Preaching to the various towns (Mt 11:1-11:1)

“When Jesus

Had finished instructing

His twelve disciples,

He went on from there

To teach,

And to proclaim

His message

In their towns.”

 

Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς διατάσσων τοῖς δώδεκα μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, μετέβη ἐκεῖθεν τοῦ διδάσκειν καὶ κηρύσσειν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν.

 

Matthew continued his unique narrative by saying that Jesus had finished instructing and giving orders (Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς) to his twelve disciples or apostles (τοῖς δώδεκα μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ), so that he left there (μετέβη ἐκεῖθεν τοῦ).  He went about teaching and preaching (διδάσκειν καὶ κηρύσσειν) in their various towns (ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν).  Matthew used the term 12 disciples (τοῖς δώδεκα μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ) not apostles for the close followers of Jesus.  He felt that they had been fully instructed or gotten their marching orders, so that now he was going to go around to teach, proclaim, and preach his message to a larger audience, to their various towns and cities in Galilee.