Bible Commentaries
Luke 4

Introduction

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

1 The temptation and fasting of Christ.

13 He overcometh the devil:

14 beginneth to preach.

16 The people of Nazareth admire his gracious words.

33 He cureth one possessed of a devil,

38 Peter’s mother-in-law,

40 and divers other sick persons.

41 The devils acknowledge Christ, and are reproved for

2 : 43 He preacheth through the cities.

Verse 2

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Being forty days tempted. — St. Matthew places the temptations which are recorded at the close of the forty days; but it follows from his account that there must have been previous temptations, since it was for this purpose that our Lord was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Hence there is no discrepancy in the accounts. St. Luke also varies the order of the specific temptations of which an account is given; but as nothing depends upon the mere circumstance of their succession, the order became a matter of indifference. On our Lord’s temptation, see the notes on Matthew 4:1-11.

Verse 16

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

As his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. — Let it be observed that to attend the public worship of God on the Sabbath, in the synagogue, was THE CUSTOM of our Lord; so that the obligation of this duty upon us cannot be questioned. On synagogues, see note on Matthew 4:23.

And stood up for to read. — By this action he signified his desire to read the lesson for the day, which any might do to whom the book was delivered, but not without leave of the ruler of the synagogue; for so the Jewish rule runs, according to Maimonides; “A reader may not read until the chief of the congregation bids him read.” It was the custom to stand at the reading of the law and the prophets. Every Sabbath day, the Jews say seven persons read, — a priest, a Levite, and five Israelites.

Verses 17-20

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

There was delivered to him the book of the Prophet Esaias.

— This would be done at the bidding of the president by the chazan, one of the ministers of the synagogue. The sacred books were taken out of the chest in which they were deposited with great reverence. It would seem by the book of Isaiah being delivered to Christ, that each book was kept separately; no doubt for convenience of reference, and also for holding in the hand, as they were written on skins and rolled up. And when he had opened, literally “unrolled,” the book, he found the place where it was written; a mode of expression which intimates that it was not the portion assigned to be read for the day. The sections or lessons of the law were, it would seem, read with great exactness; but in the prophets, the reader might read less than the portion appointed, or even turn to another place, if thought applicable. Here our Lord reads only a few verses, and those out of the order, and makes them the text of a discourse. Liberty of expounding and exhorting in the synagogues was allowed to qualified persons, and creditable strangers, by consent of the ruler; and when our Lord gave the signal of his wish to read, by standing up, he might include in it a desire to expound also; for having closed the book, and returned it to the minister, he sat down, as the manner of the Jewish doctors was, when they taught or preached, understanding that he had the consent of the president to comment upon the passage, as well as to read it. The passage he had selected from Isaiah, they all knew related to the Messiah, for in that their interpreters were universally agreed; and as he had already preached largely throughout Galilee, and spoken and acted in the character of Messiah, the eyes of all them in the synagogue were fastened upon him, in eager expectation as to what use he might make of the passage, or whether he would apply it to himself.

Verses 18-19

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

To the poor. — In the Hebrew, it is the meek, but St. Luke follows the LXX. The words, however, come from the same root; and spiritual poverty, or lowliness and humility of mind is intended. Not, indeed, as Bishop Horsley well observes, that the figurative sense is, to exclude the literal; “for the Christian revelation is emphatically glad tidings to the poor,” as it opens to them without respect of persons the same glorious hopes as to the most exalted. Still even these must become “poor in spirit” before they can obtain the true riches. The broken-hearted are the contrite and penitent, who are truly healed by pardoning mercy, and the assurance of the remission of sins by the comforting testimony of the Holy Spirit. Persons oppressed also with great trouble of mind, arising from outward afflictions, are not excluded. With such, if they bring their case to Christ in prayer, he tenderly sympathizes, grants support and solace; and by the influences of his grace he turns the sorrows of life into the means of healing the soul. To preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, is also to be understood figuratively of our redemption from the captivity of our spiritual enemies. Instead of recovery of sight to the blind, which is the reading of the LXX., the Hebrew is, and freedom to those bound in prison; which is but a repetition of the preceding clause.

The LXX. probably followed a different reading; or, since it was not uncommon in the east to put out the eyes of prisoners, they took the repetition of the Hebrew to express captivity in its harshest forms, and so concluded the captives spoken of, like Samson, to have been deprived of sight, and put to mean and wasting labors. The deliverance of the demoniacs from the bondage of Satan, by our merciful Redeemer, and the opening the eyes of those actually deprived of natural sight, were fulfilments of this illustrious prophecy; but only in a primary and inferior sense, as these were visible TYPES, and most certain PLEDGES, of the power of the Saviour to rescue us from the greater calamities of spiritual thraldom, blindness, and degradation. The Chaldee paraphrase interprets the last clause thus, “To the prisoners, Be ye revealed to the light;” which in substance agrees with the LXX., since to be brought out of constant darkness may be said to be a recovery of sight to the blind. The allusion in this case will be not to the custom of putting out the eyes of prisoners, but to that of confining them in pits and dark dungeons. Hence the Messiah, in Isaiah 49:9, is appointed to “say to the PRISONERS, Go forth; to them that are in DARKNESS, Show yourselves.”

The next clause, to set at liberty them that are bruised, worn down and wounded by the weight of their chains, is still a heightened representation of the miserable condition of the captives. This clause is not, however, either in the present copies of the Hebrew or Septuagint. The same words occur in the LXX., Isaiah 58:6. To preach, proclaim, κερυξαι , the acceptable year of the Lord. An acceptable time is a season in which God shows himself gracious and benign; and there is here an allusion to the year of jubilee, when all debts were cancelled, inheritances restored, and freedom given to all Hebrew bondsmen. This interesting political institution, equally marked by wisdom and benevolence, and which, when once proclaimed by sound of trumpet, filled the whole land with joy and gladness, and was, to those especially who were to partake its benefits, an acceptable and most grateful time, was the type of the Gospel age of deliverance and restoration, and was therefore so used by the prophet, and quoted by our Lord. Our Lord began the proclamation of the commencement of this spiritual jubilee; and it is the delightful work of his servants still to publish it, and to offer the benefits of the day, the season of grace to all who will accept them, — the remission of the debt of sin, the restoration of the alienated inheritance of heaven, and spiritual freedom. Animated by the same fine thought, St. Paul exclaims, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation,” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

Verse 21

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. — That is, in your hearing; as though he had said, I declare to you this day that it is fulfilled; which implied that the acceptable year spoken of by the prophet had arrived, and that he himself was the Messiah who was anointed to preach the good tidings. God’s love to fallen man, the provision made by his mercy to remove those various spiritual miseries and dangers, so affectingly set forth in the text on which he was commenting, opened in the clearest and sweetest eloquence, and enforced no doubt with many kind exhortations and invitations, formed the subjects of this discourse; which appears to have been of considerable length, and it produced great, though not saving effect. And they all bare him witness, gave signs of approbation, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, that is, at the wisdom and elegance of his speech, at the attractive manner in which he had set forth all these benefits, and the clearness and power of argument with which he gave weight to the whole. And they said, is not this Joseph’s son? The first effect appears to have been surprise, that a man who had not been brought up in the schools, could discourse so admirably; which ought to have convinced them, in conjunction with the mighty works which they knew he had already wrought in Galilee, that his claim to be the Messiah at least deserved to be candidly considered, seeing he was equally “mighty in deed and word.” But the effect upon an “evil heart of unbelief” was the reverse: they wondered at the wisdom and excellence of what he said, because he was Joseph’s son; but they argued that because he was so, because he was not great by birth, and trained up under their wise men, he could not be the Messiah. — This was the conclusion to which they came after their wonder at his discourse had somewhat abated; and it was with reference to this state of their minds that the following words of our Lord are to be interpreted. — Without taking it into account that they had fully made up their minds to reject his claim, notwithstanding the impression made by his discourse, and that because of the lowly condition in which he had always lived among them, Christ’s subsequent address to them appears inexplicably harsh, and quite different from his usual manner. But when the people of Nazareth are viewed as already having made up their minds to reject Christ, and to resist even the convictions which had stolen upon them during the delivery of this discourse, and that under the influence of a base and worldly prejudice, we shall see in the whole an instance of that solemn judicial abandonment which even Christ shall at length inflict upon all who wilfully reject his truth.

Verses 23-30

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Physician, heal thyself. — Our Lord’s manner was often to anticipate objections, and to refute them while yet they were working in the minds of his adversaries, and before they had declared them. — This showed his perfect knowledge of the heart. That objection by which the people of Nazareth appeared to have fortified themselves against acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah was, that he had not wrought the same, or so great works at Nazareth as in other places; for instance, at Capernaum, a city where he had much resided after he had commenced his ministry, and where he raised Jairus’ daughter from death, healed the man with a withered hand, the woman with the issue of blood, and done other great miracles. Of these things they had heard; which shows that this visit of our Lord to Nazareth was not at the commencement, but at a late period of his public ministry; for Luke’s plan, as it has already been observed, was not so strictly to observe the order of time in his narrative as the classes of events, and their illustrative character. The proverb our Lord quotes is called in the Greek a parable, because proverbs of this class contain a simile or comparison, and were indeed often the moral of well known parables in the proper sense. It is a common proverb, implying reproof in all nations, and has various applications. Here the point of it was, that Christ took more care of strangers than of his own townspeople and kindred; that he was liberal of his favours from home. Our Lord’s answer shows that this was but a pretence for not receiving him in his true character. They ought indeed to have been satisfied with smaller evidence of his claims than strangers, since he had lived so many years among them and had established his character for wisdom and piety; but to their proverb our Lord opposes another, No prophet is accepted in his own country, or, as it is given by St. Mark, “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house;” a truth which often derives illustration from fact.

For, as public teachers, they may be objects of envy to some who have known them in a private condition; and as faithful reprovers usually offend, the reproved are ready to seize upon any circumstance of meanness, in their former condition; or any thing connected with their family relations, by which the prophet or teacher is held up to contempt, and the point of his reproofs blunted. See the notes on Matthew 13:57. But our Lord has another reason to give for his not having done as many miracles there as at Capernaum and other places. These works were not to be performed out of natural affection, or love of kindred or country, in those who were endowed with the power of working them, but were under the special command and sovereign authority of God, who takes into account the state of men’s hearts, and their improvement of one privilege before he bestows another; and often too overlooks those who fancy they have most claim to his regard, to bestow his blessings upon strangers and despised persons. So Elijah was sent during the great famine, to be the inmate of the widow of Sarepta, a Sidonian city, and therefore herself a Gentile, although there were many widows in Israel. And Naaman, the Syrian leper, was cleansed by Elisha, although there were many lepers in Israel. He thus plainly declared to them that because of their worldliness and disposition to unbelief they were less regarded by God than others among whom he had been specially sent to perform his mightier works; and not obscurely intimated that the doctrine and salvation they put away from them should be sent to the Gentiles.

They were therefore filled with wrath; and pleading probably what the bigoted zealots among them called the judgment of zeal, — the lawfulness of avenging the cause of their religion when they thought any dishonour put upon it, in a tumultuous manner, without waiting for the regular forms of trial, — they hurried him to the brow of the hill, that they might cast him down the precipice: but he passed through the midst, not by making himself invisible, as some have thought, but by a miraculous restraint which he suddenly laid upon them; and so showing them their weakness and his power, went his way. — Thus he performed among them one mighty work which he had not done at Capernaum, the place they pretended to envy; but it was a miracle which did not bring their Saviour near to them, but separated him from them for ever; which will be the effect also of the last act of power our Lord will perform, as to all those who wilfully reject him, in whatever age they have lived, and in whatever country they may be found. On the situation of Nazareth Dr. E. D. Clarke remarks: “Induced by the words of the Gospel to examine the place attentively, we went, as it is written, out of the city to the brow of the hill on which the city is built, and came to a precipice corresponding with the words of the evangelist.” The topographical accuracy of the writers of the gospels is indeed so great as to make their writings a guide to travellers to this day, and furnishes a most convincing proof that the gospels were written by Jews and eye witnesses, or contain their relations.

Verse 32

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

For his word was with power. — This was on many occasions, and in various places, felt by his auditors, and acknowledged. See the note on Matthew 7:28-29. Not only did his word make a powerful impression, but it carried with it a dignity and authority indicating a Being superior to mere human teachers though prophets. This mystery was not indeed, at that time, so fully revealed, as afterward; but there was an impression of it, though indistinct and indefinite, made upon the minds of the thousands in Galilee, who heard him with reverence and attention, in their synagogues, from Sabbath to Sabbath.

Verses 33-37

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

The spirit of an unclean devil, &c. — See the notes on Mark 1:23, &c.

Verse 38

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Simon’s wife’s mother. — See notes on Matthew 8:14-15.

Verse 40

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

When the sun was setting, &c. — Δυνοντος δε ηλιου , the present for the past, when the sun had set, which concluded the Sabbath; and for that they had been waiting, that, as soon as it was lawful, they might bring forth their sick to be healed. See the note on Matthew 8:16.

Verse 42

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

And came unto him, and stayed him. — What eagerness on the part of the people of Galilee to hear our Lord, and to keep him among them, does the conclusion of this chapter with the first verse of the next exhibit! When he retired to the desert, they sought him out, they urged him, endeavoured to restrain him by kind entreaties that he should not depart from them, and pressed upon him to hear the word of God. Yet “the leaven of the Pharisees” afterward came in to destroy all this prospect of good. They neither “entered the kingdom of heaven themselves, nor suffered those that would to enter in;” and partly by turning into contempt a Messiah who did not even profess it to be his design to exalt the nation to power and dominion, — an objection to our Lord which the carnal ambition of the Jews greatly favoured, — and then by blunting the force of the evidence of his mission from miracles, among those not disposed to be convinced, by furnishing them with the diabolical sophism, that he cast out devils by the prince of devils, they succeeded, to a great extent, in destroying the effect both of the Baptist’s and of our Lord’s earliest ministry. Still great numbers were prepared for the Lord, who were afterward gathered into the Christian Church, as we learn from the Acts of the Apostles; and numbers more, no doubt, of whom we have no record.