We are currently trying to establish precisely the order of towns Jesus the Messiah visited on returning to Galilee. After his stay in Sychar in Samaria, John mentions his departure for Galilee without further details. He reports these words of Jesus, spoken at Nazareth: ‘A prophet is not honoured in his own country’ (John 4.44).
During his visit to Nazareth, he refers to events in Capernaum (Luke 4.23). He therefore seems to have gone directly to Capernaum. This town is significant because most of the disciples have their families and work there. Jesus settles there and begins visiting neighbouring towns.
Matthew 4.13 tells us: ‘He left Nazareth and settled in Capernaum.’ This statement may seem to contradict Luke’s account of the miracles performed in Capernaum. According to Matthew, Jesus decided to live in Capernaum, a town he had already visited several times. Indeed, after the , he had stayed there with his family. He appears to have returned later and performed several miracles before going to Nazareth.
We can therefore establish the following chronology:
- Sychar (John 4.27-42)
- Capernaum (Luke 4.23)
- Nazareth (John 4.13-14 and John 4.44)
- Capernaum (John 4.13)
- (John 4.46)
- Capernaum (Matthew 4.18)
Capernaum thus becomes the centre of his activity. Jesus probably lived with Peter for a time. We can imagine that the disciples later lent him a house for greater privacy.