Luke 4:14,15

‘And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and fame went out concerning him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.'

Meanwhile Jesus, having sorted out in His own mind His future, returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee. He was still full of the Spirit and walking as the Spirit led Him. And He began preaching and performing miracles in a number of places including Capernaum (‘what we have heard done in Capernaum' - Luke 4:23) and His fame went throughout all the region round about, and He taught in their synagogues, and all spoke well of Him and wondered at what He said and did. After His experiences in the wilderness, this was the way that He had chosen to take.

This introduction leads us to expect remarkable things, and demonstrates a considerable ministry, and it is therefore salutary to recognise that the first activity that we are told about in detail is a failure. It is an indication that the Devil is smarting from his defeat and is now reacting. We will see in Acts that this is a typical scenario, initial success, reaction, persecution which causes a change in venue, blessing.

‘In their synagogues.' At this time Jesus apparently preached in the synagogues. It is only later that the crowds become so large that the synagogues will not hold them. He may also no longer have been welcomed in many of them.

The decription of a powerful and successful minstry in two lines followed by a detailed incident is typcial of Luke. Regularly in Acts the continual proclamtion of the word is summarised, or even not mentioned, with emphasis being laid on some incident which reflects what is happening. For example in Acts 16 we are told nothing about the preaching that resulted in the lively Philippian church. We are simply given three incidents which reflect it.