Matthew 4:12 says, “Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;”
Pentecost marked the end of the spring grain harvest. Power is an important part of harvest. In Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me….” Why would the Father choose to empower the disciples at the end of the harvest season? The answer lies in that there were two harvests, an old and a new.
Jesus was faithful to keep the law, which included the Sabbath and the annual feasts days. He said that He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-19). He became the passover lamb, the sinless unleavened bread, and the first fruits from the dead. When it came to Pentecost, even after He had died and risen, He told His disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait as the law required (Exodus 23:17). We see in Acts 2:1 that the Holy Spirit was not poured out until the day of pentecost was “…fully come….” In Acts 1:4-5 Jesus told the disciples not to depart from Jerusalem (after the feast was over), but to wait for the promise of the Father. He then mentions the baptism of John and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. We must remember that these two baptisms were mentioned in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”
We can begin to see in our text why Jesus departed into Galilee after He heard that John was cast into prison. It was not that He didn’t care about John—He went to John to be baptized (Matthew 3:13-15). “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.”
John’s baptism was based on laws of Moses for ceremonial cleansing when one became unclean. The mikveh, a shallow pool of water, was entered into, and a prayer was said; “Cleanse my head, heart, hands and feet.” Water was scooped up and applied to each part as the prayer was made. That righteousness being completed, Jesus was immediately baptized with the Holy Ghost, and power.
The next thing, Jesus was “…led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Matthew 4:1). Then He heard of John’s imprisonment. He knew John would not get out. His ministry was over. It was His time to minister. Thus He set His eyes on Galilee.
When Jesus’ earthly ministry was over it was the Holy Spirit’s turn. The old pentecost was past. The harvest of the Spirit-filled church age began. That’s us, so let’s POWER UP!
