16 And He came to Nazareth , where He had been brought up; and as was His custom , He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath , and stood up to read . 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written , 18 " THE SPIRIT OF THE Lord IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR . HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES , AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND , TO SET FREE e THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED , 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE Lord ." 20 And He closed the book , gave it back to the attendant and sat down ; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing ." 22 And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips ; and they were saying , " Is this not Joseph's son ?" 23 And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician , heal yourself ! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum , do here in your hometown as well .' " 24 And He said , "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown . 25 "But I say to you in truth , there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah , when the sky was shut up for three years and six months , when a great famine came over all the land ; 26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only e to Zarephath , in the land of Sidon , to a woman who was a widow . 27 "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet ; and none of them was cleansed , but only e Naaman the Syrian ." 28 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things ; 29 and they got up and drove Him out of the city , and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built , in order to throw Him down the cliff . 30 But passing through their midst , He went His way .
31 And He came down to Capernaum , a city of Galilee , and He was teaching them on the Sabbath ;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 4:16-31
Commentary on Luke 4:14-30
(Read Luke 4:14-30)
Christ taught in their synagogues, their places of public worship, where they met to read, expound, and apply the word, to pray and praise. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit were upon him and on him, without measure. By Christ, sinners may be loosed from the bonds of guilt, and by his Spirit and grace from the bondage of corruption. He came by the word of his gospel, to bring light to those that sat in the dark, and by the power of his grace, to give sight to those that were blind. And he preached the acceptable year of the Lord. Let sinners attend to the Saviour's invitation when liberty is thus proclaimed. Christ's name was Wonderful; in nothing was he more so than in the word of his grace, and the power that went along with it. We may well wonder that he should speak such words of grace to such graceless wretches as mankind. Some prejudice often furnishes an objection against the humbling doctrine of the cross; and while it is the word of God that stirs up men's enmity, they will blame the conduct or manner of the speaker. The doctrine of God's sovereignty, his right to do his will, provokes proud men. They will not seek his favour in his own way; and are angry when others have the favours they neglect. Still is Jesus rejected by multitudes who hear the same message from his words. While they crucify him afresh by their sins, may we honour him as the Son of God, the Saviour of men, and seek to show we do so by our obedience.
Commentary on Luke 4:31-44
(Read Luke 4:31-44)
Christ's preaching much affected the people; and a working power went with it to the consciences of men. These miracles showed Christ to be a controller and conqueror of Satan, a healer of diseases. Where Christ gives a new life, in recovery from sickness, it should be a new life, spent more than ever in his service, to his glory. Our business should be to spread abroad Christ's fame in every place, to beseech him in behalf of those diseased in body or mind, and to use our influence in bringing sinners to him, that his hands may be laid upon them for their healing. He cast the devils out of many who were possessed. We were not sent into this world to live to ourselves only, but to glorify God, and to do good in our generation. The people sought him, and came unto him. A desert is no desert, if we are with Christ there. He will continue with us, by his word and Spirit, and extend the same blessings to other nations, till, throughout the earth, the servants and worshippers of Satan are brought to acknowledge him as the Christ, the Son of God, and to find redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.