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

1
Yeshua, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness ​
2
for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry. ​
3
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
4
Yeshua answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” ​
5
The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ​
6
The devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want.
7
If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.”
8
Yeshua answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’” ​
9
He led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here, ​
10
for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’
11
and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’”
12
Yeshua answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” ​
13
When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time. ​

Jesus Begins Ministry in Galilee

14
Yeshua returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area. ​
15
He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

The Rejection at Nazareth

16
He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. ​
17
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the scroll, and found the place where it was written, ​
18
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, ​
19
and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” ​
20
He closed the scroll, gave it back to the shammash, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21
He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ​
22
All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” ​
23
He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this parable, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’”
24
He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. ​
25
But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. ​
26
Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.
27
There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.”
28
They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things.
29
They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff. ​
30
But he, passing through their midst, went his way. ​

Ministry in Capernaum

31
He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. He was teaching them on the Sabbath day, ​
32
and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority. ​
33
In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,
34
saying, “Ah! what have we to do with you, Yeshua of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!” ​
35
Yeshua rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
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Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another, saying, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
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News about him went out into every place of the surrounding region.
38
He rose up from the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever, and they begged him for her. ​
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He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her. Immediately she rose up and served them. ​
40
When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. ​
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Demons also came out of many, crying out, and saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of God!” Rebuking them, he didn’t allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Messiah. ​
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When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he wouldn’t go away from them.
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But he said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.” ​
44
He was proclaiming in the synagogues of Galilee. ​

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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