Luke Chapter 4
4:1. Jesus had just been baptized (3:21, 22). See Mark 1:9-11.
4:3. The if used here implies that the Devil recognized Jesus' divine sonship, and could be translated "since."
4:4. See Deuteronomy 8:3. Jesus, setting an important precedent for the early church, places great store by the Old
Testament as God's very words.
4:6. Despite Satan's claims, the Old Testament is clear that God, not Satan, stands with final authority over the
regimes of mankind.
4:8. See Deuteronomy 6:13. Peter is rebuked by Jesus with similar words. (Mark 8:33).
4:9. The higher parts of the temple stood next to a deep ravine. The elevation would have been considerable. Had
Jesus performed this feat before the crowds below, He would certainly have attracted acclaim. But His aim remained
obedience, not popularity.
4:10, 11. Psalm 91:11, 12 is misquoted slightly to suit the need better.
4:12. See Deuteronomy 6:16. The effect of Satan's temptation was to offer the promise of rule without the agony of
the Cross.
4:14. In the power of the Spirit: Having repulsed Satan, Jesus is all the more fortified to initiate His ministry.
4:15. Initially, Jesus drew high praise. But His rejection is already apparent in verse 28.
4:16. This is the oldest known description of a synagogue service. There would be prayers, both public and private,
a sermon if someone suitable were on hand to deliver one, and several readings from the Old Testament. Here
Jesus functions as reader.
4:17. Jesus selects a passage from a scroll containing Isaiah 61:1, 2.
4:19. Jesus leaves off the end of Isaiah 61:2. Is this because "the day of vengeance of our God" relates not to
Jesus' first but second coming? More likely Jesus, by reading these few lines, called the whole promise-laden
context of Isaiah 61 to His hearers' attention. He effectively makes His point.
4:20. Minister is the synagogue attendant who looked after the scrolls. By sitting, Jesus is likely assuming the
position of a teacher of that time.
4:23. Earlier activity in Capernaum may be implied in verse 14.
4:24, 25. See 1 Kings 17:8-24.
4:27. See 2 Kings 5:1-14.
4:28. When they heard: The Greek construction indicates that their rage built as they sat listening.
4:29. There are cliffs in the vicinity of Nazareth.
4:30. It is not clear whether this is a miraculous deliverance, or whether Jesus by dint of His imposing presence was
able to stare His opponents down and then walk away untouched.
4:31. Came down Nazareth lay among hills reaching 1,200 feet; Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee was nearly seven
hundred feet below sea level.
4:32. The source of Jesus' power (see also v. 36) is found in verse 14.
4:37. An immediate effect of this fame is reflected in verse 40.
4:38. Luke's description of the fever as great may reflect his knowledge of then-current medical terminology.
4:40. The laying on of hands was not a magical or mysterious flourish. In Judaism it was an act through which divine
blessing was bestowed.
4:42. Jesus had gone out to pray (Mark 1:35). Stayed him means they tried to keep Jesus from going away.
Luke Chapter 5
5:1. Lake of Gennesaret was another name for the Sea (or Lake) of Galilee.
5:3. Jesus needed to get off the land due to the press of the crowd (v. 1).
5:4. Draught here means "catch" of fish.
5:8. Peter, who had also been listening to Jesus' teaching and would have heard reports about Him, saw the hand of
God in the current circumstance. His response shows him to be a man of some sensitivity and humility. He becomes
keenly aware of the presence of One who is holy. See also 4:34.
5:9, 10. The astonishment of Peter and his partners is understandable. As seasoned fishermen by trade, they
reckoned they knew where and when fish were to be had and when not (v. 5). Jesus calls Simon to a ministry of
winning converts.
5:11. All three follow in discipleship.
5:12. In Jewish thought of the day, curing a leper was considered as difficult as raising someone from the dead.
Leviticus 13 and 14 give the Old Testament leprosy laws, though not all of the ailments dealt with are the same as
the leprosy we know today (Hansen's disease).
5:14. According to Leviticus 14, the priests had to verify a leper's healing. In light of Mark 1:44, Jesus' instruction
was meant to be a testimony to the verifying priests, causing them to recognize that the Messiah was among Israel.
5:16. There is doubtless a link between the fame Jesus was gaining (v. 15) and His need to maintain close secret
communion with the Father.
5:17. Doctors were teachers of the Jewish law. Luke indicated that virtually every village had one or several. Them
refers to the sick.
5:19. Couch is the bed on which the man was carried (v. 18).
5:20. How can faith, being an invisible quality or attitude be "seen"? New Testament faith acts in accordance with
what it asserts to be true. Faith that claims validity but sees obedience as a nonessential extra is bogus. Jesus
taught that those who love (trust, believe in) Him will also do what He commands (John 14:15).
5:22. Jesus' uncanny insight into their thoughts may be seen as part of His prophetic or spiritual enabling, or as
evidence of His deity.
5:23. Actually either is impossible for mere man. But Jesus does both, thus giving an important clue to His identity.
5:27. A publican was a tax collector. This one is better know as Matthew, the author of the first gospel.
5:29. Levi was evidently celebrating his new faith, and he invited former friends to share in the festivities.
5:30. The Pharisees held that it was defiling to have dealings, let alone to eat, with people like Levi and his
associates.
5:32. Jesus is of course not dealing with the question of whether there are in fact righteous people who need no
repentance. By righteous He refers to the Pharisees, who thought they were righteous, and thus felt they had no
need to repent. They were truly self-righteous.
5:37. Bottles are wineskins. They could be used but once for new wine, which fermented and built up pressure in the
container. If new wine was placed in an old skin, whose elasticity was gone, the skin would break and the wine would
spill. For the meaning of this analogy, see Mark 2:21, 22.
5:39. This verse is unique to Luke. It is an ironic aside pertaining to the unwillingness of many of the Jews to hear
the gospel.
Luke Chapter 6
6:1. Corn would be a cereal grain such as wheat. Ears were the heads of grain.
6:2. The disciples' action was not in itself illegal (Deut. 23:25), but the oral tradition held that they were breaking the
Sabbath.
6:4. Jesus had in mind 1 Samuel 21:1-6. He quotes the Old Testament to show the "experts" that the Scriptures
refuted the false tradition they had erected.
6:5. Having already asserted His prerogative, like God Himself, to forgive sins (5:20), Jesus now assumes the right
to interpret the Old Testament in a way far different from that of the religious leaders of His time.
6:8. As in 5:22, Jesus was able to discern their deliberations. See also 9:47 and 11:17.
6:9. Jesus illustrates the principle lying behind 6:5. If it was in one's power to do good to someone in such dire need,
it would be wrong not to do so, whatever the day of the week. The Sabbath was not designed to make men suffer.
The Pharisees seem to have lost sight of this.
6:11. The word for madness appears elsewhere in the New Testament only at 2 Timothy 3:9, where it means "folly."
Here in Luke it means irrational fury. Jesus had silenced them for a time, but like Satan himself (4:13) they would be
back.
6:12. The example of Jesus here is seen again in Acts 13:2 and 14:23, where special prayer preceded weighty
decision. See also the note on Mark 1:35.
6:17-49. This may be Luke's version of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). Or it may be similar teaching drawn
from a different setting. In a three-year ministry Jesus would probably not give many presentations on the same
theme.
6:18. The word for vexed appears elsewhere only in Hebrews 12:15, where the KJV translates it "trouble." So here it
means "those who were troubled by unclean spirits."
6:19. Virtue translates the Greek word for "power." See its use in 4:14.
6:20-23. Poverty, hunger, sadness, persecution, isolation, being falsely accused- seemingly a recipe for
despondency. Yet such has traditionally been the lot of the faithful who have sought the Lord and not merely
popular religion. If these conditions arise out of faithfulness to Christ (see also 1 Pet. 3:14), they are cause for
rejoicing.
6:24-26. Pronouncing woe ("Alas for you") was also part of the ministry of Isaiah, Amos, and Habakkuk.
6:25. The word for laugh seems to have the sense of a haughty or derisive delight in the inferior position or
misfortune of others.
6:27-36. What Jesus teaches here He also practiced, and at great cost to Himself. The Father, too, served as a
model (v. 36). See also Matthew 5:48; 1 John 4:10.
6:37. Judge can mean "to distinguish," or "to consider carefully." Jesus does not forbid this (John 7:24). Here He
warns rather against high-handed condemnation of others. It is God's task alone to render a judgement that
condemns.