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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 4:17

Verse 17 17.He found the passage There is no doubt that Christ deliberately selected this passage. Some think that it was presented to him by God; (322) but, as a liberty of choice was allowed him, I choose to say that, by his own judgment, he took this passage in preference to others. Isaiah there predicts that, after the Babylonish captivity, there will still be witnesses of the grace of God, who shall gather the people from destruction, and from the darkness of death, and restore, by a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 4:18

Verse 18 18.The Spirit of the Lord is upon me These words inform us that, both in his own person and in his ministers, Christ does not act by human authority, or in a private capacity, but has been sent by God to restore salvation to his Church. He does nothing by the suggestion or advice of men, but everything by the guidance of the Spirit of God; and this he declares, in order that the faith of the godly may be founded on the authority and power of God. The next clause, because he hath... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 4:19

Verse 19 19.To preach the acceptable year of the Lord Many think that here the prophet makes an allusion to the Jubilee, and I have no objection to that view. But it is proper to observe, that he purposely anticipates a doubt, which might disturb and shake weak minds, while the Lord held them in suspense, by delaying so long the promised salvation. He therefore makes the time of redemption to depend on the purpose, or good pleasure, of God. “In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 4:20

Verse 20 20.The eyes of all who were in the synagogue God touched their hearts, I doubt not, with astonishment, which made them more attentive, and induced them to listen to Christ, while he was speaking. For they must have been withheld from opposing this discourse at the commencement, or breaking it off in the midst, when they were sufficiently disposed, as we shall see, to treat Christ with contempt. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 4:21

Verse 21 21.Today is fulfilled Christ did not merely affirm in a few words, but proved by a reference to facts, that the time was now come, when it was the will of God to restore his ruined church. The object of his discourse was, to expound the prediction clearly to his hearers: just as expositors handle Scripture in a proper and orderly manner, when they apply it to the circumstances of those whom they address. He says that it was fulfilled in their ears, rather than in their eyes, because... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 4:14-30

THE PREACHING OF JESUS AT NAZARETH , AND ITS RESULT . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 4:14-30

The visit of Christ to Nazareth. The Lord is in Galilee, slowly moving from place to place, always in the character of Teacher, and always winning the applause of those who throng the synagogues. It is the period of unbroken popularity, short but, so long as it lasts, complete. His face is towards his native place, foreseeing and, as we are reminded, foretelling that the tide will receive its first check there. The visit is in many ways significant. I. IT REMINDS US OF A DUTY ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 4:14-30

Christ's sermon in Nazareth. The temptation of Christ strengthened all the graces within him, so that he felt himself prepared, on returning from the wilderness, for public work. Luke does not take us, as John does in his Gospel, back to the Jordan; nor does he take us to the marriage in Cana of Galilee, where the wonderful works began ( John 2:1-13 ). He prefers to sum up for us his early Galilaean ministry in two verses, before proceeding to a detailed account of his visit to Nazareth... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 4:17

And there was delivered unto him the Book of the Prophet Esaias . In the sabbath service there were two lessons read. The first was always taken from the Pentateuch (the Law). The five books of Moses were written on parchment, (usually) between two rollers, and the day's lesson was left unrolled for the reader's convenience. The Prophets were on single rollers, no special portion being left open. It has been suggested that the great and famous Messianic passage read by our Lord was the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 4:18

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me . St. Luke here quotes, with a few important variations, from the LXX . of Isaiah 61:1 , Isaiah 61:2 . The clause, "to set at liberty them that are bruised," does not occur the present text of Isaiah. The bright, comforting words of the great prophet the Lord chose as giving a general summary of what he designed to carry out in his ministry. It could be no undesigned coincidence that the opening words of the passage contain a singularly clear mention... read more

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