Matthew 4:16, commentary and pictures

The verse was fulfilled when Jesus came to Capernaum and Galilee and began His ministry there as Isaiah had foretold. Sitting in darkness means living in spiritual and moral darkness under the power of evil and the shadow of death, ignorant and in sin. The great light that sprang up is Christ Himself, the Light of the world and Sun of Righteousness, come in pity to bring hope to the lost. He brought that light by preaching repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and by teaching and healing every sickness and disease to relieve suffering and awaken hope. That same light is to be carried onward to every person, as His followers work as He worked to make the gospel of the kingdom known to all the world.

Prophecy Fulfilled in Galilee

The saying was fulfilled when Jesus came to Galilee and Capernaum and began His ministry there, exactly as spoken by Isaiah. The people of Zebulun and Naphtali and the region around the Sea of Galilee, living in spiritual darkness and under the power of evil and the shadow of death, saw the great light of Christ in His presence, teaching and gospel. He came in humanity to resist Satan's power and hold the forces of darkness in check, bringing light and hope and announcing that the kingdom of Heaven was near.

The fulfillment came when He left Nazareth after rejection there and dwelt in Capernaum, after John was imprisoned and after the devil ended all the temptation and departed for a season. He returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and His fame went out throughout all the region round about. Then He began His preaching of repentance and the kingdom of heaven, and as the Prince of life gave an example of going to needy places to bring light.

The place was Capernaum upon the seacoast in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, by the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, including the lands around the Sea of Galilee. There His ministry of preaching the gospel and bringing healing called to repent because the kingdom of heaven was near. His work brought light to Zabulon and Nephthalim where people sat in darkness and in the region and shadow of death.

Capernaum became His own city and the center of His work at the intervals of His journeys to and fro. It was well adapted for this because it stood on the great highway from Damascus to Jerusalem and Egypt and to the Mediterranean Sea, a great thoroughfare of travel where people from many lands passed through or tarried for rest. There He could meet all nations and all ranks, the rich and great as well as the poor and lowly, in a busy city where travelers of every rank could hear Him. Lessons given there would be carried to other countries and into many households, so investigation of the prophecies would be excited, attention would be directed to the Saviour, and His mission would be brought before the world.

After opposition in Jerusalem made it unsafe for Him to remain there, He taught in Capernaum, where multitudes gathered on the Sabbaths. The passage belongs to the first experience the disciples had of His ministry as the great Healer. From that time He began to preach repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, going forth into highways and hedges to labor for the needy, teaching in synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and disease and all manner of sickness and disease.

His fame spread through Syria, and great multitudes followed from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and beyond Jordan. He called Simon Peter and Andrew casting a net, and James and John mending nets, to follow Him and become fishers of men, and they left nets, ship and father straightway and immediately. This calls for walking by faith and not by sight and obeying when called to a certain work even when all means are not in hand. The same picture is fulfilled again when thousands hear the opened word of God with solemn awakening, as at the camp-meeting in Victoria where people in spiritual darkness received great light.

The region and shadow of death also describes the long, sorrowful sojourn of God's pilgrim people. For them the light is the joy-giving hope of Christ's appearing to complete redemption, break the destroyer's power, and bring them home to the lost Paradise.

Darkness and Light Explained

Sitting in darkness means living in spiritual and moral darkness, under the power of evil and under the shadow of death. It is the condition of those controlled by satanic agencies gaining control of bodies and minds, ignorant and out of the way, in wickedness and sin. At Christ's first advent the whole world sat in that darkness and shadow of death. Before His coming the people lived with no other hope without the heavenly Teacher.

The great light that sprang up is Christ Himself, the Majesty of heaven, the Prince of life, the Light of the world and Sun of Righteousness. He looked in pity on the human race, revealing His pre-existence and the purpose of His coming. He brought comfort to followers and hope to the lost, no less true now than in His day. He came to bring the gospel of salvation, to preach the kingdom of heaven, to heal the sick and to give life, and as He taught the Sun of Righteousness shone on hearers with healing power so that some received truth as the beginning of eternal life.

The springing up of light is also the truths of the Bible and the gospel clearly presented. It is a message borne in the power of the Holy Spirit, including truth contained in books and pamphlets sold and sent widely into homes to thousands of families sitting in the darkness of error. Its springing up was the dawning of light for them, a flood of light shed upon the world. As He spoke His words enlightened understanding and brought the Light of life and healing to souls, changing darkness to light.

How Christ Brought Light

He brought the light by beginning to preach repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, announcing the gospel of the kingdom and the nearness of the kingdom of Heaven. That word is to be heard, taken personally, and believed. From that time He taught in synagogues, preached the gospel of the kingdom, healed every sickness and disease, and called Simon Peter and Andrew casting a net and James and John mending nets to follow Him as fishers of men, which they did straightway and immediately leaving nets, ship and father, calling for walking by faith not sight and obeying when called to a certain work even when all means are not in hand.

He carried that light by going forth into the highways and hedges to labor for the needy, going from city to city and village to village, teaching, preaching the gospel, healing all manner of sickness and disease, and doing acts of compassion. His teaching, preaching, healing, and compassionate service made the light known and opened doors for the truth. His presence and work brought truth and hope to those who lacked them.

His healing works made the light visible, bringing life and joy, with the sick rejoicing in health, suffering relieved, the sorrowful comforted, the ignorant instructed, and hope awakened in the despairing. These earthly blessings were given to prepare hearts to receive the gospel of grace. His mercy drew people to hear what God had done.

He used each healing to plant divine principles in minds and hearts. As He spoke His words enlightened understanding and brought the Light of life and healing to souls, changing darkness to light. As He taught on the Sea of Galilee the Sun of Righteousness shone on hearers with healing power, and some received the truth as the beginning of eternal life.

He brought the gospel of salvation to give life, even to the dead, to heal suffering humanity, to preach the kingdom of heaven and heal the sick. His message was words of hope, awakening among the needy and ignorant a hunger for truth and the bread of life. He came to lift the gloom and reveal God, without whom humanity had no other hope.

He brought heaven's light even to those regarded as sinners and outcasts, His words as living seeds to take root and bear fruit for God's glory. In Capernaum His acts of mercy led many to believe in Him, especially the poor and humble who found consolation in Him.

To break Satan's power He laid off His kingly crown and royal robe and clothed His divinity with humanity. He came in humanity to meet the powers of darkness and hold in check the forces of Satan as a counterworking influence from the highest authority, resisting Satan's power over bodies and minds controlled by satanic agencies.

How People Received Light

The coming of the great light to those sitting in darkness and in the region and shadow of death awakened joy and hunger wherever Christ worked in Galilee. Those who had been sick rejoiced in restored health, and His mercy drew them to hear what had been done for them. His preaching awakened among the needy and ignorant a hunger for truth and for the bread of life. As He taught by the Sea of Galilee the Sun of righteousness shone upon the hearers with healing power, and some received the truth as the beginning of eternal life.

Many sitting in that darkness would have received Him gladly and chosen to walk in the light. When the truths of the Bible are clearly presented, the light is springing up again, and those who receive it should be joyful. Those who have received Christ as Saviour should be the most happy people in the world, not hesitating over what they give up, for they gain life, eternal life in the kingdom of glory.

Yet the darkness did not comprehend the light, and this unbelief exposed spiritual blindness. Despite abundant evidence of His divine character, the Pharisees refused to see because of pride. Priests and instructors and rulers were untrue to their trust, reading the Bible in the light of their own maxims and traditions instead of letting it be its own interpreter, misapplying the teachings of God's Word. In this way the people were misled by falsehoods and were not guided aright to receive Christ, though many would gladly have done so.

Carrying the Light Onward

Christ as the Prince of life gives the pattern for how to work and what methods to follow, leaving His own city of Nazareth to dwell in Capernaum upon the seacoast in Zebulun and Naphtali, by the sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles, so that people sitting in darkness and in the region and shadow of death, ignorant and out of the way, saw great light in His presence, teaching, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and disease. From that time He began to preach repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand and called disciples to follow Him as fishers of men, going forth into the highways and hedges to labor for the needy from city to city and village to village. His followers are therefore to carry the work beyond favored centers to needy places, to towns and cities where truth has not been proclaimed, to cities and highways and byways everywhere with earnest wholehearted labor and present truth spoken in simplicity, and not build large centers in a few places while needy portions of the harvest field are unworked.

God intends this light to reach every person on earth, and the church fulfills that purpose when its members go among people everywhere, take responsibility, and work for their salvation as Christ did rather than gathering only among themselves. This worldwide mission cultivates hearts by teaching, preaching, and healing as He did, and carries the gospel of the kingdom to all the world, giving the warning message to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. The light is to be carried to distant lands, heathen lands, foreign countries, and neglected parts of the world where people have not yet heard and will gladly receive the truth, planting gospel work across the earth through missionaries bearing the message of mercy and sending help to workers who bring it.

Those in darkness lack knowledge of the way of life and salvation and need instruction in the truths of the gospel by believers who know the way of life, teaching them what it means to trust God's word. They are to be helped through words of faith that make Christ the Saviour and God known and point them to Jesus, who saves all who come to God through Him. People in darkness receive light when the word of God is opened to them and its hidden mysteries are revealed to lead them to salvation, as when thousands heard the opened word with solemn awakening. Studying the precious things of God's word brings them to rejoice in the glory of the Light of life, unlike pursuing ideas that lead away from it.

The light shines through God's faithful servants and missionaries seeking to save perishing souls, giving hope, leading to healing, and making others light-bearers. Christ's disciples are to be lights in that darkness, scattered through towns, villages, and cities as His representatives, becoming channels through whom God makes His will and heavenly truth known by obeying the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount and seeking perfection of Christian character. That includes humble workers, the uneducated, and children moved by the Holy Spirit to carry that light to others. Thousands of families sitting in the darkness of error can receive great light through printed truth, the truth contained in books and pamphlets sold and sent widely into homes.

Those who teach must themselves live near God and be light in the Lord, obeying God's word rather than expressing unbelief and discouragement. The work requires experienced hands laboring in meekness of wisdom and strength of faith with all energies given in obedience to Christ to lift weary souls to a compassionate Redeemer. Those who have received light are called to arise and shine by speaking saving truth and serving others, making sacrifices to win those ready to perish, for indifference leaves people without the message they need. Greater light brings greater responsibility, for the nations sitting in darkness might have advanced far if they had received the light and privileges given to Capernaum and the church at Battle Creek.

Those who have come to know God's oracles have seen great light from God alone, originator of every ray piercing the world's darkness, without whom man can accomplish nothing good and to whom all that is of value belongs. They must not turn from light to darkness, co-operate with Satan's agents, or recommend pagan or infidel books as valuable and even essential to becoming intelligent and obtaining an education. Satan was educated and disciplined in the heavenly courts with knowledge of good as well as evil, and his power of deceiving comes from mingling the precious with the vile and stealing heaven's livery to exercise influence in his usurped dominion. The gospel light shines through Jesus' disciples to Gentile peoples who sat in darkness, with thousands coming to its brightness, for Israel's failure did not end God's purpose, since all who become children of faith through Christ are counted Abraham's seed and inherit covenant promises, called like Abraham to guard and make known God's law and the gospel of His Son.

The image applies to people in the large city sitting in darkness in death's shadow, needing missionaries to bring light. It applies to the people of Nashville under Christ's commission to teach all nations, and to those in regions round about Battle Creek as lost and perishing without reasons of faith, needing chosen men in protracted effort to set the reasons of faith before many and work as Christ worked to save them. It applies to Italy and France where religious despotism, superstition, and skepticism left darkness, yet faithful witnesses serve and others will carry the good news. Had the gospel message borne in the power of the Holy Spirit been received and carried to the cities, many wearied and confused about truth would have heard the good news and heavenly light would have shone into error's darkness. Those who have received light should therefore share it through missionary work and self-denial in towns and villages around the church, for Christ's teaching, preaching, healing, and compassionate service cultivating hearts shows this sharing of God's light is to be carried out in every place and among all peoples.