Matthew 4:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

That it might be fulfilled which— Whereby was fulfilled that which. Matthew 4:15. By the way of the sea, beyond Jordan] Situate on the Jordan, near the sea. Campbell. By the way of the sea is rather an indefinite and obscure expression. What is here called sea is properly not a sea, but a lake. It was customary with the Hebrews to denominate a large extent of water, though fresh water, and encompassed with land, by the name sea. It was on this sea, that Capernaum, and some other towns of note, were situated. Here also Peter and Andrew, James and John, before they were called to the apostleship, exercised the occupation of fishermen. The sea of Galilee and the sea of Tiberias are become in scripture-style so much like proper names, that it might look affected to change them for the lake of Galilee and the lake of Tiberias. Besides, where it can conveniently be done, these small differences in phraseology which diversify the styles of the evangelists in the original, ought to be preserved in the translation.