Luke 4:1-13. The Temptation 1. _being full of the Holy Ghost_ Omit -being." St Luke often calls special attention to the work of the Spirit, Luke 3:22; Luke 4:14; Acts 6:3; Acts 7:55; Acts 11:24. The expression alludes to the outpouring of the Spirit upon Jesus at His baptism, John 3:34. The narrati... [ Continue Reading ]
_forty days_ The number was connected in the Jewish mind with notions of seclusion, and revelation, and peril; Moses on Sinai, Exodus 34:18; Elijah, 1 Kings 19:8; the wanderings of the Israelites, Numbers 14:34; Judges 13:1. _tempted_ The present participle implies that the temptation was continuou... [ Continue Reading ]
_If thou be the Son of God_ Doubtless an allusion to the divine Voice at His baptism (Luke 3:22). The same words were tauntingly addressed to our Lord on the Cross (Matthew 27:40). The Greek _strictly_means "_Assuming that Thou art_," but in Hellenistic Greek words and phrases are not always used wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is written_ The perfect _gegraptai_means -it has been written," it standeth written as an eternal lesson. Jesus foils the tempter _as_man _for_man. He will not say -I am the Son of God," and -does not consider equality with God a prize at which to grasp" (Philippians 2:6), but seizes "the sword... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain_ Probably "the devil" and "into a high mountain" are added from St Matthew. How the devil took Him up we are not told. Scripture, to turn away our thoughts from the secondary to the essential, knows nothing of those journeys through the air which we... [ Continue Reading ]
_All this power will I give thee_ Rather, in the emphatic order of the original, TO THEE WILL I GIVE THIS POWER, ALL OF IT, AND THE GLORY OF THEM. _for that is delivered unto me_ The original is even stronger, HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO ME. Hence the expressions, "the prince of this world," John 12:31; J... [ Continue Reading ]
_wilt worship me_ Rather, WILT DO HOMAGE BEFORE ME. Comp. Psalms 22:27. _all shall be thine_ Rather, IT (the habitable world) SHALL ALL BE THINE, for the true reading is _pâsa_(all the uncials) not _panta_. There was then living, one to whom in as high an ambitious sense as has ever been realised,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Get thee behind me, Satan_ These words should here be omitted with א, B, D, L, &c., as having been added from Matthew 4:10. Similar words were used to Peter (Matthew 16:23). _Thou shalt worship … and him only_ The quotation is slightly altered from Deuteronomy 6:13, "Thou shalt _fear_the Lord thy... [ Continue Reading ]
_a pinnacle_ Rather, THE PINNACLE, or BATTLEMENT. Some well-known pinnacle of the Temple, either that of the Royal Portico, which looked down from a dizzy height into the Valley of the Kidron (Jos. _Antt_. xv. 11 § 5); or the Eastern Portico, from which tradition says that St James was afterwards hu... [ Continue Reading ]
_For it is written_ "The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness Is like a villain with a smiling cheek, A deadly apple rotten at the heart." Shakespeare. "In religion What damned error but some sober brow Will bless it and approve it with a text, Hidin... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not tempt_ Rather, THOU SHALT NOT UTTERLY TEMPT, or TEMPT TO THE EXTREME. It is impious folly to _put God to the test_by thrusting ourselves into uncalled-for danger. The angels will only guard our perilous footsteps when we are walking in the path of duty. We cannot claim miracles when... [ Continue Reading ]
_had ended all the temptation_ Rather, EVERY TEMPTATION. "He had," as Bengel says, "shot his last dart." The temptations had been addressed (1) to the desire of the flesh trying to make the test of Sonship to God consist not in obedience but in the absence of pain; (2) to the pride of life as though... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus returns to Nazareth and preaches there 14. _And Jesus returned_ St Luke here omits that series of occurrences which is mainly preserved for us by the Apostle who recorded the Judaean ministry St John; namely the deputation of the Sanhedrin to the Baptist (Luke 1:19-28), and his testimony about... [ Continue Reading ]
_he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all_ The word -He" is emphatic. -He Himself," in contrast with the _rumour_about Him. The word _autos_in this Gospel comes to mean "the Master," as a sort of title of honour, as in the "_Autos epha_" "the Master said it" of the Pythagoreans. The ver... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he came to Nazareth_ This is probably the visit related in unchronological order in Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6, since after so violent and decisive a rejection as St Luke narrates, it is unlikely that He should have preached at Nazareth again. If so, we learn from these (1) that His disciples... [ Continue Reading ]
_there was delivered unto him_ Literally, "there was _further_handed to Him." The expression means that after He, or another, had read the _Parashah_, or First Lesson, which was always from the Pentateuch, the clerk handed to him the Roll of Isaiah, which contained the _Haphtarah_, or Second Lesson.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he hath anointed me_ Rather, HE ANOINTED (aorist); the following verb is in the perfect. The word _Mashach_in the Hebrew would recall to the hearers the notion of the Messiah "il m'a messianisé" (Salvador). "God _anointed_Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power," Acts 10:38. In illustr... [ Continue Reading ]
_the acceptable year_ The primary allusion is to the year of Jubilee, Leviticus 25:8-10; but this was only a type of the true Jubilee of Christ's kingdom. Many of the Fathers, with most mistaken literalness, inferred from this verse that our Lord's ministry only lasted a year, and the notion acquire... [ Continue Reading ]
_he closed the book_ Rather, ROLLING UP. Generally the Haphtarah consists of twenty-one verses, and is never less than three; but our Lord stopped short in the second verse, because this furnished sufficient text for His discourse, and because He wished these gracious words to rest last on their ear... [ Continue Reading ]
_he began to say unto them_ i. e. these were the first words of the discourse. It began with the announcement that He was the Messiah in whom the words of the prophet found their fulfilment.... [ Continue Reading ]
_gracious words_ Rather, WORDS OF GRACE. The word grace does not here mean mercy or favour (_Gnade_), but beauty and attractiveness (_Anmuth_). This verse and John 7:46 are the chief proofs that there was in our Lord's utterance an irresistible majesty and sweetness. Comp. Psalms 45:2; John 1:14. _A... [ Continue Reading ]
_this proverb_ The Greek word is - _parabolç_," which is here used for the Hebrew _mashal_, and had a wider meaning than its English equivalent. Thus it is also used for a _proverb_(_Beispiel_), 1 Samuel 10:12; 1 Samuel 24:13; Ezekiel 12:22; or a type, Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 11:19. See on Luke 8:5. _P... [ Continue Reading ]
Rejection by the Nazarenes 24. _is accepted in his own country_ St Matthew adds (Matthew 13:57) "and in his own house," implying that "neither did His brethren believe on Him." This curious psychological fact, which has its analogy in the worldly proverb that -No man is a hero to his valet," or, -F... [ Continue Reading ]
_many widows were in Israel_ So far from trying to flatter them, He tells them that His work is not to be for _their_special benefit or glorification, but that He had now passed far beyond the limitations of earthly relationships. _three years and six months_ Such was the Jewish tradition, as we see... [ Continue Reading ]
_save unto Sarepta_ i. e. "but he _was_sent to Sarepta." Zarephath (1 Kings 17:9) was a Phoenician town near the coast between Tyre and Sidon, now called _Surafend_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_saving Naaman the Syrian_ 2 Kings 5:1-14. Thus both Elijah and Elisha had carried God's mercies to Gentiles.... [ Continue Reading ]
_were filled with wrath_ The aorist implies a sudden outburst. Perhaps they were already offended by knowing that Jesus had spent two days at Sychar among the hated Samaritans; and now He whom they wished to treat as "the carpenter" and their equal, was as it were asserting the superior claims of Ge... [ Continue Reading ]
_the brow of the hill whereon their city was built_ The - _whereon_" refers to the hill not to the brow. Nazareth nestles under the southern slopes of the hill. The cliff down which they wished to hurl Him (because this was regarded as a form of -stoning," the legal punishment for blasphemy) was cer... [ Continue Reading ]
_passing through the midst of them_ This is rather a _mirabile_than a _miraculum_, since no miracle is asserted or necessarily implied. The inherent majesty and dignity of our Lord's calm ascendency, seem to have been sufficient on several occasions to overawe and cow His enemies; John 7:30; John 7:... [ Continue Reading ]
The Healing of a Demoniac 31. _came down to Capernaum_ St Matthew (Matthew 4:13-16) sees in this the fulfilment of Isaiah 9:1-2, omitting the first part which should be rendered "At the former time he brought contempt on the Land of Zebulun and on the Land of Naphtali, _but in the latter time he bro... [ Continue Reading ]
_they were astonished_ The word expresses more sudden and vehement astonishment than the more deeply seated -amaze" of Luke 4:36. _at his doctrine_ Rather, AT HIS TEACHING, referring here to the _manner_He adopted. _his word was with power_ St Matthew gives one main secret of their astonishment whe... [ Continue Reading ]
_a spirit of an unclean devil_ The word -unclean" is peculiar to St Luke, who writes for Gentiles. The word for devil is not _diabolos_, which is confined to Satan, or human beings like him (John 6:70); but _daimonion_, which in Greek was also capable of a good sense. The Jews believed _daimonia_to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saying, Let us alone_ Omit _saying_, with א, B, L. The word _Ea_! may be not the imperative of _eaô_(-desist!") but a wild cry of horror -Ha!" _what have we to do with thee_ The demon speaks in the plural, merging his individuality in that of all evil powers. (Matthew 8:29; Mark 5:9.) For the phra... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hold thy peace_ Literally, "_Be muzzled_," as in 1 Corinthians 9:9. See Matthew 22:34; Mark 1:25, &c. _had thrown him_ St Mark uses the stronger word "tearing him." It was the convulsion which became a spasm of visible deliverance. It is most instructive to contrast the simple sobriety of the narra... [ Continue Reading ]
_the fame of him went out_ Rather, A RUMOUR ABOUT HIM BEGAN TO SPREAD.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Healing of Simon's Wife's Mother 38. _into Simon's house_ St Mark, nearly connected with St Peter, says more accurately "the house of Simon and Andrew" (Luke 1:29). This is the first mention of Peter in St Luke, but the name was too well known in the Christian Church to need further explanation.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he stood over her_ A graphic touch, found here only. The other Evangelists say that He took her by the hand. _she arose and ministered unto them_ Literally, ARISING AT ONCE SHE BEGAN TO WAIT ON THEM.... [ Continue Reading ]
Healing the Sick at Evening 40. _when the sun was setting_ Sunset ended the Sabbath, and thus enabled Jews, without infringing on the many minute - _abhoth_" and - _toldoth_" i. e. primary and subordinate rules of sabbatic strictness to carry their sick on beds and pallets. (John 5:11-12; see _Life... [ Continue Reading ]
_crying out_ The word implies the harsh screams of the demoniacs. _Thou art Christ the Son of God_ The words "Thou art Christ" should be omitted with א, B, C, D, F, L, &c. _suffered them not to speak_ "His hour was not yet come" (John 7:30), nor in any case would He accept such testimony: so St Pa... [ Continue Reading ]
_when it was day_ St Mark (Mark 1:35) uses the expression "rising up exceedingly early in the morning, while it was yet dark." It was His object to escape into silence, and solitude, and prayer, without being observed by the multitudes. _into a desert place_ Densely as the district was populated, s... [ Continue Reading ]
_I must_ "It behoves me" the -must" of moral obligation. _preach_ Rather, TELL THE GLAD TIDINGS OF. The word is "evangelize," not _kêrussô_the word of the next verse. _the kingdom of God_ The acceptance of the Faith of Christ, whether in the heart or in the world, was illustrated by Christ in its... [ Continue Reading ]
_he preached_ Rather, HE WAS PREACHING, implying a continued ministry. _of Galilee_ Here א, B, C, L and other uncials have the important various reading "of Judaea." If this reading be correct, it is another of the many indications that the Synoptists _assume and imply_that Judaean ministry which S... [ Continue Reading ]