Luke 4:15._He was glorified by all. _This is stated by Luke for the express purpose of informing us, that, from the very commencement, a divine power shone in Christ, and compelled even those, who cherished a malignant spirit of contradiction, to join in admiring him.... [ Continue Reading ]
16._And he came to Nazareth _The Evangelists are very careful to show by what sort of proofs Christ became known, a striking instance of which is here related by Luke. By explaining a passage in Isaiah, and applying it to the instruction which was immediately required, he turned upon him the eyes of... [ Continue Reading ]
17._He found the passage _There is no doubt that Christ deliberately selected this passage. Some think that it was presented to him by God; (322) but, as a liberty of choice was allowed him, I choose to say that, by his own judgment, he took this passage in preference to others. Isaiah there predict... [ Continue Reading ]
18._The Spirit of the Lord is upon me _These words inform us that, both in his own person and in his ministers, Christ does not act by human authority, or in a private capacity, but has been sent by God to restore salvation to his Church. He does nothing by the suggestion or advice of men, but every... [ Continue Reading ]
19._To preach the acceptable year of the Lord _Many think that here the prophet makes an allusion to the Jubilee, and I have no objection to that view. But it is proper to observe, that he purposely anticipates a doubt, which might disturb and shake weak minds, while the Lord held them in suspense,... [ Continue Reading ]
20._The eyes of all who were in the synagogue _God touched their hearts, I doubt not, with astonishment, which made them more attentive, and induced them to listen to Christ, while he was speaking. For they must have been withheld from opposing this discourse at the commencement, or breaking it off... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Today is fulfilled _Christ did not merely affirm in a few words, but proved by a reference to facts, that the time was now come, when it was the will of God to restore his ruined church. The object of his discourse was, to expound the prediction clearly to his hearers: just as expositors handle... [ Continue Reading ]
22._And all gave testimony to him _Here Luke draws our attention, first, to the truly divine grace, which breathed in the lips of Christ; and then presents a lively picture of the ingratitude of men. Using a Hebrew idiom, he calls them _discourses of grace, _— that is, _discourses _which manifested... [ Continue Reading ]
23._Physician, heal thyself _From the words of Christ it may be easily inferred, that he was treated with contempt by the inhabitants of Nazareth: for he states publicly those thoughts, which he knew to exist in their minds. He afterwards imputes to them the blame of his declining to work miracles a... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Verily, I say to you _He reproaches them with the blame of preventing him from exerting his power among them as he did in other places, by working miracles: for the unbelief of men presents an obstruction to God, and hinders him from working, as might be desired, for their salvation, (Matthew 13... [ Continue Reading ]
25._There were many widows _After throwing back upon themselves the blame of their being deprived of miracles, he produces two examples to prove, that they ought not to think it strange, if God prefers strangers to the inhabitants of the country, and that they ought not to find fault with him for ob... [ Continue Reading ]
28._Were filled with wrath _They perceived that the object of those two examples, which Christ had produced, was to show, that the grace of God would be removed from them to others: (327) and therefore they considered that he had spoken to their dishonor. But, instead of having their consciences stu... [ Continue Reading ]
30._But he, passing through the midst of them _When Luke says, that Jesus passed through the middle of the crowd, and so escaped out of their hands, he means that God rescued him, by an extraordinary miracle, from immediate death. This example teaches us that, though our adversaries may prevail so f... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 4:33._A man having a spirit of an unclean devil. This _mode of expression, which Luke employs, conveys the idea, that the man was driven by the impulse of the devil. By the permission of God, Satan had seized the faculties of his soul in such a manner, as to drive him not only to speak, but to... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 4:36._And trembling came upon all _This is the result of the miracle. They are compelled to acknowledge that there is in Christ something more than man, and justly trace the glory and power of the miracle to his doctrine. _What speech is this, _they say, which even the devils themselves are for... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 4:39._He rebuked the fever. _To a person not well acquainted with Scripture this mode of expression may appear harsh; but there were good reasons for employing it. _Fevers _and other diseases, famine, pestilence, and calamities of every description, are God’s heralds, (347) by whom he executes... [ Continue Reading ]