Written ~ 03-06-2024
Read Luke Chapter Four
Luke 4
Let’s take a look, for a moment, at the author of this Gospel, Luke. He did not have a personal eyewitness account of the things Jesus did, he may have read other accounts and listened to stories from others who had followed Jesus. In Luke 1:1-4 it is mentioned that Luke is actually writing a letter to a man named Theophilus. Luke also wrote the book of Acts and that letter is addressed to Theophilus as well. A Study Bible I was reading said that Luke was a physician and a companion of Paul. Let’s go back to Luke 1:1-4, just so we can get a feel for why Luke is writing this letter…
1 “Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2 They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. 3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.”
It is said that Luke may have read other manuscripts written by Matthew and Mark, then along with other eyewitness accounts he compiled all the information he needed to write this letter. In Colossians 4:10-14, Paul actually mentions Luke by name and describes him as “the beloved doctor.” Another thing that I learned from reading through my Study Bible is that Luke was not a Jew, he in fact was a Gentile, so in his writings his emphasis will be on the Gentiles in both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.
So here we have chapter four, what we read in this chapter is very similar to both the books of Matthew and Mark, but we are going to focus on are verses 4:14-30, the “title” given to this portion of Scripture is “Jesus Rejected at Nazareth.” This takes place after Jesus has been baptized by John (verses 3:21-22) and after spending 40 days in the wilderness while being tempted by the devil (verses 4:1-13).
Luke 4:14a,
14a “Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power…”
When Jesus was being baptized by John, after He came up out of the water “…the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on Him like a dove…” (verse 3:22) Jesus was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus went from town to town, news was spreading very quickly about the things He was saying and doing. In verse 4:16 it says, “When He came to the village of Nazareth, His boyhood home, He went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath…” Pausing here, Jesus had been traveling around for a while, the Bible doesn’t say at what age He left home, the last mention of His age was when He was found in the Temple at the age of twelve (Luke 2:41-52). Verse 2:52 says, “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” Then in Luke 3:23 it says, “Jesus was about thirty years old when He began His public ministry.”
Imagine this, you have moved away from your childhood home, the town you grew up in and all the familiarity that goes along with it. Then after many years away you return to your childhood home, all those memories of this place come flooding back, the streets, the markets, the houses, the sounds and smells, the people and family that you haven’t seen in some time. Everyone is happy to see you, not only that, they are also very curious about you because they have heard about everything you have been doing since you have been away. So here you are, your hometown… it feels great to be back to all the things you know and love.
Maybe Jesus felt all those things, excited to be back, happy to feel the embrace of His loved ones. Then things turn on Him… He begins teaching in the synagogue as He had done regularly in the towns He had traveled through. But here He is questioned, doubt begins to creep in, those listening to Him speak begin to get angry and the disbelief in what He is revealing to them is overwhelming. Think about the disappointment Jesus probably felt as He said, “But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in His own hometown.” (verse 4:24) Then in verses 4:25-27 Jesus talks about two Old Testament prophets, Elijah and Elisha, who faced the same problem, the people closest to them did not accept them, they were sent away to foreigners to find acceptance, only then were they able to perform miraculous signs and wonders.
Jesus had come home with open arms, but all too soon He would be driven away, just like Elijah and Elisha. Verses 4:28-30 begin this new journey for Jesus, where He would be found in constant opposition by the leaders and teachers of religious law, His life would be in constant pursuit.
28 “When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. 29 Jumping up, they mobbed Him and forced Him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push Him over the cliff, 30 but He passed right through the crowd and went on His way.”
Once Jesus left His hometown, Luke chapter four continues with stories of how He met the needs of those who required healing and released from the possession of demons. He has a crowd of people following Him, anxious to hear Him speak, so He taught in the synagogues as He continued to travel and preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God everywhere He went.
You and I have the same choice, we can either accept Jesus for who He is… the Messiah, the Son of God. Or we can be like those from His hometown and drive Him away because we only want to see His humanity.
Knowing who Jesus is, brings His wisdom to our lives, it brings miraculous signs and wonders, it causes an everlasting joy to spring up within us. Let’s make sure we are not causing doubt or unbelief to cloud our judgment over who Jesus is.
In verses 4:18-19 Jesus is reading from the book of Isaiah, it is a direct prophecy pointing to Jesus and when He says, “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” That when all who are listening to Him made their judgment about Him, to believe or not to believe.
Verses 4:18-19,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
for He has anointed Me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
The time has come!
It’s time to believe in the One who sets captives free.
It’s time to believe in the One who makes the blind see.
It’s time to believe in the One who sets the oppressed free.
He is the GOOD NEWS!
~AMEN~