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Luke 4
Haystack bible commentary"Stacks and stacks of commentary...."
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==Luke 4:1-2:
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Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
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These verses set the stage for Jesus's subsequent temptations. Jesus began this period of testing with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guided Jesus into the desert. This period was forty days long. The devil was the entity that tempted Jesus during this time. Jesus did not eat during these forty days. After the forty days, Jesus was hungry.
These verses initiate the narrative of Jesus's temptations in the wilderness, a crucial event that precedes his public ministry. The Holy Spirit's role in leading Jesus into this testing situation and his subsequent resistance to the devil's temptations highlight his spiritual strength and dependence on God's word, which is further developed in the following verses of Luke 4. |
==Luke 4:3-4:
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And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. |
 Ed Rea Files
Satan used 3 kinds of temptation against Jesus, and he still uses the same ones against all believers to this day. The first is the temptation to do it by yourself. The second is the temptation to take the easy way, the way of least resistance. And the third is the temptation to not believe it until you see it. --Ed Rea 2.15.22
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After fasting for 40 days, Jesus was hungry, and the devil approached him with this temptation.
The temptation: The devil challenges Jesus to use his divine power for personal needs by turning stones into bread. By starting with the phrase, "If you are the Son of God," the devil is questioning Jesus's identity and attempting to provoke him into proving it. Jesus rejects the temptation by quoting scripture from Deuteronomy 8:3, which emphasizes that spiritual nourishment from God's word is more important than physical food. This response demonstrates his total reliance and trust in God's provision
The temptation: The devil challenges Jesus to use his divine power for personal needs by turning stones into bread. By starting with the phrase, "If you are the Son of God," the devil is questioning Jesus's identity and attempting to provoke him into proving it. Jesus rejects the temptation by quoting scripture from Deuteronomy 8:3, which emphasizes that spiritual nourishment from God's word is more important than physical food. This response demonstrates his total reliance and trust in God's provision
==Luke 4:5-8:
Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
==Luke 4:9-12:
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And 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:
10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. |
As a last desperate temptation, the tempter suggests that Jesus leap from the pinnacle of the Temple. If He were God's Son, as He claimed to be, then surely God would not allow Him to be harmed, even though He would fall four hundred and fifty feet to the floor of the Kidron Valley below. If it was the temptation to be sensational in His work, the Jews had been looking long for a sensational Messiah--one who would restore the nation spectacularly. They would restore the nation spectacularly. But spectacles do not save. They are interesting and entertaining, but not necessary to salvation. Sensational preachers have a way of running out of sensations, and when that happens the people leave them. What would Jesus have proved about the love of God--which was the cornerstone of the Kingdom, in making the love of God--which was the cornerstone of the Kingdom, in making such a sensational Leap? He would have proved nothing. Men are not led to repentance and renewal by tricks. It was a suggestion that God be put to the test--and the devil did not understand that God is never tested. (4:12)
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==Luke 4:13:
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“And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time”
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 Thomas Cosmades Files
"Our Lord’s anguish in the garden so vividly described in these two places was a most ferocious battle against the powers of hell, a battle far more intense than the ongoing cataclysmic storms in outer space. The enemy confronting him there was none other than Satan. Christ had won a clear-cut victory against the chief of all his enemies on the Mount of Temptation. The devil left him on that mountain, but did not give up the hope of preventing his redemptive death. “And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). We know from the scriptures that from the very outset at Jesus’ birth the devil wanted to destroy him. He failed. On the Mount of Temptation he attempted to destroy him in toto. He failed. During Jesus’ three years’ ministry, how many times Satan sought to avail himself of plots by the religious establishment to murder him! He failed. Christ had to encounter man’s and God’s arch enemy throughout his earthly tenure. Now had come the final and by all accounts the most ferocious of all attacks. Satan determined to kill Jesus through sheer enervation and depletion (cf. Matt. 26:38; Mk. 14:34). The Lucan as well as the Hebraic renditions makes this extremely clear. Go over all the descriptions and try to catch the relentless battle which went on between heaven and hell. Both Matthew and Mark reveal Christ’s clear-cut disclosure of the ferocious battle with death in Gethsemane. These accounts describe the true nature of the conflict. In fact, he wished the three disciples would remain with him to offer human support. That which they could not provide, apparently an angel did (cf. Daniel 10:18, 19). "
-Thomas Cosmades; The Dreadful Warfare Symbolized By The Cup |
==Luke 4:14-42:
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16 And 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.
17 And 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,
18 The 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,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And 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.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22 And 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?
23 And 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.
24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
25 But 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;
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
29 And 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.
30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
34 Saying, 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.
35 And 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.
36 And 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.
37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
38 And 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.
39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
40 Now 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.
41 And 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.
42 And 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.
15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16 And 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.
17 And 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,
18 The 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,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And 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.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22 And 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?
23 And 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.
24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
25 But 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;
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
29 And 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.
30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
34 Saying, 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.
35 And 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.
36 And 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.
37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
38 And 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.
39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
40 Now 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.
41 And 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.
42 And 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.
==Luke 4:43:
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And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
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After healing people in Capernaum, the crowds wanted him to stay, but his mission was broader, and he needed to go to other cities as well. Jesus states his primary mission is to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom of God to other towns, not just to stay in one place. This occurs after Jesus had been performing many miracles and teaching in Capernaum, where the people wanted him to remain. He emphasizes that preaching to other towns is not an option but a divine necessity for which he was sent.
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Pope Leo in first major document: Love for the poor is not optional for Christians
Pope Leo reminds “all the members of the People of God” that they “have a duty to make their voices heard, albeit in different ways, in order to point out and denounce such structural issues, even at the cost of appearing foolish or naïve.” He says, “Unjust structures need to be recognized and eradicated by the force of good, by changing mindsets but also, with the help of science and technology, by developing effective policies for societal change.” He reminds believers that “the Gospel message has to do not only with an individual’s personal relationship with the Lord, but also with something greater: ‘the Kingdom of God (cf. Lk 4:43); it is about loving God who reigns in our world.’” (America: The Jesuit View; 10/9/25) READMORE>>>>
Pope Leo reminds “all the members of the People of God” that they “have a duty to make their voices heard, albeit in different ways, in order to point out and denounce such structural issues, even at the cost of appearing foolish or naïve.” He says, “Unjust structures need to be recognized and eradicated by the force of good, by changing mindsets but also, with the help of science and technology, by developing effective policies for societal change.” He reminds believers that “the Gospel message has to do not only with an individual’s personal relationship with the Lord, but also with something greater: ‘the Kingdom of God (cf. Lk 4:43); it is about loving God who reigns in our world.’” (America: The Jesuit View; 10/9/25) READMORE>>>>
==Luke 4:44:
And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.