Lucas 4

Lucas 4

MacDonald on custom - "There were two other things which we read that He did regularly. He prayed regularly ("And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives" = Luke 22:39, 40-46), and He made it a habit to teach others ("according to His custom, He once more began to teach them" = Mark 10:1)." (Believers Bible Commentary). Pulpit Commentary - "This had been for years his practice in the little synagogue of the village where was his carpenter's shop. Children at the age of five years were admitted into the synagogue, and at thirteen attendance there was part of the legal life of the Jew. These synagogues were the regular places for religious gatherings every sabbath day, and also usually on Mondays and Tuesdays, besides on other special occasions. We hear of them after the return from the Captivity, and probably they existed long before. Some think that in Psalm 74:8 there is a reference to them." It is interesting that Luke's description is the earliest Biblical description of a synagogue service. Nehemiah mentions the standing position three times Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dirt upon them. 2 And the descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God. 4 Now on the Levites' platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and they cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God. (Neh 9:1-4) Daniel Block on on the Sabbath - This is the first of six key Sabbath day events in Luke (Luke 4:31; 6:1-2, 7-9; 13:10-16; 14:1-5). Luke-Acts has 29 of the 68 NT uses. This seventh day of the week was the weekly day of rest and worship for Jews. It with circumcision comprised two of the major distinctive markers of Judaism (clean and unclean food was a third key marker with worship at a single temple as the fourth). The setting apart of the day goes back to the OT (Ex. 23:12; Dt. 5:13-14). The day was held in such high regard in later Judaism, that it was said the day would be observed in hell (b Sanh 65b) and that Messiah would come if Israel kept two Sabbaths perfectly (b Shab 188b). Vincent on stood up - Not as a sign that he wished to expound, but being summoned by the superintendent of the synagogue. NET Note - In normative Judaism of the period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3–4; m. Berakhot 2. First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Normally one stood up to read out of respect for the scriptures, and then sat down (v. 20) to expound them. Alfred Edersheim comments on the Synagogue at Nazareth - As the lengthening shadows of Friday’s sun closed around the quiet valley, He would hear the well-remembered double blast of the trumpet from the roof of the Synagogue-minister’s house, proclaiming the advent of the holy day. Once more it sounded through the still summer-air, to tell all, that work must be laid aside. Yet a third time it was heard, ere the ‘minister’ put it aside close by where he stood, not to profane the Sabbath by carrying it; for now the Sabbath had really commenced, and the festive Sabbath-lamp was lit. Sabbath morn dawned, and early He repaired to that Synagogue where, as a Child, a Youth, a Man, He had so often worshipped in the humble retirement of His rank, sitting, not up there among the elders and the honored, but far back. The old well-known faces were around Him, the old well-remembered words and services fell on His ear. How different they had always been to Him than to them, with whom He had thus mingled in common worship! And now He was again among them, truly a stranger among His own countrymen; this time, to be looked at, listened to, tested, tried, used or cast aside, as the case might be. It was the first time, so far as we know, that He taught in a Synagogue, and this Synagogue that of His own Nazareth. (See the entire lengthy discussion of the synagogue by Alfred Edersheim, “Life and Times of Jesus”) Nazareth (3478) (see Nazara or Nazaret or Nazareth) is the name of the home town of Jesus fulfilling OT prophecies (not a single prophecy) that Jesus "shall be called a Nazarene." Nazareth was an obscure village not mentioned in the OT and was located about 20 miles southwest of Capernaum (see map) and about 70 miles north of Jerusalem (see map). Nazareth did not enjoy a favorable reputation as judged by Nathaniel's question "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (Jn 1:46+) Yes, not just any "good thing" but the greatest Person in time and eternity, the God-Man, Christ Jesus. Our Lord was called "Jesus of Nazareth" seven times in the NT (Matt. 26:71; Mk. 1:24; Lk. 4:34; 18:37; Jn. 1:45; Acts 10:38; 26:9) But even the term Jesus of Nazareth in some contexts implies reproach (cp Mt 26:71, Acts 26:9+) Although Nazareth was small, it did have a Jewish synagogue and was the site of Jesus "inauguration message" in Lk 4:16. There are no uses of Nazareth in the Septuagint (see The Puzzling Problem of Nazareth) The related name Nazarene, (nazarenos) an inhabitant of Nazareth, was used to refer to Jesus the Nazarene (13x - Mt 26:71; Mk 10:47; Luke 18:37; 24:19; Jn 18:5, 7; Acts 3:6; 4:10; 6:14), was written as an inscription on the Cross (Jn 19:19), was the Name Peter used in his dramatic sermon on Pentecost (Acts 2:22+) as did Paul (Acts 26:9+) and our Lord Himself (Acts 22:8+). At this time in history Nazareth was not a spot that religious pilgrims visited! In fact it could hardly be called a city for it was only a small rural village estimated to have a population at that time of no more than 400. In short, like Jesus Himself (Php 2:5-11) and His mother Mary, Nazareth was a humble, obscure village, hardly the place one would expect the King of kings to be born! Mark it down, beloved, this is the way God works, through the meek and humble. You may be "obscure" and little known in your church, but rest assured that God desires to use you in His good work because you are His masterpiece (see Eph 2:10-note and related article "Believers Are God's Masterpiece, His Poiema"). And remember! You may not see all of the effects of your work in His will in this short life, but such works will endure for eternity! (see John 15:8, 16) ESV Study Bible - Excavations at Nazareth have located tombs, olive presses, wells, and vaulted cells for wine and oil storage, indicating that the village was a small agricultural settlement. However, Nazareth was located on a road leading from nearby Sepphoris into Samaria. The current Church of the Annunciation lies atop previous early Byzantine church structures and caves (from the 4th century or possibly earlier); these commemorated the early life of Jesus and his family. John