Welcome to afaithtalk.com. Today is Bible Study day! I’m so glad you’ve come to study with me.
Before we begin Luke 4, (if you aren’t ready, you can go back to Luke 1-3 here) we must pray.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the chance to read and study Luke 4 with You today. I ask for You to lead us, write for me, guide my mind to reveal what You want revealed. All by itself it runs long, so Lord, bless those who read this and guide me through all of it. All for You, Lord. Thank You.
Please read Luke 4:1-4
The Devil Tempts Jesus
4 Now Jesus, full of [and in perfect communication with] the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they ended, He was hungry. 3 Then the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to turn into bread.” 4 Jesus replied to him, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone[a].’”
Forty days of fasting. It’s nice to know He was hungry, kind of confirms His humanity. Yet look, those words…written and forever remains written. Without looking at the footnote, do you know what that phrase is often followed by?
Please read Luke 4:5-8
5 Then he led Jesus up [to a high mountain] and displayed before Him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth [and their magnificence] in the twinkling of an eye. 6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this realm and its glory [its power, its renown]; because it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore if You worship before me, it will all be Yours.” 8 Jesus replied to him, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”
Displayed in the twinkling of an eye. Oh how Jesus is so lovable. ‘It is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall _____________________________________ and serve _____ Him’”
Please read Luke 4:9-13
9 Then he led Jesus to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple, and said [mockingly] to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; 10 for it is written and forever remains written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You to guard and protect You,’ 11 and,‘they will lift You up on their hands,
So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone.’”
12 Jesus replied to him, “It is said [in Scripture], ‘you shall not tempt the Lord your God [to prove Himself to you].’”
13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he [temporarily] left Him until a more opportune time.
You shall not tempt the Lord your God to prove himself to you. All of creation declares His existence. But notice who said, it is written and forever remains written this time. Not a question to answer, just something to notice.
Please read Luke 4:14-15
Jesus’ Public Ministry
14 Then Jesus went back to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread through the entire region. 15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised and glorified and honored by all.
Reread that, slowly.
News about Him…
He began teaching…
He was praised, and glorified, and honored by all. Probably technically not every single person, but by all who heard Him. And these days, He is worthy still of all our praise, adoration and honor. What can you today to praise Him?
Please read Luke 4:16-21
16 So 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 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah),
Because He has anointed Me
to preach the good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to announce
release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed
(downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy),
19 to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].”
20 Then He rolled up the scroll [having stopped in the middle of the verse], gave it back to the attendant and sat down [to teach]; and the eyes of all those in the synagogue were [attentively] fixed on Him. 21 He began speaking to them: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing and in your presence.”
What can you learn about God in that Scripture? He wishes us all to be free. Free from captivity, free from oppression, fully seeing people.
We’re still in those days when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly. Not quite as greatly as when He was here, but still, we are under his favor and we have received salvation as well.
Please read Luke 4:22-24
22 And [as He continued on] they all were speaking well of Him, and were in awe and were wondering about the words of grace which were coming from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” 23 So He said to them, “You will no doubt quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal Yourself! Whatever [miracles] that we heard were done [by You] in Capernaum, do here in Your hometown as well.’” 24 Then He said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown.”
Look how they question Him in their thoughts, doubt enters their minds and our ever knowing God knew it so he changed tact.
No prophet is welcome in his hometown. I don’t know if that makes you sad, but that fact is true. I wish they had made that statement false because this really is God in human flesh. But instead they just prove the statement.
Please read Luke 4:25-30
25 “But in truth I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was closed up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; 26 and yet Elijah was not sent [by the Lord] to a single one of them, but only 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 not one of them was cleansed [by being healed] except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 As they heard these things [about God’s grace to these two Gentiles], the people in the synagogue were filled with a great rage; 29 and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the crest of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to hurl Him down the cliff. 30 But passing [miraculously] through the crowd, He went on His way.
Scriptural truth, you know those stories, right? Every one of us is an individual to God. It’s my faith, it’s your faith, that makes us His and puts us under His favor. No one gets there on another coattails. We are all individually known and loved beyond measure.
Please read Luke 4:31-32
31 Then He came down [from the hills of Nazareth] to Capernaum, a city of Galilee [on the shore of the sea], and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; 32 and they were surprised [almost overwhelmed] at His teaching, because His message was [given] with authority and power and great ability.
Wouldn’t you have loved to have heard Him teach? They were surprised and almost _____________ at His teaching why? ______________________________________________________
Please read Luke 4:33-37
33 There was a man in the synagogue who was possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud and terrible voice, 34 “Let us alone! [b]What business do we have [in common] with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent (muzzled, gagged) and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown the man down among them, he came out of him without injuring him in any way. 36 They were all astonished and in awe, and began saying to one another, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about Him spread into every place in the surrounding district (Galilee).
Even the demons know who He is. Yet can you hear the question they keep asking? He has all the authority and all the power, He is God in human flesh. Fully God and Fully human. Astonishment and Awe are appropriate responses, but praise and worship should follow, not questions.
Please read Luke 4:38-39
Many Are Healed
38 Then Jesus got up and left the synagogue and went to Simon’s (Peter’s) house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. 39 Standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she got up and began serving them [as her guests].
He rebuked the fever and it left her. Even illness is under His authority.
Please read Luke 4:40-41
40 While the sun was setting [marking the end of the Sabbath day], all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them [exhibiting His authority as Messiah]. 41 Demons also were coming out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).
Healing was exhibiting His authority. Even the demons know who He is. You must know Him. It’s not enough to just know about Him. You must know Him. This is a start though, learning who He is. Messiah. Christ. Son of God. Jesus.
Please read Luke 4:42-44
42 When daybreak came, Jesus left [Simon Peter’s house] and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and [they] came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them. 43 But He said, “I must preach [the good news of] the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because I was sent for this purpose.”
44 So He continued preaching in the synagogues of Judea [the country of the Jews, including Galilee].
Sounds a little contradictory don’t you think? It’s not, Judea is larger than just Galilee. He was here, on earth, because He was sent. To save us. Blessed be His Name.
Footnotes
Luke 4:4 Late mss add “but by every word of God.”
Luke 4:34 Lit What to me and to you; cf note Matt 8:29.