Matthew 4:17

King James Version (KJV)

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent - See on Matthew 3:1, Matthew 3:2; (note). Every preacher commissioned by God to proclaim salvation to a lost world, begins his work with preaching the doctrine of repentance. This was the case with all the prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, all the apostles, and all their genuine successors in the Christian ministry. The reasons are evident in the notes already referred to; and for the explanation of the word κηρυσσειν, preaching or proclaiming as a herald, see at the end of chap. 3 (note).

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

See the notes at Matthew 3:2.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

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.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

17. From that time. See on Matt. 4:12; Mark 1:15.

Began to preach. That is, in Galilee. The phrase does not necessarily imply that this was the first occasion upon which Jesus preached. About a year and a half of His public ministry was already in the past (see on v. 12).

Repent. Gr. metanoeÅÂ. For the meaning see on ch. 3:2. The Jews regarded repentance a most important doctrine. They emphasized repentance as a necessary prerequisite to salvation by a Messiah. The rabbis had a saying that “if the Israelites would repent for one day, the Messiah son of David would come immediately.” According to their teachings, repentance included sorrow for sin, restitution wherever possible, and the resolution not to repeat the sin. See on chs. 3:2; 5:2, 3.

The kingdom of heaven. An expression used exclusively by Matthew (31 times) in the NT, in preference to the more common term “kingdom of God,” which Matthew himself uses five times, and the other NT writers use exclusively. The substitution of “heaven” for “God” is in harmony with the custom of the Jews of Christ’s day to avoid uttering the sacred name for God, in the same way as they used the expressions “name of heaven” for “name of God”; “fear of heaven” for “fear of God”; “honor of heaven” for “honor of God,” etc. (see Vol. I, p. 172). The expression “kingdom of heaven” is not found in the OT, though the idea is implicit throughout the prophetic writings (Isa. 11:1-12; 35; 65:17-25; Dan. 2:44; 7:18, 22, 27; Micah 4:8; etc.).

The “kingdom of heaven,” or “kingdom of God,” constituted the theme of Jesus’ teaching (Luke 4:43; 8:1). He introduced many of His parables with the words, “The kingdom of heaven is like [or likened]” (see Matt. 13:24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47). He taught His disciples to pray for the coming of the kingdom (ch. 6:10). His gospel was the good news of the kingdom (ch. 4:23; etc.). His disciples were the “children of the kingdom” (ch. 13:38). The Father was pleased to give them the kingdom (Luke 12:32), which they were to inherit (Matt. 25:34). In this life Christians must make the kingdom supreme in their affections and the great aim of life (ch. 6:33). When He sent forth the Twelve He instructed them to “preach the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:2, 60).

John proclaimed the imminence of the establishment of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 3:2). Jesus also declared the kingdom to be “at hand” (ch. 4:17) and instructed His disciples, when He sent them forth to preach, to bear the same message (ch. 10:7).

The “kingdom of heaven” was established at the first advent of Christ. Jesus Himself was King, and those who believed in Him became its subjects. The territory of the kingdom was the hearts and lives of the subjects. Obviously, the message Jesus bore referred to the kingdom of divine grace. But, as Jesus Himself made clear, this kingdom of grace was preparatory to the kingdom of glory (see DA 234; GC 346, 347). Concerning the latter, the disciples inquired on the day of the ascension, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (see Acts 1:6, 7). The kingdom of grace was near in Christ’s day (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7), but the kingdom of glory was future (ch. 24:33). Only when the Son of man should “come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him” would “he sit upon the throne of his glory” (ch. 25:31).

At hand. See on Mark 1:15.

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Ellen G. White
Counsels on Health, 316-8

[Special Testimonies, Series B 19:37-40 (1903).]

Dear Brother,

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Ellen G. White
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 2-3

Hundreds of thousands of copies of Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing have been printed and distributed in nearly a score of languages since it was first published in 1896. In English-reading countries several editions with identical textual content but with variations in format and pagination have been widely distributed. To eliminate confusion in the use of the volume in reference work, a standard page has been adopted which will serve as the basis of present and subsequent printings. MB v.1

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Jesus' Ministry in Galilee and Journey to Jerusalem

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Bible Verse Explanations and Resources

Matthew 4:17