The Life and the Message · the gospel Jesus preached on the road

What They Heard in Galilee

"And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people." Matthew 4:23

How he taught on the road

Mark 1:38-39Town to town: "that is why I came out."
Matt 4:23; 5:1; Mark 4:1In synagogues, on hillsides, from a boat.
Matt 4:23-24Healing the sick as he went.
Luke 8:1-3Women he had healed traveled with him and paid for the work.
Matt 10:7; Mark 6:7-13He sent the twelve out two by two with the same message.
Mark 3:7-8; Luke 6:17Crowds came from far off, even from the coast of Tyre and Sidon.

The kingdom of God is at hand.

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15

Read more: Matt 4:17; Matt 10:7, the same words the twelve preached.
It has already come among you.

"But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." Matt 12:28

Read more: Luke 17:20-21, "the kingdom of God is in the midst of you" (said later, on the border of Galilee).
The kingdom is God's will, done.

"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matt 6:10

One request said twice. Dallas Willard: the kingdom is "the range of his effective will, where what he wants done is done."

Read more: Matt 7:21; Matt 12:50.
God is your Father, and he knows you.

"Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." Matt 6:8

Read more: Matt 6:26-32, the birds and the lilies; Matt 7:9-11; Matt 5:45.
It is good news for the poor.

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." Luke 6:20

Read more: Matt 5:3-10, the Beatitudes; Luke 4:18.
You enter by turning, like a child.

"Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matt 18:3

Read more: Mark 1:15, repent and believe; Matt 5:3.
Its people live like their Father.

"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:36

Read more: Matt 5:43-48, love your enemies; Matt 6:12, 14-15, forgive; Matt 7:12, the golden rule.
Seek it first. It is worth everything.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matt 6:33

Read more: Matt 6:19-21, 24-34; Matt 13:44-46, the treasure and the pearl.
It grows from small seed.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field." Matt 13:31

Read more: Matt 13:3-23, the sower; Matt 13:33, the leaven; Mark 4:26-29.
Hear it, and do it.

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matt 7:24

Read more: Matt 7:21-27; Matt 12:50, "whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Read it for yourself

Matthew 4:23–7:29The Sermon on the Mount, framed by the Galilee tour
Luke 6:17-49The Sermon on the Plain
Matthew 13; Mark 4The parables by the lake
Matthew 10The twelve sent out
Mark 1:14-39The tour begins
Luke 4:14-44; 8:1-3Nazareth, the next towns, and the women on the road

How he taught on the road

The kingdom of God is at hand.

It has already come among you.

The kingdom is God's will, done.

God is your Father, and he knows you.

It is good news for the poor.

You enter by turning, like a child.

Its people live like their Father.

Seek it first. It is worth everything.

It grows from small seed.

Hear it, and do it.

Read it for yourself