The Fourth Journey of the Lord Jesus through Galilee

After the healing of the servant of the centurion, the evangelist Luke tells of the raising by the Lord of the dead son of a widow in Nain.

Since the evangelist Luke alone mentions this raising of the dead, this is the only place for it here. The Lord, having stayed some time in Capernaum, went out of it again for preaching and signs and directed Himself straight to Nain with the disciples who accompanied Him and the people. As He approached the city, He met a funeral procession and, being moved with compassion at the sorrow of the mother, raised her only son.

Next in the evangelist Luke comes the embassy of the holy John the Forerunner to the Lord from prison. The holy Matthew also speaks of this embassy. But it stands in him in connection with the sending of the twelve Apostles to preach. With this circumstance two evangelists, Mark and Luke, place in connection the confusion of Herod, who, having heard of the glorious deeds of the Lord, could not explain them otherwise than by supposing that this was John the Forerunner, slain by him, risen and working miracles. Consequently, at the time of the sending of the holy Apostles to preach, the holy Forerunner was no longer alive and could not arrange an embassy to the Lord.

Why for this embassy there must be another place in the course of Gospel events. Since besides the evangelist Matthew only the evangelist Luke speaks of it in this present place, we have nothing left but to recognize this place as the present place of John’s embassy to the Lord. We place it here, bringing together with it the account of the evangelist Matthew and forming from both one account of John’s embassy to the Lord with the addition of all that both evangelists say on this occasion, namely: the discourse of the Lord following the departure of the disciples sent by John, in which are contained: praises of John the Forerunner; condemnations of the unbelief of the Pharisees; condemnation of the cities in which the Lord had most manifested His power; thanksgiving to God the Father for the revelation of truth to humble babes, passing over the proud wise.

After this, finally, in the evangelist Luke the Lord shows mercy to a weeping repentant sinful woman in the house of a certain Simon and continues His journey through Galilee in the company of certain women—and hereby ends His fourth journey through Galilee. Since these last events are mentioned only in the evangelist Luke, this is the only place for them here.