Part III Our Lord's Early Ministry in Galilee

JESUS returned to Galilee from Jerusalem about the end of May in the year 28. The year that followed, devoted to the inauguration of His kingdom, was marked by many miracles and by preaching throughout Galilee. Shortly after His return He retired to a mountain on the Sea of Galilee, where He preached the Sermon on the Mount, incorporating many of His fundamental teachings. Before beginning this discourse, He formally chose and commissioned His twelve apostles—the first step in the organization of His kingdom. Some of His best remembered miracles belong to this period: the miraculous draught of fishes; numerous cures in the city of Capharnaum, around which most of His activities centered; the raising to life of the widow's son and of the daughter of Jairus; and finally the miraculous feeding of the crowds at Bethsaida Julias. This period closes significantly with His promise of the incredibly great gift—of Himself as our food and drink. The promise was made in the synagogue of Capharnaum the day after He had drawn attention to His power by multiplying the food at Bethsaida.
Although it is not always possible to know in exactly what town Christ spoke or worked miracles or along what road He walked, all the events of this period took place either in Galilee or in the country of the Gerasenes, across the Sea of Galilee.