12 Now when it came to his ears that John had been put in prison, he went away to Galilee; 13 And going away from Nazareth, he came and made his living-place in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali: 14 So that the word of the prophet Isaiah might come true, 15 The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16 The people who were in the dark saw a great light, and to those in the land of the shade of death did the dawn come up. 17 From that time Jesus went about preaching and saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin, for the kingdom of heaven is near.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 4:12-17
Commentary on Matthew 4:12-17
(Read Matthew 4:12-17)
It is just with God to take the gospel and the means of grace, from those that slight them and thrust them away. Christ will not stay long where he is not welcome. Those who are without Christ, are in the dark. They were sitting in this condition, a contented posture; they chose it rather than light; they were willingly ignorant. When the gospel comes, light comes; when it comes to any place, when it comes to any soul, it makes day there. Light discovers and directs; so does the gospel. The doctrine of repentance is right gospel doctrine. Not only the austere John Baptist, but the gracious Jesus, preached repentance. There is still the same reason to do so. The kingdom of heaven was not reckoned to be fully come, till the pouring out of the Holy Spirit after Christ's ascension.