NOTES for Mat 4:23

There is such figure of speech appropriate to ancient literature of descriptive character – “sum”; it consists of bringing out the general sense of occurring events into one-two short phrases. This allows after not to describe all and one after another, but to make substantial examples. Evangelist Matthew brings out everything Jesus did during His public ministry in the “sum” read today by us: taught in the synagogues, preached the gospel of the kingdom, and healed people. If we consider that He was accompanied all the time by His disciples, then we can add: and built His community - the future Church. But Christ continues indeed to do all these things now; we should just wish to see them.