Ramah, Jesus engaged in a memorable discussion with an elderly Greek philosopher who maintained that science and philosophy were sufficient to satisfy human experiential needs. Jesus listened patiently and sympathetically, acknowledging the truth in many of the Greek's assertions while pointing out that his discussion of human existence failed to address the fundamental questions of "whence, why, and whither." Jesus then offered, "Where you leave off, we begin. Religion reveals spiritual truths to the soul that the mind alone could never discover or fully comprehend. You have discussed the material shadows of truth; will you now listen while I tell you about eternal spiritual realities?" For over an hour, Jesus taught the philosopher the saving truths of the gospel, and being sincere and honest-hearted, the Greek quickly embraced the message of salvation.

The apostles were somewhat disconcerted by Jesus' open agreement with many of the philosopher's propositions, but Jesus later privately explained: "True and genuine inward certainty does not fear outward analysis, nor does truth resent honest criticism. You should never forget that intolerance is the mask covering up the entertainment of secret doubts about the truthfulness of one's belief." Later that evening, Thomas asked Jesus how a new believer could be certain about the truth of the gospel. Jesus explained that spiritual assurance is equivalent to personal religious experience in eternal realities, combined with intelligent understanding of truth minus honest doubts. He taught that the Spirit of Truth, which would later be poured out on all flesh, would help them know they are sons of God by bearing witness with the Father's indwelling presence.

In Iron, as in many smaller cities throughout Galilee and Judea, there was a synagogue where Jesus often spoke on the Sabbath during his early ministry. He would sometimes preach at the morning service, while Peter or another apostle would speak in the afternoon. Despite growing antagonism from religious leaders in Jerusalem, they had no direct control over synagogues outside the city, and it wasn't until later in Jesus' ministry that they created widespread sentiment against him, leading to the closure of synagogues to his teaching.

Iron was known for its extensive mineral mines, and since Jesus had never experienced the life of a miner, he spent much of his time working with the underground laborers while the apostles visited homes and preached in public places. Although Jesus' fame as a healer had reached this remote village and many sick people sought and received help, he performed only one explicit miracle of healing—the cleansing of a leper. This occurred when Jesus, returning from the mines, passed a leprous man who knelt before him saying, "Lord, if only you would, you could make me clean." Moved by the man's faith, Jesus touched him saying, "I will—be clean," instantly healing him. Though Jesus instructed the man to tell no one but to show himself to the priests as Moses commanded, the man instead spread the news throughout the town, creating such crowds that Jesus had to leave early the next day.

The apostolic party was greatly encouraged when Jesus announced, "Tomorrow we go to Cana," as they knew they would receive a sympathetic hearing there since Jesus was well-known in that community. Their work of bringing people into the kingdom was progressing well when, on the third day, a prominent citizen of Capernaum named Titus, whose son was critically ill, arrived seeking Jesus' help. Having heard Jesus was in Cana, Titus traveled there to ask him to come to Capernaum and heal his son who was near death.

As the apostles watched in anticipation, Jesus addressed the father saying, "How long shall I bear with you? The power of God is in your midst, but except you see signs and behold wonders, you refuse to believe." When Titus pleaded further, Jesus paused in silent meditation before declaring, "Return to your home; your son will live." Titus believed Jesus' word and hurried back to Capernaum, where his servants met him with news that his son had begun to recover at the seventh hour of the previous day—precisely when Jesus had spoken. This was not a miracle of physical healing but rather an instance of Jesus' foreknowledge of natural events. The experience led Titus and his entire household to become devoted believers, and his son later became a powerful minister of the kingdom who eventually gave his life with those who suffered in Rome.

The people of central and southern Galilee had become increasingly focused on miracles and signs regarding Jesus and his ministry. Hundreds of honest individuals suffering from purely nervous disorders and emotional disturbances came to Jesus and later announced to friends that they had been healed. These cases of mental healing were regarded by the simple-minded population as physical cures and miraculous healings. As Jesus tried to leave Cana for Nain, a large crowd of believers and curious onlookers followed, hoping to witness wonders and miracles.

As Jesus and his apostles approached Nain's gate, they encountered a funeral procession carrying the only son of a widow, with many villagers in attendance. When the widow and her friends recognized Jesus, they implored him to restore the young man to life. Examining the young man, Jesus discovered he was not actually dead but in a deep sleep, and taking his hand, said: "Awake and arise." The youth sat up and began to speak, creating an immediate sensation. Despite Jesus' attempts to explain that the boy had not died but was sleeping, the emotionally charged crowd insisted a miracle had occurred. The story spread throughout Galilee and Judea that Jesus had raised the widow's son from the dead, and Jesus was never able to fully convince even his apostles that the young man had not actually died.

At Endor, Jesus found a brief respite from the clamoring crowds seeking physical healing. During their stay in this location, he recounted to his apostles the story of King Saul and the witch of Endor for their instruction. Jesus clearly explained that the rebellious midwayers who had sometimes impersonated the supposed spirits of the dead would soon be brought under control so they could no longer perform such strange deceptions. He informed his followers that after he returned to the Father and after they had poured out their spirit upon all flesh, such semi-spirit beings—called unclean spirits—would no longer be able to possess the weak-minded and evil-minded among mortals.

Jesus further clarified to his apostles that the spirits of departed human beings do not return to the world of their origin to communicate with living fellows. He explained that only after the passing of a dispensational age would it become possible for the advancing spirit of mortal man to return to earth, and even then, only in exceptional cases and as part of the spiritual administration of the planet. After resting for two days, Jesus informed his apostles: "On the morrow let us return to Capernaum to tarry and teach while the countryside quiets down. At home they will have by this time partly recovered from this sort of excitement."