Verses 1-13: The Spirit-Led Son Confronts the Tempter by the Word

¹ Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness ² for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry. ³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ” ⁵ The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶ The devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want. ⁷ If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.” ⁸ Jesus answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ” ⁹ He led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here, ¹⁰ for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’ ¹¹ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” ¹² Jesus answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” ¹³ When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.

• The Spirit’s leading does not remove testing, but sustains faithful obedience:

  Jesus is “full of the Holy Spirit” and “led by the Spirit into the wilderness” while being tempted, teaching that spiritual fullness does not mean a life without trials. Rather, God’s presence and leading provide real help for steadfast obedience, especially when human weakness (hunger, limitation, vulnerability) is exposed.

• Jesus faces real temptation as the true Son and remains sinless through trustful submission:

  The repeated “If you are the Son of God” presses Jesus to prove sonship through self-serving power, compromised worship, or presumptuous spectacle. Jesus refuses each false path, showing that true sonship is expressed not by grasping privilege but by faithful submission to God, even when alternative routes appear easier or more impressive.

• Scripture is the decisive weapon against deception and disordered desires:

  Jesus answers each temptation with “It is written” / “It has been said,” modeling that God’s word governs appetite (“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”), worship (“You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.”), and trust (“You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”). Theologically, this teaches that discernment is not merely emotional or intuitive; it is shaped by God’s revealed word rightly used.

• Evil can cite Scripture, so faithful interpretation must honor God’s character and commands:

  The devil quotes promises about angelic protection, yet Jesus refuses to treat God’s promise as permission for reckless testing. This shows that spiritual deception often mimics truth; therefore, Scripture must be received as a unified witness that calls for humble faith rather than manipulation of God.

• Temptation may retreat without disappearing, calling for ongoing vigilance:

  “He departed from him until another time” teaches that victory in one moment does not eliminate future conflict. Believers are invited to continual watchfulness, relying on God’s help rather than assuming they are beyond spiritual attack.

Verses 14-15: Spirit-Empowered Teaching and Widening Witness

¹⁴ Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area. ¹⁵ He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

• Public ministry flows from Spirit-given power, not human self-assertion:

  Jesus “returned in the power of the Spirit,” linking his mission to divine enabling rather than mere charisma or ambition. The spreading news and initial honor (“being glorified by all”) show that God’s work can produce real public recognition—yet Luke soon shows that acclaim can quickly turn to resistance when God’s word confronts expectations.

Verses 16-22: The Anointed Mission Announced—Scripture Fulfilled “Today”

¹⁶ He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, ¹⁹ and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” ²⁰ He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ²² All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

• Jesus’ mission is Spirit-anointed and Gospel-centered for the needy and oppressed:

  By reading Isaiah’s promise, Jesus identifies himself as the one upon whom “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,” with a mission marked by “good news to the poor,” healing, release, recovery, and deliverance. Theologically, this establishes that the Kingdom’s arrival addresses the whole person—spiritual bondage and guilt, social and bodily affliction, and the crushed condition of humanity—without reducing salvation to only one dimension.

• God’s saving plan is anchored in Scripture and arrives in a decisive “today”:

  Jesus’ declaration, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,” teaches that God’s promises move from anticipation to realization in Christ. Salvation history is not vague optimism; it is God acting in time, with Jesus as the fulfillment who brings the promised grace into present hearing and encounter.

• Grace can be admired yet resisted when familiarity replaces faith:

  The people “wondered at the gracious words” yet immediately reduce Jesus to what they think they know: “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” This shows a spiritual danger: proximity to holy things can produce contempt, and admiration for grace can coexist with unbelief when hearts demand a messiah on their own terms.

Verses 23-30: The Prophet Rejected—Grace Beyond Boundaries

²³ He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this parable, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’ ” ²⁴ He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. ²⁵ But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. ²⁶ Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. ²⁷ There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.” ²⁸ They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things. ²⁹ They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff. ³⁰ But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way.

• Unbelief often demands proofs on its own terms rather than receiving God’s word:

  The challenge implied—do here what we heard elsewhere—exposes a posture that treats Jesus as a local miracle-provider rather than the Lord who calls for repentance and faith. Theological faith receives God’s self-revelation; it does not attempt to control God through demands, comparisons, or entitlement.

• God’s mercy is free and purposeful, reaching beyond ethnic and social boundaries:

  Jesus’ examples (the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian) show that God’s saving help is not a reward owed to insiders. It is given according to God’s wise mercy, and it can confront presumption by blessing those thought “outside.” This both humbles the covenant community and opens hope widely: God’s grace can reach anyone, and no one can claim it as a private possession.

• Rejection of the messenger reveals resistance to God’s gracious initiative:

  The synagogue’s wrath escalating to attempted violence shows how deeply threatened the human heart can feel when God’s grace overturns pride and boundary-making. Yet Jesus “went his way,” indicating that his mission is not ultimately stopped by human hostility; God’s purpose advances even through opposition.

Verses 31-37: The Authoritative Word Over Unclean Spirits

³¹ He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. He was teaching them on the Sabbath day, ³² and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority. ³³ In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ saying, “Ah! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!” ³⁵ Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down in the middle of them, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another, saying, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ News about him went out into every place of the surrounding region.

• Jesus’ teaching carries divine authority that confronts both minds and powers:

  His “word was with authority,” and that authority is not merely rhetorical; it has spiritual force against “unclean” powers. The Kingdom of God advances through Jesus’ word, showing that doctrine and deliverance are not competing concerns—truth proclaimed is also power exercised for liberation.

• Spiritual recognition without submission is not saving faith:

  The demon confesses, “I know who you are: the Holy One of God!” yet remains an enemy. This warns that correct titles and supernatural awareness do not equal reconciliation with God; true faith involves humble surrender and obedience, not mere acknowledgment.

• Christ’s deliverance is commanding and protective, not chaotic or harmful:

  Though the demon throws the man down, it comes out “having done him no harm.” Jesus’ rebuke shows the Lord’s mastery over evil and his mercy toward the afflicted—deliverance is not a spectacle for destruction but a liberation under Christ’s control.

Verses 38-41: Healing Mercy and Messianic Restraint

³⁸ He rose up from the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever, and they begged him for her. ³⁹ He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her. Immediately she rose up and served them. ⁴⁰ When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. ⁴¹ Demons also came out of many, crying out, and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Rebuking them, he didn’t allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

• Jesus responds to intercession with compassionate power:

  “They begged him for her,” and Jesus acts. This supports a theology of prayerful dependence: God invites his people to ask, and Christ’s mercy meets human need. His healing is personal (“he laid his hands on every one of them”) and attentive, showing the dignity of each sufferer.

• Grace received leads to grateful service:

  After healing, “Immediately she rose up and served them,” illustrating a pattern of discipleship: God’s restoring mercy empowers restored vocation. Service here is not payment for healing, but the fitting fruit of a life touched by Christ.

• Jesus governs how his identity is revealed, refusing demonic testimony:

  Though the demons cry, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Jesus silences them. Theologically, this shows that truth spoken from an unclean source is not welcomed as witness; Christ directs the revelation of his messiahship according to God’s timing and purpose, guarding the integrity of the gospel.

Verses 42-44: Mission Beyond One Place—The Kingdom Proclaimed Widely

⁴² When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he wouldn’t go away from them. ⁴³ But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.” ⁴⁴ He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

• Jesus balances compassion for crowds with obedience to the Father’s sending:

  The people “held on to him” so he would stay, but Jesus answers with mission: “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also.” This teaches that love for those present must not cancel God’s larger purpose; Christ’s ministry is guided by divine sending and a Kingdom horizon broader than local preference.

• The Kingdom is advanced chiefly through proclaimed good news:

  Even after many healings and deliverances, Jesus emphasizes preaching: “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom.” Miracles serve the message; the heart of the mission is the announcement of God’s reign and the call to receive it. Luke closes the chapter with Jesus continuing to preach, showing proclamation as the steady center of his work.

Conclusion: Luke 4 reveals Jesus as the Spirit-anointed Son who conquers temptation by the written word, fulfills Scripture by proclaiming and embodying God’s saving mercy, confronts both unbelief and demonic oppression with divine authority, and presses outward with the good news of God’s Kingdom. The chapter calls the church to worship God alone, trust his word rightly, receive grace with humility, intercede for the suffering, and join Christ’s outward-moving mission with faith and perseverance.