The word “devil” (4:1) means “slanderer”; and the name “Satan” means “adversary.”
Capernaum (4:13) is one of the territories assigned to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. It is located at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee.
Fishermen had more income than average people in Galilee, so James and John left behind a good job.[bsg_ref id=\"76\" vol=\"\" page=\"55\"]
Synagogues (4:23): (Hellenistic Gk. sunagōgē, “gathering of people,” “a congregation,” “a place of prayer,” Acts 16:13 NIV)... As only a small proportion of the people could become proficient in the study of the law under the scribes, and as it was desirable that all should have at least an elementary acquaintance therewith, the custom grew up in postexilic times of reading the Scriptures in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.[bsg_ref id=\"83\" vol=\"\" page=\"1229\"]
Syria (4:24): The area north of Galilee and between Damascus and the Mediterranean Sea.[bsg_ref id=\"81\" vol=\"\" page=\"1444\"]
Decapolis (4:25): “ten cities”...A district containing ten cities in the NE part of Galilee, near the Sea of Galilee.[bsg_ref id=\"83\" vol=\"\" page=\"295\"] A league of free cities... characterized by high Greek culture. All but one, Scythopolis (Beth Shan), were east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan river. The league stretched from a point northeast of the Sea of Galilee southward to Philadelphia (modern Amman).[bsg_ref id=\"81\" vol=\"\" page=\"1444\"]

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