Luke 4:17

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

And {G2532} there was delivered {G1929} unto him {G846} the book {G975} of the prophet {G4396} Esaias {G2268}. And {G2532} when he had opened {G380} the book {G975}, he found {G2147} the place {G5117} where {G3757} it was {G2258} written {G1125},

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

the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it was written:

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,

Commentary

Luke 4:17 (KJV) describes a pivotal moment in Jesus' public ministry, setting the stage for His declaration of purpose. This verse immediately follows His return to Galilee and His visit to His hometown, Nazareth, where He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day, a customary practice for Him (Luke 4:16).

Context

The scene is the synagogue in Nazareth, a central place for Jewish community life, worship, and instruction during the first century. On the Sabbath, it was customary for a respected member of the community or a visiting rabbi to read from the Law (Torah) and the Prophets (Nevi'im). Jesus, having recently begun His public ministry after His temptation in the wilderness, takes on this role. The "book of the prophet Esaias" refers to a scroll containing the prophecies of Isaiah, a significant prophetic book within the Old Testament canon. The delivery of the scroll to Jesus signifies His acceptance of the role to read publicly before the congregation, a moment eagerly anticipated by those present in Nazareth.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Fulfillment of Prophecy: The central theme here is the impending declaration of Jesus as the Messiah, who fulfills the ancient prophecies. His action of "finding the place where it was written" is not random but divinely orchestrated, leading directly to the passage that perfectly describes His mission (Luke 4:18-19). This highlights God's faithfulness to His promises and the unfolding of His divine plan.
  • Jesus' Authority: By participating in and leading the synagogue service, Jesus demonstrates His respect for the established religious traditions, yet His subsequent teaching reveals His unique divine authority (Mark 1:27). He is not merely a reader but the very embodiment of the message He proclaims.
  • Divine Guidance: The phrase "he found the place" suggests more than a casual glance. It implies a specific, perhaps divinely guided, selection of the passage from Isaiah, underscoring that Jesus' ministry was entirely aligned with God's preordained purpose and timing.

Linguistic Insights

The name "Esaias" is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah. The "book" (Greek: biblion) refers to a scroll, which was the standard form for ancient texts in synagogues. "Opened the book" means to unroll the scroll to find the desired passage. The Greek verb for "found" (heurisko) can imply a discovery or a deliberate locating, suggesting precision rather than chance in Jesus' selection of the text, reinforcing the idea of divine direction.

Practical Application

This verse reminds believers of the profound connection between the Old Testament prophecies and their New Testament fulfillment in Jesus Christ. It underscores the importance of engaging with Scripture, as Jesus Himself did, to understand God's plan and our place within it. Just as Jesus was guided to the specific passage that outlined His mission, we too can seek divine guidance in understanding and applying God's Word to our lives, recognizing that the Scriptures continually point to Him and His redemptive work. It encourages us to approach the Bible with expectation, knowing that God speaks through its pages to reveal His will.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 61:1

    ¶ The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound;

  • Isaiah 61:3

    To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

  • Acts 13:15

    And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, [Ye] men [and] brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

  • Acts 7:42

    ¶ Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices [by the space of] forty years in the wilderness?

  • Acts 13:27

    For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled [them] in condemning [him].

  • Luke 20:42

    And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
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