How does Matthew 4 12-17 fulfill Isaiah 9 1-2?

Answer 1

Matthew 4:12-16:Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Isaiah 9:1-2:Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

The author of Matthew's Gospel frequently referenced the Old Testament so that, read literally, his story could be foreshadowed by the Old Testament. Nevertheless, stripping away the rhetoric about Zebulun and Naphtali, there is nothing that Jesus did, merely by going to Galilee, that was foreshadowed in Isaiah. These references to Zebulun and Naphtali do no more than show that the author of Matthew knew the Book of Isaiah quite well.

A further problem is that the Gospel account refers to Jesus hearing that John the Baptist was cast into prison, which the Jewish historian Josephus tells us happened because John condemned Herod Antipas becaue he had married his brother's former wife. The marriage took place in the year 34, and John's imprisonment is unlikely to have occurred before 35 CE, with his execution taking place in 36 CE. This happened after the time Jesus is traditionally believed to have been crucified.

There is nothing in Matthew 4:12 that fulfils Isaiah 9:1-2.

Answer 2

Matthew 4:12-16:Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Isaiah 9:1-2:Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

The author of Matthew's Gospel frequently referenced the Old Testament so that, read literally, his story could be foreshadowed by the Old Testament. Nevertheless, stripping away the rhetoric about Zebulun and Naphtali, there is nothing that Jesus did, merely by going to Galilee, that was foreshadowed in Isaiah. These references to Zebulun and Naphtali do no more than show that the author of Matthew knew the Book of Isaiah quite well.

A further problem is that the Gospel account refers to Jesus hearing that John the Baptist was cast into prison, which the Jewish historian Josephus tells us happened because John condemned Herod Antipas becaue he had married his brother's former wife. The marriage took place in the year 34, and John's imprisonment is unlikely to have occurred before 35 CE, with his execution taking place in 36 CE. This happened after the time Jesus is traditionally believed to have been crucified.

There is nothing in Matthew 4:12-17 that fulfils Isaiah 9:1-2.