Luke4

Jesus, full of the Holy Ghost, was led into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil for forty days, overcoming each trial with scripture. He then returned to Galilee, teaching with authority in synagogues. In Nazareth, he declared Isaiah's prophecy fulfilled in himself but was rejected by his townsfolk, leading them to attempt to cast him down. Moving to Capernaum, he began a powerful ministry of teaching, healing, and casting out devils, affirming his mission to preach the kingdom of God to many cities.

The Temptation of Jesus

Then Yeshua, filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, returned from the Yarden and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness

for forty days of testing by the Adversary. During that time he ate nothing, and afterwards he was hungry.

The Adversary said to him, "If you are the Son of God, order this stone to become bread."

Yeshua answered him, "The Tanakh says, `Man does not live on bread alone.'"

The Adversary took him up, showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world,

and said to him, "I will give you all this power and glory. It has been handed over to me, and I can give it to whomever I choose.

So if you will worship me, it will all be yours."

Yeshua answered him, "The Tanakh says, `Worship ADONAI your God and serve him only.'"

Then he took him to Yerushalayim, set him on the highest point of the Temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, jump from here!

For the Tanakh says, `He will order his angels to be responsible for you and to protect you.

They will support you with their hands, so that you will not hurt your feet on the stones.'"

Yeshua answered him, "It also says, `Do not put ADONAI your God to the test.'"

When the Adversary had ended all his testings, he let him alone until an opportune time.

Jesus Begins Ministry in Galilee

Yeshua returned to the Galil in the power of the Spirit, and reports about him spread throughout the countryside.

He taught in their synagogues, and everyone respected him.

The Rejection at Nazareth

Now when he went to Natzeret, where he had been brought up, on Shabbat he went to the synagogue as usual. He stood up to read,

and he was given the scroll of the prophet Yesha`yahu. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

"The Spirit of ADONAI is upon me; therefore he has anointed me to announce Good News to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the imprisoned and renewed sight for the blind, to release those who have been crushed,

to proclaim a year of the favor of ADONAI."

After closing the scroll and returning it to the shammash, he sat down; and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him.

He started to speak to them: "Today, as you heard it read, this passage of the Tanakh was fulfilled!"

Everyone was speaking well of him and marvelling that such appealing words were coming from his mouth. They were even asking, "Can this be Yosef's son?"

Then Yeshua said to them, "No doubt you will quote to me this proverb -- `"Doctor, cure yourself!" We've heard about all the things that have been going on over in K'far-Nachum; now do them here in your home town!'

Yes!" he said, "I tell you that no prophet is accepted in his home town.

It's true, I'm telling you -- when Eliyahu was in Isra'el, and the sky was sealed off for three-and-a-half years, so that all the Land suffered a severe famine, there were many widows;

but Eliyahu was sent to none of them, only to a widow in Tzarfat in the land of Tzidon.

Also there were many people with tzara`at in Isra'el during the time of the prophet Elisha; but not one of them was healed, only Na`aman the Syrian."

On hearing this, everyone in the synagogue was filled with fury.

They rose up, drove him out of town and dragged him to the edge of the cliff on which their town was built, intending to throw him off.

But he walked right through the middle of the crowd and went away.

Ministry in Capernaum

He went down to K'far-Nachum, a town in the Galil, and made a practice of teaching them on Shabbat.

They were amazed at the way he taught, because his word carried the ring of authority.

In the synagogue there was a man who had an unclean demonic spirit, who shouted in a loud voice,

"Yaah! What do you want with us, Yeshua from Natzeret? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are -- the Holy One of God!"

But Yeshua rebuked it: "Be quiet, and come out of him!" The demonic spirit threw the man down in the middle of the crowd and came out of him, having done him no harm.

They were all astounded and said to one another, "What kind of teaching is this? Why, he gives orders with power and authority to the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

And reports about him went out through the whole surrounding district.

Leaving the synagogue, he went to Shim`on's house. Shim`on's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him to do something for her.

So, standing over her, he rebuked the fever; and it left her. She immediately got up and began helping them.

After sunset, all those who had people sick with various diseases brought them to Yeshua, and he put his hands on each one of them and healed them;

also demons came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But, rebuking them, he did not permit them to say that they knew he was the Messiah.

When day had come, he left and went away to a lonely spot. The people looked for him, came to him and would have kept him from leaving them.

But he said to them, "I must announce the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns too -- this is why I was sent."

He also spent time preaching in the synagogues of Y'hudah.

Study Notes for Luke 4

Verse 1

Luke emphasizes that Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit following his baptism, was led by the Spirit directly into the wilderness to face temptation, highlighting his perfect obedience.

Verse 2

The forty days alludes to Israel's forty years in the wilderness and Moses' forty days on Sinai (Exod 34:28). Jesus succeeds where Israel failed, demonstrating his role as the obedient Son.

Verse 4

Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3. The first temptation tests his reliance on God’s provision; Jesus asserts that spiritual sustenance and obedience to God’s word are paramount.

Verse 5

Luke places the temptation involving worldly authority second (unlike Matthew). This test focuses on the Messiah’s kingship and refusal to gain power through compromise with evil.

Verse 8

Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13. This response is a statement of ultimate loyalty, refusing to compromise his identity or mission for worldly dominion, regardless of the promise of glory.

Verse 9

The Temple pinnacle was a highly visible and symbolic location. This temptation tests Jesus’ trust by urging him to perform a spectacular, attention-grabbing miracle.

Verse 12

Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16. Testing God means demanding proof or forcing God's hand outside of faithful obedience, which is forbidden.

Verse 13

The phrase 'for a season' (or 'until an opportune time') is significant in Luke. It signals that the devil’s attacks are not over but will resume, culminating in the Passion narrative (cf. Luke 22:3).

Verse 14

Jesus returned 'in the power of the Spirit,' establishing the authority and divine enablement for his subsequent public ministry, which follows his successful resistance to temptation.

Verse 16

Luke establishes that Jesus adhered to traditional Jewish practice ('as his custom was') before initiating his radical new teaching and ministry.

Verse 17

The book of the prophet Esaias (Isaiah) was highly significant for messianic prophecy. Jesus uses this reading to define his ministry.

Verse 18

This quotation (from Isaiah 61:1-2 and 58:6) serves as Jesus' inaugural mission statement. It defines the Messiah's work as holistic liberation: spiritual, physical, and social, focusing especially on the marginalized.

Verse 19

The 'acceptable year of the Lord' likely alludes to the Year of Jubilee (Lev 25), symbolizing a time of debt cancellation, freedom, and radical restoration under God’s reign.

Verse 21

This is Jesus' central proclamation: the ancient prophecy is not merely about the future but is fulfilled *now* in his presence and ministry, demanding immediate belief and response.

Verse 22

The people are impressed by his eloquence but cannot reconcile his divine claims with their familiarity concerning his human origins ('Joseph's son'), illustrating the barrier of skepticism.

Verse 24

This proverb explains why Jesus must move beyond his home region. Familiarity often breeds skepticism, preventing people from recognizing God’s work among them.

Verse 25

Jesus cites Old Testament examples (Elijah and Elisha) where God extended grace and miracles to Gentiles, foreshadowing the universal scope of the gospel, a key Lukan theme (cf. Acts).

Verse 29

The extreme violence of the crowd (attempted lynching) demonstrates the immediate, intense hostility Jesus faced when he challenged their narrow, nationalistic expectations of the Messiah.

Verse 30

Jesus' miraculous departure emphasizes his sovereignty; his timing was not determined by human hatred, and no one could stop him before his appointed hour.

Verse 31

Capernaum became Jesus' primary base of operations in Galilee after the rejection at Nazareth, allowing his ministry to expand rapidly.

Verse 32

The astonishment of the people highlights the difference between Jesus' teaching and that of the scribes; Jesus taught with inherent, divine authority and power, not just interpretation.

Verse 34

The demon recognizes Jesus' true identity ('Holy One of God'), demonstrating supernatural knowledge, which Jesus immediately silences to control the revelation of his messianic status.

Verse 38

Simon (Peter) was already a follower of Jesus at this point. The healing takes place in a private home, demonstrating Jesus' power extending beyond the synagogue.

Verse 39

Jesus 'rebuked the fever,' treating the illness as an invading force. The healing was instantaneous and complete, evidenced by her immediate return to service ('ministered unto them').

Verse 40

The timing ('when the sun was setting') marks the end of the Sabbath, after which Jewish people could travel and bring their sick for healing.

Verse 41

Jesus silences the demons because he dictates the terms of his messianic revelation. Their premature testimony could confuse his mission as a political or purely magical one.

Verse 43

This statement clarifies Jesus' primary mission: to preach the Kingdom of God widely. His focus is evangelistic, not merely localized or focused solely on miraculous signs.

Verse 44

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Luke4

The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus Begins Ministry in Galilee

The Rejection at Nazareth

Ministry in Capernaum

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