The Gospel According to Saint Luke
Luke 4
Chapter IV · Vol. IV, pp. 155–159
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 it. 42 He preacheth through the cities of Galilee.
1 And Jesus,a being bfull of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was cled by the Spirit into the dwilderness,1
A.D. cir. 29.
a ver.14. Mat.4.1-11. Mar.1.12,13.
b ch.3.22. Mat.3.16. Mar.1.10. Jn.1.32;3.34. Is.61.1;11.2-4.
c 1 Ki.18.12. Eze.3.14;8.3;11.1,24;40.2;43.5. Ac.8.39.
d ch.1.80;3.2. Jos.15.61.
1 Our Lord had now, as man, arrived at the full vigour and maturity of mind and body. At the age of thirty the priests entered on their sacred office; at the same age Jesus entered on his office. He was solemnly consecrated also. The Holy Spirit had descended upon him, not in measure or temporarily, but in all his fulness. Christ, therefore, commenced his official work as perfect man, and filled with the Spirit of God.—P.
2 Being forty days etempted of the devil. And gin those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hhungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, iIf thou be the Son of God, jcommand this stone that it be made bread.2
A.M. cir. 4033. A.D. cir. 29.
j ch.3.8. Ge.18.14.
2 Or, 'command this stone that it become a loaf.' The rounded nodules of flint and fragments of whitish limestone which cover the mountains of Judea bear some resemblance to loaves. Some such stone may have been before them, and Satan pointing to it used the words of the text.—P.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, kIt is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
5 Andl the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, nAll this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Geto thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thoup shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9 Andq he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, rIf thou be the Son of God, scast thyself down from hence:
10 Fort it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:4
t Ps.91.11,12. 1 Ti.3.16. He.1.14.
4 The words 'to keep thee,' are not found in the corresponding passage in Matthew. This difference, however, does not in the least degree infringe upon the principle of the real divine inspiration of the evangelists. Matthew states all that Luke states; but Matthew does not say that the tempter added no more. Luke supplies the additional argument. The reason of the difference is plain: Matthew wrote for Jews, who fully understood, from history, the nature of angelic agency, and did not require any explanation; Luke wrote for Gentiles, who were ignorant upon the subject; and, therefore, he records the portion of the dialogue in which angelic agency was described.—C.
11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 And xwhen the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.6Cited in WLC 48
14 Andy Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
16 And he came to aNazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, and bstood up for to read.Cited in WSC 60 · WLC 117 · WCF 21.6
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 Thec Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted,d to preach deliverance to the captives, and erecovering of sight to the blind,6 to set at liberty them that are fbruised,Cited in WSC 24 · WLC 42 · HC 25, 31
c Is.61.1-3;50.4. Ps.45.2,7. Da.9.24. Ac.10.38. Mat.11.5. Jn.3.16,17;5.24,25;6.27,40. Is.49.6,8,24-26.
d 2 Ch.34.27. Ps.34.18;51.17;147.3. Is.57.15.
6 That is, to those who had become blind by long confinement in a dark place. The literal meaning is well known to all who have been confined in a dark place: the spiritual meaning, to all who have been called 'out of the kingdom of darkness, and into the kingdom of God's dear Son.'—C.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.7
7 It was customary for those who read the law in the synagogue to stand while reading, and then to sit down when about to comment upon the words. It was this act of our Lord which led the people to expect an exposition; and the fact that he was a Nazarene, and had attained to such wonderful notoriety, excited a large amount of interest in him. The incident is only found in Luke. There is one recorded in Mat.13.54-58, and Mar.6.1-6, having some points of resemblance, but they are not identical.—P.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.Cited in WSC 24 · WLC 42
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the hgracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, iIs not this Joseph's son?
23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: jwhatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
25 But I tell you of a truth, lmany widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
l 1 Ki.17.9;18.1. Ja.5.17,18.
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
27 Andn many lepers were in Israel in the time of oEliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
n 2 Ki.5.14.
o Elisha, 1 Ki.19.19-21. 2 Ki.ii.-viii.xiii.
28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, pwere filled with wrath,
p 2 Ch.16.10. Ac.7.54;22.22.
29 Andq rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow8 of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him rdown headlong.9
q Jn.15.24,25;10.32;8.37,40,59. Ac.7.57,58.
8 Or, edge.
9 Nazareth is built on the lower slopes of a hill, overlooking a green upland plain. The hill rises immediately behind the houses in abrupt cliffs, some of them from twenty to thirty feet high. It was doubtless to one of these cliffs they attempted to drag Jesus.—P.
32 And they were astonished at his udoctrine: for his word was with power.2
u Je.23.29. Mat.7.28,29. Mar.1.22. ch.5.17. Jn.6.63. Tit.2.15. He.4.12. 1 Th.1.5.
2 With authority that commanded attention, while it produced feelings of contrition and purposes of reformation; and with power that constrained evil passions, and cast out unclean spirits whom these passions had permitted to enter the hearts of men.—C.
33 Andv in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
v Mar.1.23-28. 1 Pe.5.8.
34 Saying, Let us alone;3 whatx have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; ythe Holy One of God.
35 And zJesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had athrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
z ver.41. Mar.1.25,34;3.11,12. Ac.16.17,18. Ps.50.16.
36 Andb they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
37 Andc the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
A.M. cir. 4034. A.D. cir. 30.
c Mat.4.23-25;9.31. Ca.1.3. Mi.5.4. Is.52.13.
38 Andd he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
39 Ande he stood over her,4 and rebuked the fever; and it left her: gand immediately she arose, and ministered unto them.
40 Nowh when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
h Mat.8.16,17. Mar.1.32-34, with 21.1;3.2. ch.14.1. Ge.49.10. Mat.11.5;4.23.
41 Andi devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ5 the Son of God. And he, rebuking them, suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.6
i Mar.1.34;3.11,12. See ver.34,35. Ac.16.17,18.
5 The marginal translation, 'to say that they knew him to be the Christ,' is preferable. Our Lord refuses their testimony: (1) Lest he should be accused of being in league with demons. (2) Because he knew that so far from desiring to acknowledge him as Christ, their object was to bring him into discredit for receiving the witness of Satan, 'who was a liar from the beginning.'—Note, Let no man labour for the good report of evil men; for if any do, he is likely soon to do or say some foolish, weak, or wicked thing, by which it may be purchased. 'Woe unto you, when all men speak well of you,' Lu. 6. 26. Not when they speak well of some particular act—for of some act of a good man all men will speak well—but when they speak well of you, of the whole man, or the whole community, who never can purchase the applause of wicked men, but at the sacrifice of some important principle.—C.
6 Or, to say that they knew him to be Christ.
42 Andj when it was day, he departed, and went into a desert place: kand the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
43 And he said unto them, lI must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
Notes
Ver. 2. Forty days. Matthew (ch. 4. 3) places the temptation after the forty days. Luke seems to describe it as continuing throughout the whole period. The two accounts are perfectly reconcilable. The chief temptation, as recorded by Matthew, was after the forty days of fasting. Luke relates the same chief temptation, but intimates that inferior temptations continued through the whole period. C.
Ver. 3. Command this stone. Matthew (ch. 4. 3) has it 'these stones.' How then are the two passages reconciled upon the principle of real inspiration? In the very simplest manner. Satan used both expressions, urging our Lord by the repetition and increase of his demand for miracles. Matthew records the one demand, Luke the other. C.
Ver. 6. Here, according to his system of delusion, Satan affirms what is partly true and partly false. That he has 'power, a seat, and great authority,' and that, at certain times of judgment, 'power is given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations'—that he is 'the prince,' nay, 'the god of this world,' is all true; but when he adds that 'all this power and glory' is his, and that 'to whomsoever he will he gives it,' he affirms what is false; for 'the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.' He alone 'putteth down one and setteth up another,' even as he 'raised up Pharaoh to show his power in him.' Satan, moreover, after the manner of all liars and deceivers, suppresses what is true; for he never alludes to the coming judgment of the great day, nor the 'everlasting fire prepared for him and his angels.' See Re. 13. 2, 7; Jn. 12. 31; 2 Co. 4. 4; Ps. 97. 1; 19. 6; 75. 7; Ex. 9. 16; Mat. 25. 41. C.
Ver. 19. The acceptable year seems an allusion to the year of the jubilee, which proclaimed its blessings on the day of atonement, which proclaimed liberty to him who had been enslaved, restoration to possessions, and return to families—all emblems of gospel time and gospel blessings. The time, the day upon which the proclaimed atonement is fully embraced; the blessings, the restoration of sinners to the forfeited possession of paradise, and to membership and communion in the family of God. C.
Ver. 20. The eyes of all . . . were fastened on him. The specific reason of this intense observation is not recorded. It may have arisen from recollection of the early prophecies concerning him—from curiosity, mingled with incredulity, concerning the works he was now reported to have wrought elsewhere—from his voice, for he spake as never man spake; see ver. 22—or from his manner, for 'he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.' C.
Ver. 24. This statement has been fully verified by all prophetic history. Moses was rebelliously vilified, Nu. 16. 3; David was ejected from his throne; Jeremiah was cast into prison; Elijah was hunted 'like a partridge upon the mountains.' All were despised or rejected by their countrymen. Wherefore let no man wait for the reformation of any church or people until God raise up some of themselves to lead the way; but rather let every one remember that the human mind is more ready to listen to strangers than to acquaintance, and take hold of this propensity, and send the gospel by 'men of other tongues.' C.
Ver. 28. The secret cause of offence seems to be the implied intimation of God's merciful regards to the heathen, whom the Jews despised, and judged unworthy of sharing with them in the divine favour; but the ostensible cause was the parallel between the humble Jesus and Elijah and Elisha, whom they esteemed as chief among the prophets. C. Reflections.—The most fearful temptations and troubles may quickly succeed to the most distinguished testimonies of God's love. And it is highly improper for the best of saints to hope to escape even the most horrible seducements, when Jesus was called to suffer them. How shocking is the impudence of Satan! how fixed his perseverance in harassing the saints! and how implacable his malice in tempting where he surely hopes to succeed! He is very subtle in contriving the form and choosing the seasons of his temptation. And it is necessary to resist him always with the sword of the Spirit. Thus only can we prove conquerors through him that loved us, and is able and ready to succour us. But what fearful work hath sin made in the world! It hath transformed angels into unclean spirits, perverted human nature, and subjected it to the tyranny of the devil, and to diseases unnumbered.—Alas! into what sorrow and suffering it plunged our divine Saviour! But infinite is his grace; and, as appointed of God to save us, in him all fulness dwells answerable to all our need. And always by his Word, he exerts his power on the most unworthy. With great toil and danger he went about to heal human maladies, spiritual and temporal. But, alas! where he should be most readily received he is often most obstinately rejected; and almost everywhere few are turned to
him! Many never believe more than devils, who never had his blessings offered to them; and though they hear his words with attention and wonder, they quickly envy and seek to destroy him or his interests; but terrible is their situation when he abandons them to their own hearts' lusts.—It is a great mercy that he can restrain furious persecutors, and cast out malicious and subtle devils, even when they almost transform themselves into angels of light. And it is delightful when they who have much public work in hand prepare for it by much fervent prayer; and when they who have enjoyed Christ's presence and ordinances earnestly desire the continuance of them.