Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Matthew 4:17

ἀπὸ τότε … κηρύσσειν. After settling in Capernaum Jesus began to preach. The phrase ἀπὸ τότε offends in two ways, first as redundant, being implied in ἤρξατο (De Wette); next as not classic, being one of the degeneracies of the κοινή. Phrynichus forbids ἐκ τότε, and instructs to say rather ἐξ ἐκείνου (Lobeck's ed., p. 45). κηρύσσειν, the same word as in describing the ministry of the Baptist (Matthew 3:1). And the message is the same Μετανοεῖτε, etc. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The same in word but not in thought, as will appear soon. It may seem as if the evangelist meant to represent Jesus as simply taking up and continuing the arrested ministry of the Baptist. So He was in form and to outward appearance, but not in spirit. From the very first, as has been seen even in connection with the baptism, there was a deep-seated difference between the two preachers. Even Euthy. Zig. understood this, monk though he was. Repent, he says, with John meant “in so far as ye have erred” = amendment; with Jesus, “from the old to the new” (ἀπὸ τῆς παλαιᾶς ἐπὶ τὴν καινήν) =a change from within. For the evangelist this was the absolute beginning of Christ's ministry. He knows nothing of an earlier activity.

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Matthew 4:17

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