Lucas 4
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 4
Wiersbe writes that "Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us, but God can use these difficult experiences to put the best into us. Temptation is Satan's weapon to defeat us, but it can become God's tool to build us (see James 1:1-8, 13-17)." A MIGHTY FORTRESS Click to play Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing; Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same, And He must win the battle. THOUGHT - Now we fight now not so much for "victory" as from victory," the victory Jesus won for us on Calvary, defeating Sin, Satan and death. Now filled by the Spirit of Jesus we are enabled to walk forth from His victory on the Cross to our moment by moment victory over the temptations of our defeated (but still alive) flesh. The writer of Hebrews uses peirazo twice in referring to Jesus' temptation - Hebrews 2:18 and Hebrews 4:15. Surely the powerful truths in these great verses help us understand part of God's high and holy purpose of subjecting His Son to such intense temptations. Because He was tempted we need never doubt that He truly understands how we feel and what we are experiencing when we are tempted! Jesus was fully God and fully Man, but as discussed in Lk 4:1 when He was tempted He did not rely on His divine prerogatives to fight off temptation. As noted above He relied on the power of the Spirit and the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. The writer of Hebrews says For since He Himself was tempted (peirazo) in that which He has suffered, He is (present tense - continuously) able to come to the aid (strictly "run to the aid of one who cries for help!") of those who are (present tense passive = continually being) tempted. Comment: Regarding the word "tempted" (peirazo) it is important to remember that the test can either be a proof of righteousness or an inducement to evil, depending on our response, in the Spirit or in the flesh. In other words if we are filled with the Spirit and the Word and resist in His power, the test/temptation proves our faithfulness. Or as James says "the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:3-4-note). If we try to resist in our natural power or even worse do not choose to resist, the test/temptation becomes a solicitation to sin. The Bible uses the term in both ways. Notice also that "He has suffered" is in the perfect tense which emphasizes that though the temptation Christ suffered in the flesh was completed in the past, its effect is PERMANENT, including the effect of His compassion and understanding as He aids us in the hour of our temptation. Note also the verb "He is able" (dunamai) is in the present tense indicating that Jesus is always ready and willing and able to run to our aid in the time of need. In fact we have His "Chief Operating Officer" (so to speak) indwelling us and the Spirit of Christ carries out this function. The phrase "come to the aid" is one word, the uncommon verb boetheo which is derived from boe (a cry) and theo (to run) and therefore conveys the vivid picture of Jesus' ability to "run to our aid" when we cry out. This begs the question -- What do I do when temptation comes? And make no mistake about it, temptation will come because the verb "are tempted" is in the present tense which could more accurately be translated "are continually being tempted!" You may not be experiencing temptation as you read these notes, but Be of sober spirit, be on the alert (1 Peter 5:8) because it is coming!! We have the Spirit within us (empowering), the Saviour above us (interceding), and the Word before (in) us! What tremendous resources we have that we might experience victory over every temptation! In Hebrews 4:15+ we read of Jesus' earthly temptation... For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize (have a shared feeling) with our weaknesses (and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation), but One Who has been tempted (peirazo again in the perfect tense emphasizing the abiding effects of His temptation - in context He is ever able to sympathize with us in our temptations!) in all things as we are (tempted), yet without sin. James commands us to "Consider (command - aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) it all joy, my brethren, when (not "if") you encounter various trials (peirasmos), knowing that the testing (dokimon) of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4+) And He ate (esthio) nothing during those days, and when they had ended (sunteleo) , He became hungry - The Greek has a double negation (ouk…ouden) for He ate nothing which emphasizes the fact that Jesus ate absolutely nothing! Mt 4:2+ is very specific adding that "He had fasted (active voice = signifies this was a choice of His will!) forty days and forty nights." Compare Moses in Exodus 34:28+ "So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments." So here was Jesus in a time of hunger, so the Devil sets the bait with bread. The verb became hungry is aorist ingressive (inchoative = beginning to develop) signifying that only after the 40 days of fasting did Jesus really feel that he was hungry! Fascinating! Jesus presumably (BUT THIS IS CONJECTURE) Jesus drank water during the 40 days, for there is no mention of thirst. Note the striking contrast of Jesus being physically "empty" (hungry), but spiritually "full" (of the Spirit). As Thomas Adams said "Satan, like a fisher, baits his hook according to the appetite of the fish!" Be aware as John Bunyan says "As Satan can tell how to suit temptations for you in the day of your want, so he has those (temptations) that can entangle you in the day of your fullness." A T
Lucas 4
Wiersbe says "Even the enemy must admit that Jesus is the Son of God. “If Thou be the Son of God” (Luke 4:3, 9) is not a supposition but an affirmation." How sad that so many unsaved souls refuse to believe what even the devil (and every demon - Mt 8:29+, Mk 3:11+, Lk 8:28+) believes! Jesus was just called the Son of God by His Father in Luke 3:22 "the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” The devil surely witnessed His baptism and so alludes to the very words His Father used. This is part of the subtlety of his ruse, for in referring to Jesus as Son of God rather than Son of Man, he deftly calls on Jesus to exercise His divine power. It would be so simple, obvious and easy for Jesus! ESV Study Bible adds that "If you are the Son of God implies a challenge for Jesus to demonstrate his divine power. Satan is asking, in essence, “Why should the very Son of God have to suffer in the wilderness in this way?” (Ed: If you are God's Son, you should not have to starve. After all God even provided manna for rebellious Israel in the wilderness and He has given You nothing.)...Jesus, of course, was (and is) the Son of God, but he refused to be tricked by the devil into using his divine prerogatives to make the trial any easier for himself. Jesus obeyed as a man, as the representative for all who believe, so as to “fulfill all righteousness” (Mt 3:15) on behalf of his people. (See ESV Study Bible or borrow ESV study Bible) Wiersbe - “Since You are God’s beloved Son, why doesn’t Your Father feed You? Why does He put You into this terrible wilderness?” This temptation sounded like Satan’s words to Eve in Genesis 3! It is a subtle suggestion that our Father does not love us. that our Father does not love us.But there was another suggestion: “Use Your divine powers to meet Your own needs.” When we put our physical needs ahead of our spiritual needs, we sin. When we allow circumstances to dictate our actions, instead of following God’s will, we sin. Jesus could have turned the stones into bread, but He would have been exercising His powers independently of the Father; and He came to obey the Father (John 5:30; 6:38). MacArthur "The purpose of the temptation was not simply for Jesus to satisfy His physical hunger, but to suggest that His being hungry was incompatible with His being the Son of God. He was being tempted to doubt the Father’s Word, the Father’s love, and the Father’s provision. He had every right, Satan suggested, to use His own divine powers to supply what the Father had not." (See Matthew Commentary) John
Lucas 4
Wiersbe - Satan wanted Jesus to disobey the Father’s will by using His divine power for His own purposes. John
Lucas 4
Wiersbe - As the prince (ruler) of this world, Satan has a certain amount of delegated authority from God (John 12:31; 14:30). One day he will share this authority with the Antichrist, the man of sin, who will rule the world for a brief time (Rev. 13). Satan's offer to Christ was valid, but his terms were unacceptable; and the Saviour refused. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Thomas Watson - The golden bait Gain is the golden bait, with which Satan fishes for souls! This was the last temptation he used with Christ: "All these things will I give You!" But Christ saw the hook under the bait! Many who have escaped gross sins, are still caught in a golden net! A godly man dare not travel for riches, along the devil's highway. Those are sad gains, which make a man lose heaven at last! "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" Mat. 16:26, Mark 8:34-38+ And its glory (doxa) - Do the kingdoms of the world have glory? Of course they do (cf ancient Egypt), but it is a seductive, transient glory because this world is passing away (1 Jn 2:17+). Moses had been tempted by this glory but he refused it (read why) By faith (note from the following description that faith is not passive, but is active, dynamic - it results in/produces godly actions) Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. (Heb 11:25-27+) And it was Jesus who later ask rhetorically "what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). Answer? NOTHING! That is nothing except eternal torment because the wages of sin is (temporal and eternal) death. (Ro 6:23+) THOUGHT - What glory of this world is seducing you to pursue worldliness over godliness, the former yielding only passing pleasure, while the latter holds promise not only for this present life but also for the life to come (1 Ti 4:8+) For it has been handed over to me - When was this authority handed over to the Devil? While one cannot be dogmatic, there would appear to have been a transfer of power when Adam sinned, because at that time sin entered the world Paul describing this tragedy this was "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Ro 5:12+) Ultimately then all men are born into the kingdom of darkness ruled by Satan, for John writes "the whole world (unbelievers) lies in [the power of] the evil one" (1 John 5:19+). Over that kingdom composed of unsaved souls, Satan reigns, and it would seem most logical that this "reign" began when Adam sinned and sin entered the world. Belief in Jesus results in deliverance "from the domain of darkness, and" transfer "the kingdom of God's beloved Son." (Col 1:13+). Perhaps John MacArthur's comments on Hebrews 2:8 will give you some insight into why I believe the transfer of power occurred in Genesis 3 - Because all mankind fell in Adam, because he lost his kingdom and his crown, we do not now see the earth subject to man (Heb 2:8b+). The earth originally was subject to man, and it supplied all his needs without his having to do anything. He had only to accept and enjoy the earth as it provided for him. Then, tempted by Satan, man sinned, and his tempter usurped the crown. There you see the change in the chain of command. Man fell to the bottom, and the earth, under the evil one, now rules man. If you pay much attention to ecology, you know that we do not rule this world; it rules us. With all our modern technology, we must constantly fight against the earth for our survival. (See Sermon Rediscovery of Man's Lost Destiny) THOUGHT - Satan was given the power over earth in Genesis 3, but Jesus Christ as our Kinsman-Redeemer and Blood Avenger will obtain the title deed to the earth as described in Revelation 5+. Renald E Showers gives an explanation of why the scroll in Revelation 5+ is in fact the "title deed to the earth". And I give it to whomever I wish - This is true but is still subject to the sovereign control of the Lord God. As someone has said, Satan is on a leash and can go only as far as God allows. The Creator ultimately rules over His creation and that includes Satan, to his chagrin! NET Note on give it to whomever I wish - The devil is erroneously implying that God has given him such authority with the additional capability of sharing the honor. (Ed: Although as noted above, God does allow the devil to give his authority to the Antichrist - Rev 13:4). John
Lucas 4
Wiersbe observes that this "temptation was even more subtle. This time Satan also used the Word of God. “So You intend to live by the Scriptures,” he implied. “Then let me quote You a verse of Scripture and see if You will obey it!” (BEC) Donald MacLeod writes that "If Satan dared to use Scripture for the temptation of our Lord, he will not scruple to use it for the delusion of men." It is written - Here even Satan appeals to the immutability of God's Word, in effect telling Jesus that these promises still hold true. Remember that every use of the phrase it is written (Lk 4:4, 8, 10, 17) is in the perfect tense which indicates it has been written down at a point in time in the past and it remains on record. So even the verb tense emphasizes the permanence (eternality) of the the Word of God (Mt 24:35). Even the devil knows the Word of God has been written down and it stands forever! “It is written” should be in the heart and on the lips of every Christian." (F. Whitfield ) “It is written” should decide every controversy, settle every doubt, and overcome every difficulty. (Amen!) NET Note says "This was not so much an incorrect citation as a use in a wrong context (a misapplication of the passage)." Actually it was a misquotation, in the sense that the devil deleted or left out the phrase "in all your ways." See comments below on the significance of Satan's omission, some writers concluding it does not make a difference, while others say it does. This misquotation and misapplication does make the point that all of us have to be very careful in our study of Scripture, lest we fail to observe the text accurately, which will lead potentially to misinterpretation which in turn will lead to an incorrect or inappropriate application as in this present passage. All this to say, if you desire to rightly (and truthfully) divide the Word of Truth (2 Ti 2:15+), the best Bible study method I have discovered in the last 30 years is inductive Bible study which places heavy emphasis on careful, prayerful, Spirit filled observation which facilitates accurate Interpretation, which in turn leads to correct personal Application as commanded by James 1:22-note. First, note that the devil knows Scripture. That means you and I had better know Scripture (cf inductive Bible study, Meditate, Primer on Biblical Meditation, Memorizing His Word, Memory Verses by Topic). Paul said God's Word was vital in our struggle against rulers and powers in heavenly places, for it is the "sword of the Spirit," (Eph 6:17+), our major offensive weapon along with "all prayer at all times" (Eph 6:18+). THOUGHT - The devil knows Scripture but he does not obey Scripture. Beloved, be careful if you think that just knowing Scripture is sufficient. We need to obey the Scriptures we know or we will surely stumble and fall into sin. We need to know Scripture and obey Scripture so that we are just smarter sinners but by the Spirit are transformed from glory to glory more like our Savior (2 Cor 3:18+). James warned his readers of this danger, issuing a command to "prove (present imperative - calls for continual Need for the Holy Spirit to obey) yourselves doers (poietes) of the word, and not merely hearers (WHY? HERE'S THE DANGER!) who delude (paralogizomai in present tense = continually deceive) themselves." (James 1:22+) Second, note that the devil perverts Scripture. The passage the devil quotes in Lk 4:10, 11 is from Ps 91:11,12 which reads "For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone." As discussed in notes on Luke 4:11, the devil "subtracts" from the original verse and many commentaries feel this distorts the true meaning of the passage! Other writers see this not so much as a distortion of the true meaning, but of an inappropriate application of the truth of Ps 91:11,12. (See comments below) HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD (diaphulasso) YOU - Matthew 4:6+ has "HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU" but does not have the phrase "TO GUARD YOU." The devil wants Jesus to rely on special divine protection and in so doing to "test" the Lord's promise to protect. Satan twists Scripture from trusting God to testing God! So although the devil twists the wonderful divine promise in Psalm 91:11-12, it is still a truth that we as believers can and should rest in and on as if laying our head on a soft Scriptural pillow! Indeed, they are well kept whom God keeps. The believer's security is not the absence of danger, but the presence of God, no matter what the danger. And so we can confidently sing the words of Augustus M Toplady's hymn A sovereign Protector I have, Unseen, yet for ever at hand, Unchangeably faithful to save, Almighty to rule and command. He smiles, and my comforts abound; His grace as the dew shall descend; And walls of salvation surround The soul He delights to defend. C H
Lucas 4
Wiersbe writes "Of course, he (devil) misquoted the promise (Ps 91:11,12) and besides he omitted “in all thy ways.” (Bible Exposition Commentary) Louis Barbieri - Satan may have thought if Jesus could quote Scripture to him, he could quote it too. However, he purposely did not quote Psalm 91:11-12 accurately. He left out an important phrase, "in all Your ways." According to the psalmist, a person is protected only when he is following the Lord's will. For Jesus to cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple in some dramatic display to accommodate Himself to the people's thinking would not have been God's will. (See The Bible Knowledge Commentary) Nelson's NKJV Study Bible - In quoting the protective promise of Ps. 91:11, 12 to Jesus, Satan omitted the words “to keep you in all your ways.” Satan tempted Jesus to gain public attention through spectacle rather than through His righteous life and message. (See NKJV Study Bible) John
Lucas 4
Wiersbe comments on Satan's subtle snare in using the Word of God just as Jesus had done in Luke 4:4 and Luke 4:8 writing "So You intend to live by the Scriptures, he implied. Then let me quote You a verse of Scripture and see if You will obey it! Satan took the Lord Jesus to the pinnacle of the Temple, probably 500 feet above the Kidron Valley. Satan then quoted from Ps 91:11-12 where God promised to care for His own. If You really believe the Scriptures, then jump! Lets see if the Father cares for You!....Satan had cleverly omitted the phrase in all Thy ways when he quoted from Psalm 91:11. When the child of God is in the will of God, the Father will protect him. He watches over those who are in His ways. (Bible Exposition Commentary - comments on page 17) Eve when tempted by the devil in a perfect environment, did not know the word perfectly. Jesus when tempted in a wildness, did know the word of God perfectly and so was able to detect Satan's subtle trap. THOUGHT - We must diligently seek to memorize the Scriptures word perfect, so that we can (aided by the Spirit) subtle subtraction or addition to the Word of God.
Lucas 4
Wiersbe - Because we have trusted Jesus Christ and received salvation, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us (Rom. 8:9), but does the Holy Spirit have us? When evangelist D. L. Moody was ministering in Great Britain, a critical minister asked, “Does Mr. Moody have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?” A friend replied, “No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on D. L. Moody.” To be filled with the Spirit means to be controlled by the Spirit and willingly used by him to honor the Lord. I once heard A. W. Tozer say, “If God were to take the Holy Spirit out of this world, most of what the churches are doing would go right on and nobody would know the difference.” Do we know the difference? P G Matthew - In Luke 4, we read that Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. We, like him, are called to proclaim the gospel to a lost world. I am not speaking about the ordained ministry, but rather about the ministry that is the responsibility of every Christian. We are all called to minister in the power of the Spirit. Do you want to enter into ministry? Then you have to have power for ministry, the power of the Holy Spirit. How can you and I receive the power we need? The power of the Holy Spirit is released to each one of us on the basis of our obedience to the Spirit of the living God. As we obey God, God’s power flows into our life, so that we may do the work of ministry, which is the work of the kingdom of God. Jesus himself promised, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). This mighty Holy Spirit is only given to those who obey him (Acts 5:32). What was the thrust of Jesus’ ministry? Luke tells us that he read from Isaiah 61 in the Isaianic scroll: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me . . . to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Here God was promising a Messiah, the Anointed One, who would come to liberate his people from the power of Satan and sin. This is the program of Jesus. Since the time of his coming in the midpoint of time, he has initiated this program, which is the proclamation of the year of the Lord’s favor and grace. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. And if the Son sets us free, we are free indeed. So when we pray for someone and that person is healed, the kingdom of God has come. When a person is ministered to by the love of Jesus through us, the kingdom of God is extended. When a person is converted to Christ, the rule of Jesus is enlarged. We all have a divine mandate to speak about Jesus to our families, our neighbors, and even our enemies. What an honor and privilege it is to minister in the power of the Spirit! Beloved, from the above comments, it follows that the truth of Luke 4:14 should be treasured in our hearts, for it is like a "key" which opens the door to wide and effective ministry for the Lord! In fact, failure to use this "key" will result in ministry which may end up as nothing more than "wood, hay, straw!" (1 Cor 3:9-15, 12 - in context addressing primarily leaders - pastors, elders, teachers, etc) Does this sound a bit harsh? Not if one compares it to the Words of our Lord Jesus Who plainly declared to His disciples in the Upper Room the secret for of fruitful, God glorying ministry... “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides (present tense - continually making the volitional choice [active voice] of abiding) in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for (EXPLAINS WHY WE MUST ABIDE IN HIM) apart from Me you can do (ABSOLUTELY) nothing. (John 15:5) But you might be saying, Jesus did not even mention the Holy Spirit in that verse. While that is true, He did mention the word "abide" and the only way a believer on earth can abide in Jesus is by His Own Spirit, Whom He sent to live within us and to empower us for ministry and fruit bearing (cp Acts 1:8+). Paul understood that the Spirit was the key to bearing fruit (especially the eternal fruit of saved souls) that remains (like "gold, silver, precious stones" 1 Co 3:12, when inspected at the Bema - 2 Cor 5:10+) throughout eternity (cf Jesus promises this remains or endures throughout eternity - Jn 15:16) Not that we are adequate (qualified, sufficient - hikanos) in ourselves to consider ANYTHING as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy (hikanotes) is from God, Who also made us adequate (hikanoo) as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor 3:5-6+, cp John 6:63+) THOUGHT - The passages above beg the question, am I ministering in my natural or supernatural power, in my old fleshly power or the Holy Spirit's power? Your answer makes all the difference in time and eternity (regarding your spiritual "fruit." cf Jn 15:16, 1 Cor 3:9-15, 12) In Acts Peter summarizes Jesus' entire ministry again emphasizing the critical importance of the Holy Spirit... You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38+) In Luke 8:1+ we read that Jesus was "going around from one city and village to another (in GALILEE), proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him." And what is so significant about this statement is that Josephus records there were some 240 cities and villages in Galilee. How else could Jesus minister to these cities and villages unless He were enabled by the Spirit. Did Jesus become tired? Of course He did, but He never tired of proclaiming the good news of the Gospel enabled by the Spirit. THOUGHT - Luke is giving every disciple of Jesus the perfect pattern for productive ministry - the Jesus Way! He was anointed by the Spirit (Lk 3:22+, cp believer's anointing = 1 Jn 2:20+, 1 Jn 2:27+), filled with the Spirit (Lk 4:1+, cf command for believers = Eph 5:18+) and empowered by the Spirit (Lk 4:14+, cp need of believers in Acts 1:8+, Eph 3:16+). How can we expect to do greater works as Jesus described in Jn 14:12 unless we are not continually filled with, controlled by and supernaturally energized by the same Spirit? What would take place in our churches if the Holy Spirit were completely removed? How much of our ministry would still remain? Hopefully not much! The church needs to have a renewed desire to be desperately dependent on the Spirit for everything. The church needs to re-live the book of Acts, the acts of the Spirit of Jesus. If you are a pastor/teacher, I implore you to feed your sheep with the truth about their continual need for power of the Holy Spirit, the truth that launched Jesus into the most powerful 3 year ministry in history! Foundational teaching on the Holy Spirit is better than a marriage seminar. Better than a child rearing conference. Better than a missional community seminar. Etc, etc. While those things are not bad per se, they are bad if they leave out clear instruction on the need for continual dependence on the Holy Spirit to accomplish anything spiritual, anything supernatural! A T
Lucas 4
Wiersbe comments that Jesus' reference could be an allusion to "the Year of Jubilee described in Leviticus 25+. Every seventh year was a "Sabbatical year" for the nation, when the land was allowed to rest; and every fiftieth year (after seven Sabbaticals) was set apart as the "Year of Jubilee." The main purpose of this special year was the balancing of the economic system: slaves were set free and returned to their families, property that was sold reverted to the original owners, and all debts were canceled. (ED: COMPARE THIS TO JESUS' WORDS IN Luke 4:18). The land lay fallow as man and beast rested and rejoiced in the Lord. Jesus applied all of this to His own ministry, not in a political or economic sense, but in a physical and spiritual sense. He had certainly brought Good News of salvation to bankrupt sinners and healing to brokenhearted and rejected people. He had delivered many from blindness and from bondage to demons and disease. Indeed, it was a spiritual "Year of Jubilee" for the nation of Israel! (See page 150 in Bible Exposition Commentary) Jubilee Michael Card The Lord provided for a time for the slaves to be set free For the debts to all be canceled so His chosen ones could see His deep desire was for forgiveness, He longed to see their liberty And His yearning was embodied in the Year of Jubilee Chorus: Jubilee, Jubilee Jesus is our Jubilee Debts forgiven Slaves set free Jesus is our Jubilee Related Resource - Messianic Prophecy Scripture (1124) (graphe from grapho = to write; English = graphite - lead in a pencil) means first a writing or thing written, a document. The majority of the NT uses refer to the Old Testament writings, in a general sense of the whole collection when the plural (= Scriptures - Mt 21:42; 22:29; 26:54; Mk. 12:24; 14:49; Lk. 24:27, 32, 45; Jn. 5:39; Acts 17:2, 11; 18:24, 28; Rom. 15:4; 2Pe 3:16) is used and other times of a particular passage when the singular is used (= the Scripture - Mk. 12:10; 15:28; Lk. 4:21; Jn. 13:18; 19:24, 36f; Acts 1:16; 8:35; Ro 11:2; Jas. 2:8, 23) and is used in such a way that quoting Scripture is understood to be the same as quoting God! Graphe in Luke and Acts - Lk. 4:21; Lk. 24:27; Lk. 24:32; Lk. 24:45; Acts 1:16; Acts 8:32; Acts 8:35; Acts 17:2; Acts 17:11; Acts 18:24; Acts 18:28; Fulfilled (4137)(pleroo) literally conveys the idea of totality and thus that which have been filled up completely. Here the idea is the fulfillment of the prophecy. Pleroo frequently speaks of fulfilled prophecy (Mt 1:22; 13:35; 26:54, 56; Mk 14:49; Lk 9:31; 22:16; John 18:9, 32; 19:24, 36). Pleroo in Luke and Acts - Lk. 1:20; Lk. 2:40; Lk. 3:5; Lk. 4:21; Lk. 7:1; Lk. 9:31; Lk. 21:24; Lk. 22:16; Lk. 24:44; Acts 1:16; Acts 2:2; Acts 2:28; Acts 3:18; Acts 5:3; Acts 5:28; Acts 7:23; Acts 7:30; Acts 9:23; Acts 12:25; Acts 13:25; Acts 13:27; Acts 13:52; Acts 14:26; Acts 19:21; Acts 24:27; JUBILEE YEAR [ISBE] JUBILEE YEAR - (shenath ha-yobhel; etos tes apheseos; annus jubilaeus, "year of jubilee" (Lev 25:13), or simply ha-yobhel, "the jubilee" (Lev 25:28; compare Nu 36:4), the King James Version and the English Revised Version Jubile): The Hebrew word yobhel stands for qeren ha-yobhel, meaning the horn of a ram. Now, such a horn can be made into a trumpet, and thus the word yobhel came to be used as a synonym of trumpet. According to Lev 25:9 a loud trumpet should proclaim liberty throughout the country on the 10th day of the 7th month (the Day of Atonement), after the lapse of 7 sabbaths of years = 49 years. In this manner, every 50th year was to be announced as a jubilee year. All real property should automatically revert to its original owner (Lev 25:10; compare 25:13), and those who, compelled by poverty, had sold themselves as slaves to their brothers, should regain their liberty (Lev 25:10; compare 25:39). In addition to this, the Jubilee Year was to be observed after the manner of the sabbatic year, i.e. there should be neither sowing nor reaping nor pruning of vines, and everybody was expected to live on what the fields and the vineyards produced "of themselves," and no attempt should be made at storing up the products of the land (Lev 25:11 f). Thus there are three distinct factors constituting the essential features of the Jubilee Year: personal liberty, restitution of property, and what we might call the simple life. 1. Personal Liberty: The 50th year was to be a time in which liberty should be proclaimed to all the inhabitants of the country. We should, indeed, diminish the import of this institution if we should apply it only to those who were to be freed from the bonds of physical servitude. Undoubtedly, they must have been the foremost in realizing its beneficial effects. But the law was intended to benefit all, the masters as well as the servants. They should never lose sight of their being brothers and citizens of theocratic kingdom. They owed their life to God and were subject to His sovereign will. Only through loyalty to Him were they free and could ever hope to be free and independent of all other masters. 2. Restitution of Property: The institution of the Jubilee Year should become the means of fixing the price of real property (Lev 25:15 f; compare 25:25-28); moreover, it should exclude the possibility of selling any piece of land permanently (Lev 25:23), the next verse furnishing the motive: "The land is mine: for ye are strangers and sojourners with me." The same rule was to be applied to dwelling-houses outside of the walled cities (Lev 25:31), and also to the houses owned by Levites, although they were built within walled cities (Lev 25:32). In the same manner the price of Hebrew slaves was to vary according to the proximity of the Jubilee Year (Lev 25:47-54). This passage deals with the enslaving of a Hebrew by a foreigner living among the Jews; it goes without saying that the same rule would hold good in the case of a Hebrew selling himself to one of his own people. In Lev 27:17-25 we find a similar arrangement respecting such lands that were "sanctified unto Yahweh." In all these cases the original owner was at liberty to redeem his property at any time, or have it redeemed by some of his nearest relatives (25:25-27,29,48 ff; 27:19). The crowning feature, though, was the full restitution of all real property in the Jubilee Year. The primary object of this regulation was, of course, the reversion of all hereditary property to the family which originally possessed it, and the reestablishment of the original arrangement regarding the division of the land. But that was not all; for this legal disposition and regulation of external matters was closely connected with the high calling of the Jewish people. It was a part of the Divine plan looking forward to the salvation of mankind. "The deepest meaning of it (the Jubilee Year) is to be found in the apokatastasis tes basileias tou theou, i.e. in the restoring of all that which in the course of time was perverted by man's sin, in the removing of all slavery of sin, in the establishing of the true liberty of the children of God, and in the delivering of the creation from the bondage of corruption to which it was subjected on account of man's depravity" (Rom 8:19 ff) (compare Keil, Manual of Biblical Archaeology). In the Year of Jubilee a great future era of Yahweh's favor is foreshadowed, that period which, according to Isa 61:1-3, shall be ushered in to all those that labor and are heavy laden, by Him who was anointed by the spirit of the Lord Yahweh. 3. The Simple Life: The Jubilee Year, being the crowning point of all sabbatical institutions, gave the finishing touch as it were to the whole cycle of sabbatic days, months and years. It is, therefore, quite appropriate that it should be a year of rest for the land like the preceding sabbatic year (Lev 25:11 f). It follows, of course, that in this instance there were two years, one after the other, in which there should be no sowing or systematic ingathering. This seems to be clear from Lev 25:18-22: "And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat of the fruits, the old store; until the ninth year, until its fruits come in, ye shall eat the old store." Thus in the 7th and 8th years the people were to live on what the fields had produced in the 6th year and whatever grew spontaneously. This shows the reason why we may say that one of the factors constituting the Jubilee Year was the "simple life." They could not help but live simply for two consecutive years. Nobody can deny that this afforded ample opportunity to develop the habit of living within very limited means. And again we see that this external part of the matter did not fully come up to the intention of the Lawgiver. It was not the simple life as such that He had in view, but rather the laying down of its moral and religious foundations. In this connection we must again refer to Lev 25:18-22, "What shall we eat the seventh year?" The answer is very simple and yet of surpassing grandeur: "Then I will command my blessing upon you," etc. Nothing was expected of the people but faith in Yahweh and confidence in His power, which was not to be shaken by any doubtful reflection. And right here we have found the root of the simple life: no life without the true God, and no simplicity of life without true faith in Him. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Mt 4:4; compare Dt 8:3). We may well ask: Did the Jewish people ever observe the Jubilee Year? There is no reason why they should not have observed it in pre-exilic times (compare Lotz in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, X, under the word "Sabbatical Year" and "Year of Jubilee"). Perhaps they signally failed in it, and if so, we should not be surprised at all. Not that the institution in itself was cumbered with any obstacles that could not have been overcome; but what is more common than unbelief and unwillingness to trust absolutely in Yahweh? Or, was it observed in post-exilic times? Here, too, we are in the dark. There is, indeed, a tradition according to which the Jubilee Year has never been observed--neither in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah nor at any later period. The truth of this seems to be corroborated by the silence of Josephus, who, while referring quite frequently to the sabbatic year, never once mentions the Year of Jubilee. William Baur Related Resources: Easton's Dictionary - Jubilee Smith's Dictionary - Jubilee What is the Year of Jubilee? | GotQuestions.org Wikipedia - Jubilee See commentary on Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25:8ff Speaking The Truth He sent prophets to them, . . . but they would not listen. —2 Chronicles 24:19 In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a respected small-town lawyer in the segregated South during the 1930s. When he takes on a case that pits an innocent black man against two dishonest white people, Atticus knows he will face terrible prejudice from the jury. But his conscience compels him to speak the truth boldly in the face of opposition. The Old Testament prophets were often sent to preach the truth to a stubborn people. “[God] sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen” (2 Chron. 24:19). Their message often resulted in persecution and sometimes even death (Heb. 11:32-38). During Christ’s ministry on earth, His message also resulted in angry opposition (Luke 4:21-30). Yet, in the sovereignty of God, the terrible miscarriage of justice that sentenced Jesus to death on the cross purchased our redemption. Now, as representatives of the risen Christ in this world, we are to promote reconciliation, justice, and integrity (Mic. 6:8; 2 Cor. 5:18-21). And in so doing, this may mean speaking the truth in the face of opposition. This is the charge to every believer until that day when Christ sets all things right (Rev. 20:11-15). The life that counts must toil and fight, Must hate the wrong and love the right; Must stand for truth, by day, by night— This is the life that counts. —Anon. It’s better to declare the truth and be rejected than to withhold the truth just to be accepted. By Dennis Fisher Luke 4:22 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?" the gracious: Lu 2:47 Lk 21:15 Ps 45:2,4 Pr 10:32 16:21 25:11 Ec 12:10,11 Song 5:16 Isa 50:4 Mt 13:54 Mk 6:2 Jn 7:46 Ac 6:10 Tit 2:8 Is this not: Mt 13:55,56 Mk 6:3 Joh 6:42 Luke 4:22-30 Jesus' Return to Nazareth: Rejection by the People - John MacArthur Luke 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries WITNESS AND WONDER GIVE WAY TO DOUBT AND SKEPTICISM And all were speaking well (martureo) of Him - They were repeatedly (over and over = imperfect tense) bearing witness, speaking well of Him. So far so good as they say.
Lucas 4
Wiersbe - The Prophet Elijah is named twenty-nine times in the New Testament while Elisha is named only once. “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:27, NKJV). Naaman was a Gentile and the commander of the army of an enemy nation (ED: SEE 2 Kings 5:1-19+), so it’s no wonder the congregation in Nazareth became angry with the Lord, interrupted His sermon and carried Him out of the synagogue. After all, why would the God of Israel heal a man who was a Gentile and outside the covenant? He was an enemy who kidnapped little Jewish girls, and a leper who should have been isolated and left to die. These people knew nothing about the sovereign grace of God. Like Naaman, they became angry, but unlike Naaman, they didn’t humble themselves and trust the Lord. Naaman’s experience with Elisha illustrates to us the gracious work of God in saving lost sinners. (Bible Exposition Commentary page 685)