Sunday 25 January 2026
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. (v. 12)
Background
Earlier in this chapter, Matthew described Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. He now describes news of failure, of disaster, of the arrest of John the Baptist, the one who was preparing the way for Jesus. I’m wondering what lessons we can take from the reaction of Jesus to this news. We have no shortage of news of failure and disaster in our own times, whether it's the climate and the cost of living crisis; a winter of strikes, hunger and cold; wars in Sudan and Ukraine; or declining church attendance, and more.
Jesus responds to this crisis in three ways.
First, there is a retreat, regroup and launch (verses 12-17). Jesus takes the news seriously, He does not ignore it or try to carry on as normal. Jesus uses the withdrawal to reconnect with the prophetic call, perhaps it is a source of inspiration and renewal. Most likely he uses some of this time for prayer, to listen and be refreshed as he does so many times. Notice that this is not delaying or avoidance as verse 17 makes clear “From that time …”.
Second, Jesus builds a team (verses 18-22). By writing about this, maybe Matthew is showing Jesus learning from the vulnerability at the end of John’s mostly solo ministry. So he shows Jesus making building a team a top priority. Right at the beginning of his ministry Jesus has a focus on security and continuity.
Third, Jesus gets on with mission (verse 23 and beyond). There is an urgent and practical approach to the choice that Jesus makes. However, given the mistakes the disciples will make and how they struggle to understand, we might wonder why he didn’t choose to put off mission and instead first focus on teaching and training, to get his team prepared. Does this approach of immersion, practicality and 'getting on with it' have lessons for us today?
As a response to bad news and a crisis, Jesus sets us a model that is dynamic, rapid and effective. It is one that prepares for an uncertain, even dangerous future.
To Ponder:
- How might Jesus’ three-part response apply to some of the crises we face?
- How do you respond to bad news? Can the way Jesus responds help? How?
Prayer
Loving God, as we look at Jesus and see how he responded to crises may your Holy Spirit inspire, challenge and strengthen us for the crises we face. Amen.
(Originally published in 2023.)