Matthew 4:23 – 25

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Jesus traveled around the whole province of Galilee. He was teaching and preaching in the Jewish synagogues. Remember the church (kingdom) was not in existence yet and Jesus was a faithful practicing Jew. So he was welcome in the synagogues at this time of his public ministry.

The synagogue system came into being during the Babylonian captivity. Any community which had at least 10 Jewish males who were able to read the scriptures during their three weekly services could have at least one synagogue established in the community. They were not only in Israel but anywhere there was a community of Jews living. The services consisted of prayers, readings and exhortations.

Jesus was preparing the people for the coming of the church. John the Baptist did and Jesus continued as we learned in the last lesson, he taught “repent for the kingdom is at hand.” We see in this verse he was teaching “the gospel of the kingdom” and the word gospel is from a Greek word which means “glad tidings” or “good news.”

Besides teaching and preaching he was healing all kinds of sickness and disease among the inhabibtants of the area. There is not much difference between sickness and disease, however sickness usually referred to symptoms of nausea, and disease referred to some bodily weakness.

Syria consisted of most of the area including Judea, Galilee, the region north and northeast of Israel up to an area into modern day Turkey.

The news of the good Jesus was doing for people spread like wildfire around the area. Remember medical establishments were few and far between. Jesus being the Son of God provided powers and abilities which the local physicians did not have. People were possessed by demons just to give Jesus the opportunity for the community to experience His God given ability and to build faith in his connection to God as His Son and the Christ.

The last verse specifies localities from Syria which had people come to Jesus for healing. Many people believed in Him because of the miracles seen by the people.