2. Its Locality. The principal sphere of Christ's activity during this year was Galilee, though he made one visit to Jerusalem (John 5. 1).
3. Its Aim. The purpose of Jesus during this year seems to have been to proclaim the new kingdom of God as widely as possible, and to make men acquainted with its principles. The theme of his preaching is given in Matt. 4. 17. The deeper themes of the Gospel were reserved for a later time and a select body of hearers; and those aspects were presented which all men could at once comprehend, as the teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.
4. Its Activity. No other year in the Saviour's life was crowded so thickly with journeys and labors. See its summary in Matt. 4. 23-25. We can trace eight distinct journeys from Capernaum to various regions during this year.
5. Its Divisions. The number of events left on record makes a subdivision of this period necessary, and we find a convenient place at the Sermon on the Mount, which marks a point of departure in the Saviour's ministry. The Early Galilean Ministry extends from the rejection at Nazareth to the Sermon on the Mount, and the Later Galilean Ministry from the Sermon on the Mount to the discourse on the Bread of Life. During the earlier section the ministry was personal and the range was less extended; during the later Jesus sent his apostles forth to labor, and his own journeys were longer and in new fields.
II. The Places. Though the Saviour visited many places during this year only seven have been named in the gospels. These are:
1. Capernaum, his home during the period (Matt. 4. 15). From this place he went forth on all of his preaching tours, and to it he returned. Its privilege (Matt. 11. 23, 24). It was situated on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
2. Nazareth. Twice in this period Jesus was at this place: at its beginning (Luke 4. 16), and again in the middle of the year (Matt. 13. 54). On both occasions he was rejected by the people (Luke 4. 28, 29; Matt. 13. 57).
3. Nain. This was a city southwest of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus restored a young man to life (Luke 7. 11).
4. The Mountain. A few miles from Capernaum and west of the Sea of Galilee is a mountain (probably Kurun Hattin, "the horns of Hattin") where was delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5. 1).