Luke 4

A sign men's hearts are very evil, when such black words come from them. When I go in the streets, and hear the language of some, I think of the man in the gospel, who had the spirit of an unclean devil in him (Luke 4:33). Men's lips do not drop as the honeycomb, but they drop p…

There's a sinful escaping danger, namely, when we are called to suffer for the truth, and we decline it: But there's an escaping danger without sin, as thus, when we do not betray ourselves into the enemies' hands by rashness, nor yet betray the truth by cowardice; we have a pat…

Hannibal said of Marcellus, a Roman captain, that whether he did beat, or was beaten, he was never quiet. When Christ had worsted Satan he went away from Christ; but, for a season (Luke 4:13), as if he meant to come again. When we have gotten the better of Satan, we are apt to g…

God often gives a pastor after his own heart for a few: 'Take one of a city and two of a family, and I will give them pastors after my own heart' (Jeremiah 3:15). So even by Christ himself, as he says in Luke 4:26: 'There were many widows, but to none was Elijah sent but to the…

Hence, we learn this notable lesson: That those people in God's Church, which receive from God more graces than others, must look for more temptations. This we shall see to be true in Christ Jesus the head of the Church: for, when he was Baptized, and had received the holy Ghost…

Secondly, this Rite was used in the healing of diseases. They laid their hands on sick, weak and impotent people, healing them in a miraculous manner (Luke 4:40; Mark 16:18; Acts 28:8). This was the sign of the communication of healing virtue from the Lord Christ by their Minist…

And in place of altars which were under the law, we have now the Lord's table on which we celebrate the sacrament of his body and blood, to show forth his death till he come. The fourth point is, concerning the time of Christ's oblation, which he himself calls the acceptable yea…

1. Their knowledge and cunning is great, they have much natural and experimental knowledge, so as they can discern hidden causes, and virtues which scape the flight of mans reason and understanding; they know how to apply active to passive things, can guess notably at future eve…

What is the reason that splendid virtue is oppressed by injustice, and notorious vices triumph in prosperity? It would make men believe that the world was governed rather by a blind and unrighteous, than by a wise, good and just governor, when they see things in such disorder as…

Fifth, civil excommunication is an unknown word, and his reason for it is no less unknown; for where he has read that Christ or any of his disciples were excommunicated out of the synagogues, and yet had free access to the Temple, I cannot understand, if it be not in the Gospel…

Furthermore: the things that are said on the one hand about all the unregenerate, and on the other about the communication of this theology, are such as to exclude them entirely from all communion with it; they cry out, indeed: "Every one of you is a stranger." They are "blind,"…

They are either public, private (Nehemiah 8:5, 13). Public, is to join with the Church from the beginning to the ending, in the hearing of the word preached, in praying, and administering of the Sacraments (Ezekiel 46:1, 2, 3, 10; Nehemiah 9; Ezra 3; Acts 15:20, 21 and 17:2 and…

We shall close this with the consideration of our Lord Jesus, who was an incomparable preacher, of whom it is said (Matthew 7:29) that He spoke with power and not as the scribes. And in Luke 4, when He is opening that sweet text (Isaiah 61:1-3), it is said, "They all wondered at…

2. This world is a thing that comes under our senses, and that [Greek text], a single one creature, that we may point with our finger. Satan from the top of a mountain showed Christ, [Greek text], all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory, or opinion of them (Matthew 4:8), an…

Nor need we flee to that exposition ever and anon, that Christ died for all, that is, all ranks of men. For "all" is put in Scripture ordinarily for many; as (Deuteronomy 1:21; Psalm 71:18; Jeremiah 15:10; Jeremiah 19:9; Jeremiah 20:7; Jeremiah 23:30; Jeremiah 49:17; Ezekiel 16:…

He was led by the Spirit, meaning thereby the impulsion and excitation of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. For it is said (Luke 4:1). Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He did not voluntarily put himself up…

To a man void of sin, the tempter has no way of tempting, but externally. 2. How is this access to Christ said to be after his fasting, when in Luke 4:2, it is said, Being forty days tempted of the devil, and in those days he did eat nothing; and when they were ended, he afterwa…

Whether Christ was carried through the Air, or went on his feet following him of his own accord? The last seems to be countenanced by Luke; that he led him to the pinnacle of the Temple (Luke 4:9), (in non-Latin alphabet), yet the former is preferred by most ancient and modern i…

God had said (Psalm 2:8): Ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession; this the devil, who affects to be like God, arrogates to himself, as if he would make him the universal king of the world. In Luke…

2. Christ had a work to do in the Valley, and therefore was not always to be detained by Temptations in the Wilderness. The Spirit that led him there to be tempted, led him back again into Galilee to preach the Gospel (Luke 4:14). Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into G…

Again: Depart not from me, for tribulation is at hand, and there is none to help. Etc. [reconstructed: (John 17)] (Luke 4:32) (Psalm 22:6, 15) This is therefore a great commendation of the Galatians, that they were not offended with this infirmity and temptation of Paul, but rec…

He offers ease to them that trauell and are heauie laden, Matth. 11. 28. He preaches deliverance to captiues, Luk 4:18. Here we are to bewaile the miserie of our people, that know not themselues to be under the law: in fact they loue and delight to be under it.

We must learn to see, feel, acknowledge, and bewail this bondage in ourselves. Deliverance belongs only to such captives as know themselves to be captives (Luke 4:18), and labor under this bondage (Matthew 11:28). Thus did Paul when he says, I am sold under sin: and, O miserable…

The non-observance of this rule, is the cause that there are so many censorious Catos, so many severe Aristarchi of other men's actions, so many that are sharp sighted and eagle eyed, in spying motes in other men's eyes: and as blind as moles, or beetles, in discerning the great…

Vers. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, therefore has the Lord anointed me: he has sent me to preach good tidings to the poor, to bind up the broken hearted, to preach liberty to the captives, and to them that are bound, the opening of the prison. For as much as Christ e…

28. And immediately his fame went out into every part of Galilee. Luke 4:31-36 31. And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and there he taught them on the Sabbath-day:

“Et estoit avec les bestes sauvages.” Luke 4:1-4 1. And Jesus, full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness.

20. Added also this above all, and shut up John in prison. Luke 4:14-15 14. And Jesus returned by the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report went out through the whole country concerning him.

13. And angels waited on him. Luke 4:5-13 5. And the devil conducted him to a high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment.

39. And he preached in their synagogues in all Galilee, and cast out devils. Luke 4:38-44 38. And when Jesus had risen out of the synagogue, he entered into Simon’s house.

There came a great fear on all; and they glorified God, saying, that a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God hath visited his people. So we read of their glorifying Christ, or speaking exceeding highly of him, Luke 4:15. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorif…

It is the Prophetical Office of Christ and his discharge thereof in his Ministry on the Earth which is intended. And he applies these words to himself with respect to his Preaching of the Gospel, Luke 4. 18. For this was that Office which he principally attended to here in the W…

This therefore is the first End of Divine Revelation; namely, to make known the Counsel and Will of God to us; see Matth. 4. 15, 16. Luk. 4. 18, 19. Acts 26. 17, 18.

I challenge the greatest and most learned moralists in the world to give an instance of any duty of morality confirmed by the rules of the highest moralist that I will not show is more plainly and clearly required by the Lord Christ in the gospel, and pressed on us by far more e…

Thus you find in Acts 8. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, &c. the Eunuch at that very instant when he was reading the Prophet Esay, has an Interpreter, one among a thousand, that joins his Chariot, just as his mind was by a fit occasion prepared to receive the first light of the knowledge of…

So (Psalm 34:18): the Lord is near to them that are of a broken heart, even them that are contrite in spirit. So (Luke 4:18): Jesus Christ was anointed, that is, appointed by God the Father, to preach the gospel to the poor, to bind up the broken in heart, and to comfort them th…

Not only to give them deliverance from outward trouble, but from inward sorrows; to give them inward joy, and inward comforts, that the bones which he has broken might rejoice. The Lord is near to them that are of a broken spirit, to give them comfort (Luke 4:18). It is said the…

But the full communication of this Spirit with special reference to the discharge of his public office, with the visible pledge of it in the Holy Ghost descending on him in the shape of a dove, he was made partaker of in his baptism (Matthew 3:16), when also he received his firs…

It is most probable that there was such a distance of time between these two afflictions, as was competent to a full discovery of Job's spirit, under the first. As when Christ was tempted and had foiled Satan in that temptation, it is said, the Devil departed from him for a seas…

But yet because no clause is expressed, implying contrarietie in the masters; therefore I take it, the words must be taken as a common prouerb among the Iewes, which Christ Iales downe for the ground of his reason. Now in a prouerb it is not requisite it should be alwaies true,…

This astonishment of the people argues some feare and reuerence in them towards Christ, which is some commendation unto them: and yet it prooues not the truth and soundnes of their faith and conuersion (though no doubt many that heard him were hereby converted:) for a man may be…

The Bride's lips were spoken of (Chapter 4:3, 11) and explained to signify her speech: by proportion they hold forth in him the loveliness of his Word, wherein he is especially lovely, in that he magnifies it above all his Name (Psalm 138:2) and makes it often sweet as the honey…

His words were perfumed with holiness: grace was poured into his lips (Psalm 45:2). He spoke to the admiration of all: his hands wrought miracles, and his tongue spoke oracles (Luke 4:22). All bore him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.

We are commanded to confess Christ before men, not before devils. This end is not attainable in the fallen Angels; therefore Christ rebukes Satan's confessing of him (Luke 4:34, 35). Obj. Christ holds up dispute with Satan (Matthew 4).

3. Christ, God-man, is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows (Psalm 45:7), without measure (John 3:34). The fulness of anointing is upon him (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). His name is as a precious ointment poured out (Canticles 1:3).

Take it for a sad condition when there is a practical contrariety and hatred between the heart and the word of the Lord; a heart loathing of the word and a rejecting thereof is dreadful; whereas the esteeming of the word sweeter than the honey or the honeycomb, more than thousan…

By the influences of this Spirit sent by Christ, are the redeemed led (Romans 8:14), directed (Acts 16:6, 9, 10, 14), sealed and confirmed (Ephesians 4:30), having received the earnest of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22), taught, guided, and the Word made effectual (John 16:13),…

1. No husbandman can help the clouds; no art of navigators can create fair winds, nor can our seeking create influences of sensible and feeling finding of him whom the soul loves (Canticles 1). 2. No excellency of means, were it an Angel, and the man Christ preaching, so as all…

But the Lord that has chosen Jerusalem rebukes him (Zechariah 3:1, 2, 3, 4). 4. There is a narrowness that comes from ignorance, until God give spiritual wisedome and largeness of heart (see 1 Kings 4:29), when we mistake God, and unbelief represents God as a lyon or a bear (Lam…

As I say for prayer, so for other duties: when a man comes to hear the word, he says, my mind is intent enough, though I make not such a show; yet notwithstanding know this, that you must behave yourself reverently when you come before God. You shall see in Luke 4, when Christ p…