Matthew says that the Galileans dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death to describe their material poverty, but also especially the spiritual poverty of their pagan environment (Isaiah 9:1), and their need for the Light of their Saviour (Matthew 4:16). They are the first to see his Light.
On the one hand the terms darkness
and the shadow of death
here refers to the material poverty prevalent in Galilee because of the numerous foreign attacks from the Syrians and Assyrians, but on the other hand it also refers to how spiritually dead the people in this region were because of the continuing pagan influence there. The inhabitants of the regions mentioned in Matthew 4:15 were, at the time, heavily suffering under the judgment of God (Isaiah 9:1). Matthew 4:16 emphasizes the continuation of this judgment over this people dwelling in darkness. Yet these same people would be the first to share in and partake of the light that the Messiah would bring.1
The darkness referred to in this prophecy therefore in the first place signifies earthly oppression, but simultaneously refers to the spiritual state of the people. In Galilee the suffering of the covenant people was the greatest, and yet it would be the people of Galilee to whom the great Son of David, Christ the King, would be revealed first.2
14 afin que s'accomplisse ce qui avait été annoncé par Esaïe, le prophète: