Bible Study Thread: Luke

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Mendalla said:
That's my first reaction. Being rejected by his own people, or at least the people of the town he is in, is a theme in stories of Jesus, with this being one of the more obvious examples. We do see it in other prophets' stories as well (e.g. Mohammad's flight from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution). It seems that rejection and outright persecution is part of the prophetic journey (which is likely a whole myth cycle unto itself, similar to Campbell's "Hero's Journey").
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It think we can over-complicate it though. It could be as simple as "this uppity punk who does he think he is". It is always hard to challenge long held assumptions, even harder when you are talking to people who view you as "one of them". There is a reason it is a truism that a prophet has no honour at home.
 
Here is what really puzzles me about this passage:

1. The widows in Israel at the time of Elijah. Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. (v. 26)

2. The many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha. None of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. (v. 27)

When I first read these verses I wondered if Jesus was saying he is not called to minister to the people of Nazareth.

It was these comments which filled everyone in the synagogue with rage to the extent they drove him out of town and wanted to hurl him over a cliff.
 
Thoughts on Luke 4:20-22...

Jesus rolled the parchment together again and then returned it to the synagogue's servant. He then sat down. During the reading, both the congregation and the reader stood. But during the talk, the speaker and the audience sat.

His reading and bearing had made such an impression upon all those present that all were fixed upon him in expectation. Their interest had been aroused.

Dr. Luke gives Jesus' talk's topic, "Today's fulfilled this scripture in your ears." The talk's gist: he that spoke these words through Isaiah, the Messiah, is now here with you. And then he invited them to come to him.

Jesus' words bore witness to him. Grace's words issued from him. The confession was wrung from them. That the admission was made grudgingly appears from their question, "Isn't this man Joseph's son?" (Mk. 6:2-3).

Small souls' jealousy came to the foreground, feeling constrained to spoil grace's words' effect.
 
Summary: Luke 4: 31 - 44

1. Jesus goes to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and he teaches on the sabbath. The people are astounded that he teaches with authority. In the synagogue there is a man with the spirit of an unclean demon. The demon cries out, saying he knows Jesus is the Holy One of God. Jesus rebukes the demon, commanding "Be silent and come out of him." (v.35) The demon throws the man down and comes out without causing any harm. The people are amazed and a report about Him begins to circulate in the region.

2. After leaving the synagogue they enter Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law is suffering from a high fever. Jesus stands over her, rebukes the fever and it leaves her. As the sun is setting, all those who are sick are brought to Jesus. He lays hands on them and heals them. Demons come out of many, shouting "You are the Son of God". But Jesus does not want them to speak because they know he is the Messiah.

3. At daybreak, Jesus departs and goes to a quiet place. The crowds go looking for him and want him to stay with them. But Jesus tells them he must proclaim the good news to other cities also, because he was sent for this purpose. He continues to proclaim the message in the synagogues of Judea.
 
Reflection: Luke 4: 31 - 4

Jesus is already healing and casting out demons on the Sabbath. We know the Pharisees will later challenge this.

Demons are presented here as actual beings which can talk. Interesting that it is the demons, not the people, who recognize the nature of Jesus. And Jesus does not want this information shared.

The people want Jesus to stay with them but he is compelled to continue his journey and declare the good news to other cities.

Luke has the story unfolding as an intriguing drama. What a wonderful writer he is! I enjoy his little details such as the sun setting and Jesus departing at daybreak.
 
Thought on Luke 4:28-32...

The congregation was indignant. The population shared in the movement. Rising up, they grabbed Jesus and led him to a precipice where there was a drop into the valley below, their intention being to throw him down.

Theirs was the action of people that've lost reasoning, whom wrath has deprived of the ability to think right, a mob, such as are the rule to this day under circumstances.

If pastors dare to point to individual shame, they're accused of undue criticism. For truth embitters where it doesn't work conversion.

The mob, in Jesus' case, witnessed his power. For he passed through their midst and went his way.

Jesus went down to Capernaum. Here he taught in the synagogues on the Sabbath. And wherever he taught, his words stupefied people. His doctrine differed from the average rabbi's talks. In power his word went out. There was God's power behind it which's in grace's means.

☆ Dr. Luke adds the geographical references for his readers, who were unacquainted with the Gospel story's towns. ☆
 
Thoughts on Luke 4:33-37...

A man was possessed of a devil, who worked in the body to harm him. In the morning worship's course the man had an attack, the spirit took possession of him. He screamed.

The spirit knows Jesus, and his words were a revelation about him. He knows he's named Jesus, comes from Nazareth and's God's Son. He wants nothing to do with Jesus, for he fears lest the destruction will be meted out to him.

☆ The devil's a mighty spirit and can work harm, if God lets him. ☆

Jesus rebuked the spirit. He doesn't want his by these spirits. People should learn to know Jesus by the Gospel's preaching. Jesus bade him keep silence, and also come out from the man, from his spite's victim.

In obeying, the spirit took the last chance to wrench the man, throwing him down in the synagogue. But beyond that he couldn't hurt him; Jesus wouldn't permit it.

But the effect threw the congregation into a stupor. They were inclined to doubt their senses. To hear a man lay down the law to spirits and receive obedience, was a new thing for them; they were soon spreading this deed's news.

The miracle was a proof that Jesus was God's Holy One, and that he'd come to destroy the devil's works and to deliver people from Satan's bonds.
 
Thoughts on Luke 4:38-39...

From the synagogue Jesus went to Simon Peter's in Capernaum. Scripture knows nothing of the unkindness which is now shown to those to whom honor's due.

When Peter's mother-in-law was prostrated with a fever, afflicted with the attack, they, the family members, made intercession for her to Jesus. He signified his willingness.

Stepping to her cot, he threatened the fever, and it obeyed him. If in any family someone becomes Jesus' missionary, there's a path between that house and heaven, guarded by angels.

Blessings will attend such a house where a soul prays. And the mother-in-law's serving after healing shows that gratitude's plant was nourished in that house.
 
Luke 4 26 and 27 ---

Luke 4:26 (AMP)
26 and yet Elijah was not sent [by the Lord] to a single one of them, but only to Zarephath in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

unsafe says -----Sidon is a Gentile region this has Ahab and Jezebel ruling -----So Jesus is speaking about a Gentile widow here who's faith was more valuable than the Faith the Jews had in who Jesus really was ---1 Kings 17 ------so the Jews understood exactly what Jesus was saying ----


Verse 27 ----And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and not one of them was cleansed [by being healed] except Naaman the Syrian.”

unsafe says -----So Naaman is also a Gentile -----who had a hardened heart toward Elijah's instructions for healing his leprosy but Elijah never gave up on his man and finally Naaman caved in his heard was changed to accept the offer and he was healed -----again the Jews hearing this and Jesus compounding it with the fact that many lived in Israel but were not cured because of their unbelief in who Jesus Was --was just to much truth for them to bear ------2 Kings 5

28 As they heard these things [about God’s grace to these two Gentiles], the people in the synagogue were filled with a great rage;


unsafe says ---This shows God Sovereignty-- that God will choose whoever He wants to bring about His Will be Done ----and no one will or can stop it -----

unsafe says -----This tells us great lessons for us today -------Hearing The Real Truth Of The Word --- can Stir Up our Emotions ---it can make us jealous --angry ----and down right Vicious ----- it can cause us to say nasty things to the one who is spouting the Truth --it can cause us to play the Blame Game ----The Jews chose to Blame Jesus not themselves for hearing the Truth ----it can cause us to Persecute the Messenger of The Truth


The Jews themselves hardened their own heats to Who Jesus was ----their disbelief and doubt hindered them from obtaining the benefits what others who chose to change their hardened hearts to a Flesh heart had obtained -----The Gentiles were not included in the accepted fold at this time but yet because some believed they reaped the benefits of their belief ------
 
Yes, I was thinking of the 'How would you define evil?' thread in R&F.
I found it interesting that, at a point where Jesus was casting out demons left, right and centre, when it comes to Simon's mother in law, he 'rebuked the fever' (v. 38) Does that have any significance, that Jesus rebukes an illness, rather than casts out a demon?
 
Jae said:
Ah. Explains why I wasn't aware of what @Mendalla was commenting on. I'm not welcome on that thread.
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Pinga invited comments from everyone on the Introduction which was available for free. She provided a link and encouraged us all to take a look. Now that she is into the chapters, only those who have the book are invited to join the conversation.

I am lurking myself and have clarified we are welcome to Like posts if we wish.

One advantage to bible study is that the text is readily available to anyone who is interested.
 
paradox3 said:
Pinga invited comments from everyone on the Introduction which was available for free. She provided a link and encouraged everyone to take a look. Now that she is into the chapters, only those who have the book are invited to join the conversation.

I am lurking myself and have clarified we are welcome to Like posts if we wish.

One advantage to bible study is that the text is readily available to anyone who is interested.
Click to expand...

Don't really want to discuss that other thread anymore here. On to...

Thoughts on Luke 4:40-41...

The Sabbath's commands were no longer binding. People began to bring sick relatives and friends to Jesus. The morning's miracle had told them that they'd a healer in their midst, and they were willing to take advantage.

Jesus cured the sick. The greatest disease's shame; sickness, evil, comes from shame, is shame's punishment.

So when Jesus healed any person, it implied, "I take shame's curse from you, let this be an admonition to you." Simultaneously, demons left those possessed at Jesus' presence, revealing his identity as the Christ.

But these revelations Jesus stopped, since he desires no praise from Satan nor from those that've placed themselves in Satan's service.
 
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