BURKITT : | Lu 4:1 | Lu 4:2 | Lu 4:3 | Lu 4:4 | Lu 4:5-8 | Lu 4:9-13 | Lu 4:14-21 | Lu 4:22-24 | Lu 4:25-27 | Lu 4:28-30 | Lu 4:31-37 | Lu 4:38-39 | Lu 4:40-41 | Lu 4:42-44 |
Reference
14 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. (Luke 4:14-21 KJV)
Commentary
Our blessed Savior, having been prepared by His baptism and temptation, now begins His ministry by preaching the gospel. St. Luke records that the first place He preached was Nazareth, the town where He was raised. Though Christ was born in Bethlehem, He grew up in Nazareth, where He lived humbly, working as a carpenter. This led many Jews to reject Him because they expected their Messiah to be a powerful ruler, not a common laborer. His association with Nazareth became so strong that He was called “Jesus of Nazareth,” a name that remained with Him throughout His life and even at His crucifixion. After His ascension, His followers were known as the sect of the Nazarenes.
The text Christ preached on in Nazareth was from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor” (Luke 4:18). This means that God the Father had poured out His Spirit upon Christ in full measure, equipping Him for His mission as the Mediator. His ministry focused on preaching the gospel, particularly to the poor in spirit and those humbled by their sins. He came to heal the brokenhearted, bringing comfort through the good news of salvation. He proclaimed deliverance to those enslaved by sin, offering them freedom if they were willing to receive it. He also declared “the acceptable year of the Lord,” a spiritual jubilee in which God offers forgiveness and reconciliation through the gospel.
Christ did not take upon Himself the office of a mediator without divine appointment. The Holy Spirit anointed Him for this sacred work, showing that no one should assume the role of a minister without being equipped by God. No angel or human could fulfill this task—only Christ, who was set apart for it by the Spirit. Preaching the gospel was the primary means He used to enlighten sinners, heal broken hearts, and deliver souls from sin. This same ordinance remains crucial today, yet many fail to recognize its value. The gospel is God’s power for salvation and those who look down on its preaching act as enemies of men’s souls.
The people of Nazareth listened intently as Jesus spoke. Their eyes were fixed on Him, showing their deep attention. A focused gaze helps to fix the mind, just as a wandering eye often signals a distracted heart. However, their curiosity was short-lived. Though at first they eagerly listened, they soon turned against Him. In Luke 4:29, these same people who were listening became enraged, drove Him out of the city, and attempted to throw Him off a cliff. It was a shame Jesus was treated this way.
Lastly, Christ observed the customs of Jewish worship. He stood in honor of the law and the prophets when reading them and sat down to explain them. Though the synagogue services were burdened with human traditions, and the lives of priests and people were corrupt, Christ and His disciples still attended regularly. From this, we learn that Christians should respectfully participate in the practices of the church they belong to, as long as they do not contradict God’s commands. This follows the example set by Christ Himself.