The
report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
Matthew 4:24-25
Matthew 4 [20.] They immediately left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Matthew 4 [23.] Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
Matthew 5 [1.] Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
Meaning:
Matthew has just summarised Jesus’ ministry in Galilee: he went about “teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23). These two verses describe the effect. News spread far beyond Galilee, the sick were brought to him in great numbers, and huge crowds followed him. This is the setting for the Sermon on the Mount, which begins in the next verse (Matthew 5:1-2). Mark describes a similar scene (Mark 3:7-12).
- “The report about him went out into all Syria”
Syria was the Roman province to the north, which included Galilee’s neighbours and reached as far as Damascus and Antioch. Word of Jesus travelled along trade routes and by word of mouth. Mark says, “The report of him went out immediately everywhere” (Mark 1:28). Jesus did not advertise himself; the people he helped told others.
- “all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments”
Matthew lists many kinds of need: illness, chronic pain, demon possession, epilepsy and paralysis. In the ancient world there were few effective treatments, and many sick people were poor, isolated and regarded as unclean. They were brought to Jesus, often carried by friends or family. Matthew states simply, “he healed them.” No case was too hard. Later Matthew will explain this as fulfilling Isaiah: “He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases” (Matthew 8:17).
- “possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics”
Matthew distinguishes demon possession from physical illness, showing that Jesus had authority over both the body and the spiritual powers of evil. Peter later summed up Jesus’ ministry by saying that God anointed him “with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil” (Acts 10:38). These healings were signs that the Kingdom of Heaven had arrived. When John the Baptizer’s followers asked whether Jesus was the coming one, Jesus pointed to them: “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk” (Matthew 11:4-5).
- “Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan”
The crowds came from every direction. Decapolis was a league of ten largely Gentile cities, mostly east of the Jordan, where Jesus would later send a healed man to tell what God had done (Mark 5:20). Jerusalem and Judea lay far to the south. Together these regions covered the whole land of Israel and beyond, Jews and Gentiles alike. The light promised to Galilee of the Gentiles (Matthew 4:15-16) was drawing people from everywhere.
The Significance of Matthew 4:24-25
- Jesus welcomes every need
No illness, torment or spiritual oppression was beyond Jesus’ care. People came as they were, and he healed them. We can bring our own needs, and those of others, to him in prayer. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
- Bringing others to Jesus
Many of the sick could not come on their own; others brought them. Christians are called to bring people to Jesus through prayer, practical care and the good news.
- Word and deed together
Jesus taught, preached and healed. His compassion met both spiritual and physical needs, and his followers are called to do the same.
Cross-References:
Mark 3:7-12: Great crowds from many regions follow Jesus.
Acts 10:38: "who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil," Peter’s summary of Jesus’ ministry.
Matthew 8:17: "He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases." Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus’ healings.
Matthew 11:5: "the blind receive their sight, the lame walk," Healing as a sign of the Kingdom.
Conclusion: Matthew 4:24-25 tells how news of Jesus spread throughout Syria, how people brought him everyone who was sick, tormented, demon-possessed, epileptic or paralysed, and how he healed them. Great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond the Jordan followed him. The passage shows the compassion and power of Jesus and prepares for his teaching on the mountain.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible