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Section 061 · Galilean Ministry

Jesus Begins to Preach: The Kingdom Is at Hand

Harmony §4.013 of 5 accountsReading: CCE

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Study — reading text with parallel accounts; changes available.
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The reading is the Covenant Christian Edition — the Joseph Smith Translation reading — carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the CCE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.

JST
Green — Joseph Smith Translation. Where the Covenant Christian Edition departs in substance from the King James text and the change is in the JST (confirmed against the parallel-column edition). Modernized English (“has” for “hath,” “you” for “thou”) is not marked.
CCE
Burgundy — Covenant Christian Edition. Where the CCE’s reading departs from the King James but the change is not in the Joseph Smith Translation — the CCE’s own editorial reading (e.g. “this day I have begotten you” at the baptism).
DS
Plum — Testimony of St. John. The TSJ (a separate scripture text) and Denver Snuffer’s later commentary share the plum mark.
MatthewKJVMatthew 4:12–17, 23–25CCEMatthew 4:1NT 1NT 2

12And Jesus departed into Galilee, 13and leaving Nazareth in Zebulun, he came and dwelled in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast in the borders of Nephthalim, 14that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 15The land of Zebulun and the land of Nephthalim, in the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles; 16the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and unto them that sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up. 17From that time, Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of diseases among the people who believed on his name. 24And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, and those who were possessed with devils, and those who were lunatic, and those that had the palsy, and he healed them. 25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and beyond Jordan.

MarkKJVMark 1:14–15CCEMark 1:4NT 2

14Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15and saying, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.

LukeKJVLuke 4:14–15CCELuke 4:1NT 2

14And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee. And there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all who believed on his name.

Cross-references · other works
Isaiah 9:1–2 (CCE 4:1–2) — a great light in Galilee of the nations↗
Margaret Barker · the time is fulfilled

The Kingdom at Hand — the Jubilee and the Day of Atonement

Barker reads “the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand” against the Jubilee: Jesus began his ministry in the tenth Jubilee, when Melchizedek and the final Day of Atonement were expected.

The Time Is Fulfilled: Jesus and the Jubilee© Margaret Barker, 1999 ↗
After his time in the desert he returned to Galilee announcing “the time is fulfilled” i.e. the tenth Jubilee is inaugurated and “Melchizedek” is here, “the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent”, because the final Day of Atonement was also at hand, “and believe the good news” of the Jubilee release.
Who Was Melchizedek and Who Was His God?© Margaret Barker, 2008
St Mark summed up the teaching of Jesus as “The time is fulfilled” — what time? — “the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel.” Repent because the great Day of Atonement was at hand (Mark 1.11), and Melchizedek had come. Jesus was baptised and began his public ministry at exactly the time Melchizedek was expected to appear: in the first seven years of the tenth jubilee.