Luke — Chapter 4

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1And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

3And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

4And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

5And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

7If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

8And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

9And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

10For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

11And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

13And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17And 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,

18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?

23And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

24And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

25But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

26But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

28And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

30But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

31And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

32And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

33And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,

34Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

35And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

36And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

37And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

38And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

39And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

40Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

41And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

42And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

43And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

44And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

1And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led in the Spirit in the wilderness

2during forty days, being tempted of the devil. And he did eat nothing in those days: and when they were completed, he hungered.

3And the devil said unto him, if thou art the Son of God, command this stone that it become bread.

4And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.

5And he led him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give all this authority, and the glory of them: for it hath been delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

7If thou therefore wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine.

8And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

9And he led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

10for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to guard thee:

11and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.

12And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.

13And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him for a season.

14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about.

15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read.

17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,

18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised,

19To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

20And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.

22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth: and they said, Is not this Joseph`s son?

23And he said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country.

24And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country.

25But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;

26and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.

28And they were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things;

29and they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong.

30But he passing through the midst of them went his way.

31And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath day:

32and they were astonished at his teaching; for his word was with authority.

33And in the synagogue there was a man, that had a spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,

34Ah! what have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

35And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no hurt.

36And amazement came upon all, and they spake together, one with another, saying, What is this word? for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

37And there went forth a rumor concerning him into every place of the region round about.

38And he rose up from the synagogue, and entered into the house of Simon. And Simon`s wife`s mother was holden with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

39And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she rose up and ministered unto them.

40And when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

41And demons also came out from many, crying out, and saying, Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them, he suffered them not to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

42And when it was day, he came out and went into a desert place: and the multitudes sought after him, and came unto him, and would have stayed him, that he should not go from them.

43But he said unto them, I must preach the good tidings of the kingdom of God to the other cities also: for therefore was I sent.

44And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

1Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,

2where for forty days he endured temptations from the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were completed, he was famished.

3The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

4Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone.’”

5Then the devil led him up to a high place and showed him in a flash all the kingdoms of the world.

6And he said to him, “To you I will grant this whole realm—and the glory that goes along with it, for it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.

7So then, if you will worship me, all this will be yours.”

8Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”

9Then the devil brought him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the highest point of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,

10for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’

11and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

12Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’”

13So when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until a more opportune time.

14Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the surrounding countryside.

15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by all.

16Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,

17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind,to set free those who are oppressed,

19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him.

21Then he began to tell them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.”

22All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

23Jesus said to them, “No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and say, ‘What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.’”

24And he added, “I tell you the truth, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

25But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the sky was shut up three and a half years and there was a great famine over all the land.

26Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.

27And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

28When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage.

29They got up, forced him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.

30But he passed through the crowd and went on his way.

31So he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he began to teach the people.

32They were amazed at his teaching because he spoke with authority.

33Now in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,

34“Ha! Leave us alone, Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

35But Jesus rebuked him: “Silence! Come out of him!” Then, after the demon threw the man down in their midst, he came out of him without hurting him.

36They were all amazed and began to say to one another, “What’s happening here? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”

37So the news about him spread into all areas of the region.

38After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.

39So he stood over her, commanded the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.

40As the sun was setting, all those who had any relatives sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus. He placed his hands on every one of them and healed them.

41Demons also came out of many, crying out, “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.

42The next morning Jesus departed and went to a deserted place. Yet the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them.

43But Jesus said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do.”

44So he continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.

1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

2for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry.

3The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

4Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”

5The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6The 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.

7If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.”

8Jesus answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”

9He 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,

10for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’

11and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’”

12Jesus answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

13When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.

14Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area.

15He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

16He 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.

17The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written,

18“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach 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,

19and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

22All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

23He 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.’”

24He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

25But 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.

26Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

27There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.”

28They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things.

29They 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.

30But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way.

31He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. He was teaching them on the Sabbath day,

32and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.

33In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,

34saying, “Ah! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!”

35Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down in the middle of them, he came out of him, having done him no harm.

36Amazement 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!”

37News about him went out into every place of the surrounding region.

38He 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.

39He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her. Immediately she rose up and served them.

40When 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.

41Demons also came out of many, crying out, and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Rebuking them, he didn’t allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

42When 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.

43But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.”

44He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Reflection

Summary

Jesus defeats Satan's temptations in the wilderness, declares His messianic mission in the Nazareth synagogue by reading Isaiah 61, is rejected by His hometown, and demonstrates His authority through exorcisms and healings in Capernaum.

Authorship & Background

Author: Luke (see Chapter 1 notes for full authorship details).
Historical Context: Chapter 4 records the temptation of Jesus (vv.1-13), His inaugural sermon at Nazareth (vv.14-30), and the beginning of His Galilean ministry with healings and exorcisms (vv.31-44). The Nazareth sermon is programmatic — it defines Jesus' entire mission in His own words.
The Temptation: Luke's order of temptations differs from Matthew's (Luke places the Temple temptation last; Matthew places the kingdoms temptation last). Both are accurate — they simply arrange the events differently for theological emphasis. Luke ends with Jerusalem (the Temple) because Jerusalem is the destination of Jesus' journey throughout Luke's Gospel.
The Nazareth Sermon (vv.16-30): Jesus reads Isaiah 61:1-2 and declares "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears" (v.21). He claims to be the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy — the anointed one who brings good news to the poor, freedom to captives, sight to the blind, and liberty to the oppressed. Notably, He stops reading mid-sentence — omitting "the day of vengeance of our God" (Isaiah 61:2b). His first coming is about mercy; vengeance awaits His return.
The Rejection at Nazareth: The hometown crowd initially marveled at His words (v.22) but turned violent when He pointed out that God's grace extends to Gentiles (vv.25-27). They tried to throw Him off a cliff — the first attempt on His life.

Map & Geography

  • The Judean Wilderness: Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the barren region between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.
  • Jerusalem / the Temple pinnacle (v.9): Satan took Jesus to the highest point of the Temple in Jerusalem.
  • Nazareth (v.16): Jesus returned to His hometown synagogue and read Isaiah 61, declaring its fulfillment. The crowd tried to throw Him off the cliff (the "brow of the hill," v.29).
  • Capernaum (v.31): Jesus went down to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee and began teaching with authority there.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik examines the temptation's significance, the Nazareth sermon as Jesus' mission statement, the crowd's rejection, and the authority of Jesus over demons and disease.
  • Charles Spurgeon: Sermon: "Christ's Mission" on vv.18-19 (MTP Vol. 10, No. 567) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me — anointed to preach good news to the poor. Not to the rich, not to the self-sufficient, not to those who think they have it all together — to the poor. The spiritually bankrupt. The broken. The captive. If that is you today, this message is for you." Sermon: "No Prophet in His Own Country" on v.24 (MTP Vol. 22, No. 1298) "Familiarity breeds contempt. They knew Him as Joseph's son — and that was all they could see. The people who know you best are often the last to recognize what God is doing in you. Do not be discouraged by the rejection of those closest to you."

Reflection

  • 1. Jesus answered every temptation with Scripture (vv.4,8,12). He didn't debate, didn't reason, didn't rely on feelings — He used the Word. How well-armed are you with Scripture for the specific temptations you face? What verses do you need to memorize?
  • 2. Jesus' mission statement (vv.18-19) focuses on the poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind, and oppressed. His ministry was directed toward the marginalized and suffering. How does your life reflect this same priority? Who are the "poor" and "captive" in your world?
  • 3. The people of Nazareth rejected Jesus because they couldn't see past His ordinary background (v.22). Familiarity can blind us to what God is doing. Is there someone in your life — a spouse, a child, a friend — that you've stopped seeing with fresh eyes? What might God be doing in them that you're missing?
  • 4. Jesus said "I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also" (v.43). He had a clear sense of mission that kept Him from being distracted by success or popularity. What is your mission? What keeps you focused on it?
  • 5. Satan tempted Jesus at His point of greatest vulnerability — after 40 days of fasting, when He was physically weakest. The enemy attacks when you're depleted. When are you most vulnerable to temptation? What safeguards do you have in place for those moments?
  • 6. Jesus stopped reading Isaiah 61 mid-sentence — omitting "the day of vengeance." His first coming was about mercy; judgment awaits His return. How does living between mercy and judgment shape how you share the Gospel? Do you emphasize both?
  • 7. The Nazareth crowd turned violent when Jesus pointed out that God's grace extends to Gentiles (vv.25-27). They wanted exclusive access to God's favor. Where do you struggle with God's grace going to people you think don't deserve it?
  • 8. Jesus withdrew to pray (v.42) even when crowds were seeking Him. He prioritized communion with the Father over public demand. How do you protect your time with God from the demands of people and productivity?
  • 9. The demons knew exactly who Jesus was (v.34,41). Intellectual knowledge of Christ is not the same as saving faith. What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Him personally?