---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Luke 4"
description: "CHAPTER 4   :-. TEMPTATION OF
CHRIST. (See on  :-.)  :-. JESUS
ENTERING ON HIS
PUBLIC MINISTRY,
MAKES A CIRCUIT
OF GALILEE—REJECTION
AT NAZARETH. Note.—A"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4"
---

CHAPTER 4

. TEMPTATION OF
CHRIST.
(See on .)
. JESUS
ENTERING ON HIS
PUBLIC MINISTRY,
MAKES A CIRCUIT
OF GALILEE—REJECTION
AT NAZARETH.
*Note.*—A large gap here
occurs, embracing the important transactions in Galilee and Jerusalem
which are recorded in , and which occurred *before* John's imprisonment
([John 3:24](../../../kjv/john/3/24)); whereas the
transactions here recorded occurred (as appears from [Matthew 4:12](../../../kjv/matthew/4/12);
[Matthew 4:13](../../../kjv/matthew/4/13)) *after* that
event. The visit to Nazareth recorded in [Matthew 4:13](../../../kjv/matthew/4/13) (and [Mark 6:1-6](../../../kjv/mark/6/1-6))
we take to be not a later visit, but the same with this first one;
because we cannot think that the Nazarenes, after being so enraged at
His *first* display of wisdom as to attempt His destruction,
should, on a *second* display of the same, wonder at it and ask
how He came by it, as if they had never witnessed it before.

**16. as his custom was**—Compare
[Acts 17:2](../../../kjv/acts/17/2).
**stood up for to read**—Others
besides rabbins were allowed to address the congregation. (See [Acts 17:2](../../../kjv/acts/17/2).)

**18, 19.** To have fixed on any
passage announcing His *sufferings* (as ), would have been unsuitable at that early stage of His
ministry. But He selects a passage announcing the sublime object of
His whole mission, its divine character, and His special endowments
for it; expressed in the first person, and so singularly adapted to
*the first opening of the mouth* in His prophetic capacity, that
it seems as if made expressly for this occasion. It is from the
well-known section of Isaiah's prophecies whose burden is that
mysterious "SERVANT OF THE
LORD," despised of
man, abhorred of the nation, but before whom kings on seeing Him are
to arise, and princes to worship; in visage more marred than any man
and His form than the sons of men, yet sprinkling many nations;
laboring seemingly in vain, and spending His strength for naught and
in vain, yet Jehovah's Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and be
His Salvation to the ends of the earth (, &c.). The quotation is chiefly from the *Septuagint*
version, used in the synagogues.

**19. acceptable year**—an
allusion to the jubilee year (), a year of universal *release* for person and
property. (See also [Isaiah 49:8](../../../kjv/isaiah/49/8);
[2 Corinthians 6:2](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/6/2).) As the maladies under
which humanity groans are here set forth under the names of *poverty,
broken-heartedness, bondage, blindness, bruisedness* (or
*crushedness*), so, as the glorious HEALER
of all these maladies, Christ announces Himself in the act of reading
it, stopping the quotation just before it comes to "the day of
vengeance," which was only to come on the rejecters of His
message ([John 3:17](../../../kjv/john/3/17)). The first
words, "THE SPIRIT
of the LORD is upon ME,"
have been noted since the days of the Church Fathers, as an
illustrious example of *Father, Son, and Holy Ghost* being
exhibited as in distinct yet harmonious action in the scheme of
salvation.

**20. the minister**—the *chazan,*
or synagogue-officer.
**all eyes . . . fastened on
Him**—astounded at His putting in such claims.

**21. began to say,** &c.—His
whole address was just a detailed application to Himself of this and
perhaps other like prophecies.

**22. gracious words**—"the
words of grace," referring both to the richness of His matter
and the sweetness of His manner ().
**Is not this,** &c.—(See
on ). They knew He had
received no rabbinical education, and anything *supernatural*
they seemed incapable of conceiving.

**23. this proverb**—like our
"Charity begins at home."
**whatsoever,** c.—"Strange
rumors have reached our ears of Thy doings at Capernaum but if such
power resides in Thee to cure the ills of humanity, why has none of
it yet come nearer home, and why is all this alleged power reserved
for strangers?" His choice of Capernaum as a place of residence
since entering on public life was, it seems, already well known at
Nazareth; and when He did come thither, to give no displays of His
power when distant places were ringing with His fame, wounded their
pride. He had indeed "laid his hands on a few sick folk and
healed them" ([Mark 6:5](../../../kjv/mark/6/5)); but
this seems to have been done quite privately the general unbelief
precluding anything more open.

**24. And he said,** &c.—He
replies to the one proverb by another, equally familiar, which we
express in a rougher form—"Too much familiarity breeds
contempt." Our Lord's long residence in Nazareth merely as a
townsman had made Him *too common,* incapacitating them for
appreciating Him as others did who were *less familiar with His
everyday demeanor in private life.* A most important principle, to
which the wise will pay due regard. (See also , on which our Lord Himself ever acted.)

**25-27. But I tell you,**
c.—falling back for support on the well-known examples of Elijah
and Elisha (Eliseus), whose miraculous power, passing by those who
were *near,* expended itself on those *at a distance,* yea
on *heathens,* "the two great prophets who stand at the
commencement of prophetic antiquity, and whose miracles strikingly
prefigured those of our Lord. As He intended like them to feed the
poor and cleanse the lepers, He *points to these miracles of mercy,*
and not to the *fire* from heaven and the *bears* that tore
the mockers" [STIER].
**three years and six months**—So
[James 5:17](../../../kjv/james/5/17), including perhaps the
six months *after the last fall of rain,* when there would be
little or none at any rate whereas in [James 5:17](../../../kjv/james/5/17), which says the rain returned "in the third year,"
that period is probably not reckoned.

**26, 27. save . . . saving**—"but
only." (Compare [Mark 13:32](../../../kjv/mark/13/32),
*Greek*.)
**Sarepta**—"Zarephath"
([1 Kings 17:9](../../../kjv/1-kings/17/9)), a heathen village
between Tyre and Sidon. (See [1 Kings 17:9](../../../kjv/1-kings/17/9).)

**28, 29. when they heard these
things**—these allusions to the *heathen,* just as
afterwards with Paul ([Acts 22:21](../../../kjv/acts/22/21);
[Acts 22:22](../../../kjv/acts/22/22)).

**29. rose up**—broke up the
service irreverently and rushed forth.
**thrust him**—with
violence, as a prisoner in their hands.
**brow,** c.—Nazareth,
though not built on the ridge of a hill, is in part surrounded by one
to the west, having several such precipices. (See [2 Chronicles 25:12](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/25/12)
[2 Kings 9:33](../../../kjv/2-kings/9/33).) It was a mode of
capital punishment not unusual among the Romans and others. This was
the first insult which the Son of God received, and it came from
"them of His own household!" ([2 Kings 9:33](../../../kjv/2-kings/9/33)).

**30. passing through the midst,**
&c.—evidently in a miraculous way, though perhaps quite
noiselessly, leading them to wonder afterwards what spell could have
come over them, that they allowed Him to escape. (Similar escapes,
however, in times of persecution, are not unexampled.)

**31. down to Capernaum**—It lay
on the Sea of Galilee ([Matthew 4:13](../../../kjv/matthew/4/13)),
whereas Nazareth lay high.
[Matthew 4:13](../../../kjv/matthew/4/13). DEMONIAC
HEALED.

**33. unclean**—The frequency with
which this character of *impurity* is applied to evil spirits is
worthy of notice.
**cried out,** c.—(See
[Matthew 8:29](../../../kjv/matthew/8/29) [Mark 3:11](../../../kjv/mark/3/11)).

**35. rebuked them,** &c.—(See
on [Luke 4:41](../../../kjv/luke/4/41)).
**thrown him,** &c.—See
on [Luke 4:41](../../../kjv/luke/4/41).

**36. What a word**—a word from
the *Lord of spirits.*
. PETER'S
MOTHER-IN-LAW AND MANY
OTHERS, HEALED.
(See on .)

**41. suffered them not to speak**—The
marginal reading ("to say that they knew him to be Christ")
here is wrong. Our Lord ever refused testimony from devils, *for
the very reason why they were eager to give it,* because He and
they would thus seem to be one interest, as His enemies actually
alleged. (See on , c. see
also [Acts 16:16-18](../../../kjv/acts/16/16-18).)
[Acts 16:16-44](../../../kjv/acts/16/16-44). JESUS SOUGHT
OUT AT MORNING
PRAYER, AND ENTREATED
TO STAY, DECLINES
FROM THE URGENCY OF
HIS WORK.
See on [Acts 16:16-44](../../../kjv/acts/16/16-44), where we learn how early He retired, and how He was
engaged in solitude when they came seeking Him.

**42. stayed him**—"were
staying Him," or sought to do it. What a contrast to the
Gadarenes! The nature of His mission required Him to keep moving,
that all might hear the glad tidings ().

**43. I must,** &c.—but duty
only could move Him to deny entreaties so grateful to His spirit.

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Luke 4"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Luke 4","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"CHAPTER 4   :-. TEMPTATION OF\nCHRIST. (See on  :-.)  :-. JESUS\nENTERING ON HIS\nPUBLIC MINISTRY,\nMAKES A CIRCUIT\nOF GALILEE—REJECTION\nAT NAZARETH. Note.—A","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke","name":"Luke"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/4","name":"4"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]}
```