Jesus left Capernaum again and traveled around Galilee. With him traveled his disciples as well as others. Some of those who were with him on this journey were women. Three of these were Mary of Magdala, a widow that Jesus had healed, Joanna, whose husband was the bookkeeper of Antipas, and Susanna. All three contributed money to help support the growing ministry.
Jesus journeyed westward, up the Valley of Jezreel toward the Great Sea. With the Carmel mountain range off to his left, he walked beside the Kishon River, and past the ruins of Megiddo. Jesus and his disciples entered the small town of Besara [where Galilee borders Phoenicia to the west and Samaria to the south]. The town of Besara is snuggled in the foothills only one mile north of the Kishon River in the far west of the region of Galilee.
When Jesus arrived, a man who could not speak, and who was blind in his religious walk, was brought to Jesus. The man’s family brought him to Jesus in hopes that he could be healed, and become less of a burden to them. Jesus chose to restore his speech.
But in town, at that moment, were members of the Pharisee party. Because Jesus was known to work on the Sabbath, they could say with confidence that God had not sent Jesus. Two of them said aloud, such that many nearby could hear, that ‘Jesus healed using the power of Satan’. Knowing that the people from this area were VERY sensitive about serving any god but Yahweh, a comment like this should convince the people not to believe in Jesus.
Jesus, having also heard the slander, responded immediately, recalling to their minds their own local history. ‘Remember the time when Elijah found the people of Israel to have a “double mind”?’ asked Jesus. ‘They could not decide whether to worship Yahweh or Baal. Remember how they finally chose Yahweh, dragged the priest of Baal down from the mountains, and killed them just a few miles from here? Now see, listen, and believe’, Jesus told them. ‘I do not cast out demons by Beelzebul. I exercise the power of God, just as Elijah did.’
Jesus and his followers left to continue their journey through Galilee.
DAB