On the temptation of Jesus, see the notes at Matthew 4:1. Luke 4:2 BEING FORTY DAYS TEMPTED - That is, through forty days he was “tried” in various ways by the devil. The temptations, however, which are recorded by Matthew and Luke did not take place until the forty days were finished. See Matthew... [ Continue Reading ]
GLORIFIED OF ALL - Praised by all; or, all were pleased with his instructions, and admired his wisdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, AS HIS CUSTOM WAS, HE WENT ... - From this it appears that the Saviour regularly attended the service of the synagogue. In that service the Scriptures of the Old Testament were read, prayers were offered, and the Word of God was explained. See the notes at Matthew 4:23. There was great corrupti... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS DELIVERED UNTO HIM - By the minister of the synagogue, or the keeper of the sacred books. They were kept in an “ark” or chest, not far from the pulpit, and the minister gave them to whomsoever he chose, to read them publicly. THE BOOK - The volume contained the prophecy of Isaiah. It woul... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME - Or, I speak by divine appointment. I am divinely inspired to speak. There can be no doubt that the passage in Isaiah had a principal reference to the Messiah. Our Saviour directly applies it to himself, and it is not easily applicable to any other prophet. Its fir... [ Continue Reading ]
TO PEACH THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD - The time when God is willing to accept of people, or to receive sinners coming to him. The gospel assures us that the guilty “may” return, and that God will graciously receive them. There is, perhaps, here, an allusion to the year of jubilee - the fiftieth... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CLOSED THE BOOK - That is, he rolled it up again. See the notes at Luke 4:17. AND HE GAVE IT AGAIN TO THE MINISTER - That is, to the one in the synagogue who had charge of the books. The word means “servant,” and the office was not much unlike that of a sexton now. It was his duty, among oth... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SCRIPTURE - This writing, or this part of the Scriptures. FULFILLED - It is coming to pass; the thing originally intended by it is about to be accomplished. IN YOUR EARS - In your “hearing;” or you hear, in my preaching, the fulfillment of this prophecy. It is probable that he said much “more... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL BARE HIM WITNESS - All were witnesses of the power and truth of what he said. Their reason and conscience approved of it, and they were constrained to admit the force and propriety of it, and on this account they wondered. THEY WONDERED - They were struck with the truth and force of his words;... [ Continue Reading ]
PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF - This proverb was probably in common use at that time. The meaning is this: Suppose that a man should attempt to heal another when he was himself diseased in the same manner; it would be natural to ask him first to cure himself, and thus to render it manifest that he was wor... [ Continue Reading ]
NO PROPHET IS ACCEPTED - Has honor, or is acknowledged as a prophet. See the notes at Matthew 13:57.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF A TRUTH - Truly, and therefore worthy of your credit. He calls attention to two cases where “acknowledged” prophets had so little honor in their own nation that they bestowed their favors on foreigners. So, says he, such is the want of faith in my own country, that I shall work no miracles here,... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE UNTO SAREPTA - Sarepta was a town between Tyre and Sidon, near the Mediterranean Sea. It was not a “Jewish” city, but a Sidonian, and therefore a “Gentile” town. The word “save” in this verse does not express the meaning of the original. It would seem to imply that the city was Jewish. The mean... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY LEPERS - For an account of the leprosy see the notes at Matthew 8:1. TIME OF ELISEUS - Time of Elisha. The word “Eliseus” is the Greek way of writing the word Elisha, as Elias is of Elijah. SAVING NAAMAN THE SYRIAN - The account of his cure is contained in 2 Kings 5.... [ Continue Reading ]
FILLED WITH WRATH - They were enraged, probably, for the following reasons: * They saw that the cases applied to themselves, because they would not receive the miraculous evidences of his mission. * That he would direct his attention to others, and not to them. * That the “Gentiles” were objec... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BROW OF THE HILL WHEREON ... - The region in which Nazareth was is hilly, though Nazareth was situated “between” two hills, or in a vale among mountains. The place to which they led the Saviour is still shown, and is called the “Mount of Precipitation.” It is at a short distance to the south of... [ Continue Reading ]
PASSING THROUGH THE MIDST OF, THEM, WENT HIS WAY - This escape was very remarkable. It is remarkable that he should escape out of their hands when their very object was to destroy him, and that he should escape in so peaceful a manner, without violence or conflict. A similar case is recorded in John... [ Continue Reading ]
See this explained in the notes at Mark 1:21.... [ Continue Reading ]