Luca 4:20 Commento

We left Christ newly baptized, and owned by a voice from heaven and the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him. Now, in this chapter, we have, I. A further preparation of him for his public ministry by his being tempted in the wilderness, of which we had the same account before in Matthew as we have here (Luk 4:1-13). II. His entrance upon his public work in Galilee (Luk 4:14, Luk 4:15), particularly, 1. At Nazareth, the city where he had been bred up (Luk 4:16-30), which we had no account of before in Matthew. 2. At Capernaum, where, having preached to admiration (Luk 4:31-32), he cast the devil out of a man that was possessed (Luk 4:33-37), cured Peter's mother-in-law of a fever (Luk 4:38, Luk 4:39), and many others that were sick and possessed (Luk 4:40, Luk 4:41), and then went and did the same in other cities of Galilee (Luk 4:42-44).

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost,.... The Spirit of God having descended on him at his baptism, and afresh anointed, and filled his human nature with his gifts, whereby, as man, he was abundantly furnished for the great work of the public ministry, he was just about to enter upon; yet must first go through a series of temptations, and which, through the fulness of the Holy Spirit in him, he was sufficiently fortified against. Returned from Jordan; where he came, and had been with John, and was baptized by him; which, when over, he went back from the same side of Jordan, to which he came: and was led by the Spirit; the same Spirit, or Holy Ghost he was full of; See Gill on Mat 4:1. into the wilderness; of Judea, which lay near Jordan, and where John had been preaching and baptizing, namely, in the habitable: part of it: but this was that part, which was uninhabited by men, and was infested with wild beasts, and where Christ could neither have the comfort and benefit of human society, nor any thing for the sustenance of life, and where he was exposed to the utmost danger; and so in circumstances very opportune and favourable for Satan to ply him with his temptations, for which purpose he was led thither.

And he closed the book,.... "Or rolled it up"; and so the high priest did, after he read in the book of the law, on the day of atonement, all that was necessary to be read, , "he rolled the book of the law", and put it in his bosom (f): and he gave it again to the minister; the Chazan (g), who was the minister, or servant of the congregation, who had the affairs of it upon him, to let in, and bring out, and to order all things; and particularly to take care of the book of the law, and the chest, or ark in which it was. If the same rule was observed giving and taking the book of any prophet, as the book of the law; then Christ gave it to the minister, and he received it with his right hand: for so it is said (h), "he that gives the book of the law to his friend, may not give it but with the right hand; and he that receives it may not receive it but with the right hand; for so was the giving of it on Mount Sinai, according to Deu 33:2.'' And sat down; as was the manner of the Jews, when they taught, or preached; See Gill on Mat 5:1. and the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him: they looked very wistly at him, and were very attentive to what he should say, upon such a passage of Scripture, which they knew referred to the Messiah; and the rather, as they had known him formerly, and had heard that he was said to be the Messiah. (f) Misn. Yoma, c. 7. sect. 1. (g) Bartenora in Misn. Sota, c. 7. sect. 7. (h) Massechet Sopherirn, c. 3. sect. 10.

O Christ, even in Thy novelties Thou art old! Accordingly, when Peter, who had been an eye-witness of the miracle, and had compared it with the ancient precedents, and had discovered in them prophetic intimations of what should one day come to pass, answered (as the mouthpiece of them all) the Lord's inquiry, "Whom say ye that I am? " in the words, "Thou art the Christ," he could not but have perceived that He was that Christ, beside whom he knew of none else in the Scriptures, and whom he was now surveying in His wonderful deeds.

And now also if we will, our eyes can look upon the Saviour. For when you direct your whole heart to wisdom, truth, and the contemplation of the only-begotten Son of God, your eyes behold Jesus.

When Jesus had read this passage, he rolled up "the scroll, gave it to the servant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him." Now too, if you want it, your eyes can be fixed on the Savior in this synagogue, here in this assembly. When you direct the principal power of seeing in your heart to wisdom and truth and to contemplating God's Only-Begotten, your eyes gaze on Jesus. Blessed is that congregation of which Scripture testifies that "the eyes of all were fixed on him!" How much would I wish that this assembly gave such testimony. I wish that the eyes of all (of catechumens and faithful, of women, men and children)—not the eyes of the body, but the eyes of the soul—would gaze upon Jesus. When you look to him, your faces will be shining from the light of his gaze. You will be able to say, "The light of your face, Lord, has made its mark upon us."

Our Savior, after reading this prophecy through in the synagogue one day to a multitude of Jews, shut the book and said, “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” He began his own teaching from that point. He began to preach the gospel to the poor, putting in the forefront of his blessings: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Yes, he proclaimed forgiveness to those who were hampered by evil spirits and bound for a long time like slaves by demons. He invited all to be free and to escape from the bonds of sin, when he said, “Come to me, all you that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.”9To the blind he gave sight, giving the power of seeing to those whose bodily vision was destroyed. He showered those in ancient times who were blind in their minds to the truth with the vision of the light of true religion. The prophecy before us shows it to be essential that Christ himself should be the originator and leader of the gospel activity. The same prophet foretells that after him his own disciples should be ministers of the same system: “How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good tidings of good things, and of those that bring good tidings of peace.” Here he says very particularly that it is the feet of those who publish the good news of Christ that are beautiful. For how could they not be beautiful, which in so small, so short a time have run over the whole earth and filled every place with the holy teaching about the Savior of the world?

Or, by the acceptable year of the Lord, he means this day extended through endless ages, which knows of no return to a world of labour, and grants to men everlasting reward and rest. It follows, And he closed the book, and he gave it again.

But then He turned the eyes of all men upon Him, wondering how He knew the writing which He had never learnt. But since it was the custom of the Jews to say that the prophecies spoken of Christ are completed either in certain of their chiefs, i. e. their kings, or in some of their holy prophets, the Lord made this announcement; as it follows, But he began to say unto them that this Scripture is fulfilled.

These words having been read to the assembled people, all eyes focused on Jesus, wondering perhaps how he could read without having been taught. The Israelites used to say that the prophecies concerning Christ were fulfilled, either in the persons of some of their more glorious kings or at least in the holy prophets. They did not correctly understand what was written about him, so they missed the true direction and traveled down another path. He carefully guards against error by saying, "This day is this prophecy fulfilled in your ears," that they might not again misinterpret the present prophecy. He expressly set himself before them in these words, as the person spoken of in the prophecy. It was he who preached the kingdom of heaven to the heathen. They were poor, having nothing—not God, not law, not prophets. Rather, he preached it to all who were without spiritual riches. He set the captives free; having overthrown the apostate tyrant Satan, he shed the divine and spiritual light on those whose heart was darkened. This is why he said, "I come as a light in this world." It was he who took the chains of sin off of those whose heart was crushed by them. He clearly showed that there is a life to come, and sinners denounced in just judgment. Finally, it was he who preached the acceptable year of the Lord, the year in which the Savior's proclamation was made. By the acceptable year I think is meant his first coming, and by the day of restitution the day of judgment.

And when he had folded the scroll, he gave it back to the minister, and sat down. The Lord read the scroll aloud to all those present, and having read it, gave it back to the minister. For as he testifies elsewhere, when he was in the world, he spoke openly to the world, always teaching in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews were accustomed to gather. But as he was about to return to heaven, he entrusted the duty of preaching to those who from the beginning had seen him and had been ministers of the word. And it is right that he read while standing, but after returning the book, he sat down. For standing is the posture of one who is working; sitting is the posture of one who is resting or judging. For the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to make known to us the way of knowledge that was written about him, deigned to work in the flesh for a time. But after completing the duty of his holy dispensation, he chose disciples to follow his teaching, and restored himself to the throne of heavenly rest, from where he now dispenses all things with hidden judgment, and will appear as the manifest judge at the end of the whole age. At the same time, he mystically sets forth an example, that each preacher of his word should also be a doer of the same. Let him rise, read, and sit down: that is, let him work, preach, and thus expect the rewards of rest. And it is to be noted that he himself read the unfolded book, but gave it back to the minister closed. For he also taught his Church, through the Spirit of truth sent from the Father, in all truth, and yet admonished by his own example that not everything is to be said to everyone, but the word is to be dispensed by the teacher according to the capacity of the listeners, when he said: "I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."

And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon him. And he began to say to them: "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Indeed, it was fulfilled in that, as it had predicted: "And the Lord did great things, and preached even greater things." What greater testimony do we seek, therefore, than that he, who spoke in the prophets, confirmed with his own voice that he was the one? Removing the sacrileges of the faithless, who say there is one God of the Old Testament, another of the New, or who say that Christ began from the Virgin. For how could he begin from the Virgin, who spoke before the Virgin?

He read the book to those who were present to hear Him, but having read it, He returned it to the minister; for while He was in the world He spoke openly, teaching in the synagogues and in the temple; but about to return to heaven, He committed the office of preaching the Gospel to those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word. He read standing, because while explaining those Scriptures which were written of Him, He condescended to work in the flesh; but having returned the book, He sits down, because He restored Himself to the throne of heavenly rest. For standing is the part of the workman, but sitting of one who is resting or judging. So also let the preacher of the word rise up and read and work and preach, and sit down, i. e. wait for the reward of rest. But He opens the book and reads, because sending the Spirit, He taught His Church all truth; having shut the book, He returned it to the minister, because all things were not to be said unto all, but He committed the word to the teacher to be dispensed according to the capacity of the hearers. It follows, And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Christ's temptation, Luk 4:1-13. Teaches in the synagogues of Galilee, Luk 4:14, Luk 4:15. He preaches in a synagogue at Nazareth, Luk 4:16-28. They attempt to kill him, Luk 4:29, Luk 4:30. He preaches in Capernaum, Luk 4:31, Luk 4:32, and casts out a demon, Luk 4:33-37. Heals Peter's mother-in-law, and various others, Luk 4:38-41. He goes to the desert, and preaches afterwards in the synagogues of Galilee, Luk 4:42-44.

Were fastened on him - Were attentively fixed on him. The proper import of ατενιζοντες αυτῳ.

JESUS ENTERING ON HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY, MAKES A CIRCUIT OF GALILEE--REJECTION AT NAZARETH. (Luke 4:14-32) as his custom was--Compare Act 17:2. stood up for to read--Others besides rabbins were allowed to address the congregation. (See Act 13:15.)

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