CHAPTER IV. _Christ's temptation_, 1-13. _Teaches in the synagogues of Galilee_, 14, 15. _He preaches tn a synagogue at Nazareth_, 16-28. _They attempt to kill him_, 29, 30. _He preaches in Capernaum_, 31, 32, _and casts out a demon_, 33-37. _Heals Peter's mother-in-law, and various others_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:7. _IF THOU - WILT WORSHIP ME_] This temptation is the _last_ in order, as related by Matthew; and it is not reasonable to suppose that any other succeeded to it. Luke has here told the particulars, but not in the order in which they took place. See every circumstance of this temptation... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:14. _RETURNED IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT_] Εν τῃ δυναμει του πνευματος, _In the mighty power of the Spirit_. Having now conquered the grand adversary, he comes in the miracle-working energy of the Spirit to show forth his power, godhead, and love to the people, that they might believe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:15. _AND HE TAUGHT IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES_] We do not find that even the persecuting Jews ever hindered Christ or his disciples from preaching in their synagogues. Is it the same in every place where even the Christian religion is established by law? Would Jesus, or his apostles, or their... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:16. _TO NAZARETH, WHERE HE HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP_] It is likely that our Lord lived principally in this city till the 30th year of his age; but, after he entered on his public ministry, his usual place of residence was at the house of Peter, in Capernaum. _AS HIS CUSTOM WAS_] Our Lord r... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:17. _AND WHEN HE HAD OPENED THE BOOK_] αναπτυζας, _When he_ _had unrolled it_. The Sacred Writings used to this day, in all the Jewish synagogues, are written on _skins_ of _basil, parchment_, or _vellum_, sewed end to end, and _rolled_ on two _rollers_, beginning at each end; so that,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:18. _THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD_] This is found in Isaiah 61:1; but our Lord immediately adds to it Isaiah 42:7. The proclaiming of liberty to the captives, and the acceptable year (or year of acceptance) of the Lord, is a manifest allusion to the proclaiming of the year of jubilee by soun... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:20. _WERE FASTENED ON HIM._] Were _attentively fixed on him_. The proper import of ατενιζοντες αυτω.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:22. _AT THE GRACIOUS WORDS_] _To the words of grace_, επι τοις λογοις της χαριτος, or the _doctrines of grace_, which he then preached. It is very strange that none of the evangelists give us any account of this sermon! There was certainly _more_ of it than is related in Luke 4:21. _To... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:23. _PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF_] That is, heal the broken-hearted in _thy own country_, as the latter clause of the verse explains it; but they were far from being in a proper spirit to receive the salvation which he was ready to communicate; and therefore they were not healed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:24. _NO PROPHET IS ACCEPTED_] See on Matthew 13:55-40.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _IN THE DAYS OF ELIAS_] See this history, 1 Kings 17:1, compared with 1 Kings 18:1. This was evidently a miraculous interference, as no rain fell for three years and six months, even in the rainy seasons. There were two of these in Judea, called the _first_ and the _latter_ rains; the _fir... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _UNTO NONE OF THEM WAS ELIAS SENT, SAVE UNTO SAREPTA_] The sentence is elliptical, and means this: To none of _them_ was Elias sent; he was not sent except to Sarepta; for the widow at Sarepta was a _Sidonian_, not a _widow of Israel_. PEARCE. - _Sarepta_ was a pagan city in the country of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _NONE OF THEM WAS CLEANSED_] This verse is to be understood as the 26th; for Naaman, being a _Syrian_, was _no leper_ _in Israel_. The meaning of these verses is, God dispenses his benefits _when,_ _where_, and to _whom_ he pleases. No person can complain of his conduct in these respects,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _WERE FILLED WITH WRATH_] They seem to have drawn the following conclusion from what our Lord spoke: "The _Gentiles_ are more precious in the sight of God than the _Jews_; and to them his miracles of mercy and kindness shall be principally confined." This was pretty near the truth, as the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _THE BROW OF THE HILL_] Mr. Maundrel tells us that this is still called "the _Mountain of the Precipitation_, and is half a league southward of Nazareth. In going to it, you cross first over the vale in which Nazareth stands; and then going down two or three furlongs, in a narrow cleft bet... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _PASSING THROUGH THE MIDST OF THEM_] Either he shut their eyes so that they could not see him; or he so overawed them by his power as to leave them no strength to perform their murderous purpose. The man Christ Jesus was immortal till his _time_ came; and all his messengers are immortal ti... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _CAME DOWN TO CAPERNAUM_] Which it is likely he made his ordinary place of residence from this time. Matthew 4:13, Matthew 4:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _HIS WORD WAS WITH POWER._] εν εξουσια, _With authority_. He assumed the tone and manner of a new Lawgiver; and uttered all his _doctrines_, not in the way of exhortation or advice, but in the form of precepts and commands, the unction of the Holy Spirit accompanying all he said. Mark 1:22... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _A SPIRIT OF AN UNCLEAN DEVIL_] As _demon_ was used both in a _good_ and _bad_ sense before and after the time of the evangelists the word _unclean_ may have been added here by St. Luke, merely to express the quality of _this_ spirit. But it is worthy of remark, that the inspired writers n... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 35. _AND HURT HIM NOT._] Though he _convulsed_ him, Mark 2:26, and _threw him down in the midst of them_, probably with the design to take away his life, yet our Lord permitted it not; and this appears to be the meaning of the place. The spirit was not permitted essentially to injure him at th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 37. _THE FAME_] ηχος, the _sound_. This is a very elegant metaphor. The people are represented as _struck_ with _astonishment_, and the _sound_ goes out through all the coasts; in allusion to the propagation of sound, by a smart stroke upon any substance, by which the air is suddenly agitated,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 38. _SIMON'S WIFE'S MOTHER_] See Clarke on Matthew 8:14. As soon as Peter began to follow Christ, his family began to benefit by it. It is always profitable to contract an acquaintance with good men. One person full of faith and prayer may be the means of drawing down innumerable blessings on... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:40. _WHEN THE SUN WAS SETTING_] And consequently the Sabbath ended, for before this it would have been unlawful to have brought their sick to be healed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:42. _AND THE PEOPLE SOUGHT HIM_] Rather, _Sought_ him _earnestly_. Instead of εζητουν, _sought_, I read, επεζητουν, _earnestly sought_. This reading is supported by ABCDFLMS-V, and more than seventy others. _Wetstein_ and _Griesbach_ have both received it into the text. The people had t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Luke 4:43. _I MUST PREACH THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO OTHER CITIES_] To proclaim the kingdom of God was the Messiah's great work; healing the diseases of the people was only an _emblematical_ and _secondary_ work, a work that was to be the proof of his goodness, and the demonstration of his authorit... [ Continue Reading ]