Luke 4:14-21

This year we are covering the four Gospel Accounts together in chronological order.

In the previous post, we covered Mark 1:19-20 & Matthew 4:21-22 & Luke 5:1-11. Here was the conclusion:

John the Baptist was imprisoned for reproving Herod because he married his brother's wife. Around this time, Jesus went into Galilee and began preaching. After Jesus called Simon and Andrew to be students/disciples, He called James and John to be students/disciples. These first four Disciples of Jesus were business partners and were already in unity.


Luke 4
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and a fame went out concerning him through all the region round about."

(This verse from Luke's Gospel Account serves as a great link to yesterday's post. Jesus had been baptized in the Holy Spirit when He returned to where He grew up...and this power caused His fame to grow.)

"15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read."

(Remember, Jesus was a Rabbi. He not only was able to teach in the synagogue; He was expected to teach.)

"17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

(Jesus read from Isaiah 61. Here was the first sentence of Isaiah 61:
"1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.")

(Notice, Jesus stopped His reading mid-sentence! In fact, in our terms, we would say that Jesus read Isaiah 61:1-2a
"1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor,...")

(Jesus stopped before He said, "...and the day of vengeance of our God..." An in depth explanation of this break within a prophetic sentence is given at the end of this post in the BONUS COVERAGE.)

"20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him."

(Jesus very intentionally ceased from reading and sat down. Everyone looked at Him in anticipation of what He would say...)

"21 And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears."

(Jesus stated that about half of the first sentence from Isaiah 61 was fulfilled in their ears. How would the people respond?)


CONCLUSION
Jesus taught in the synagogue that the following prophecy from Isaiah 61 was fulfilled in the ears of the people present:
-The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah was upon Jesus
-Jehovah had anointed Jesus to preach good tidings unto the meek
-Jehovah had sent Jesus to bind up the broken-hearted
-Jehovah had sent Jesus to proclaim liberty to the captives
-Jehovah had sent Jesus to proclaim the opening of the prison to them that were bound
-Jehovah had sent Jesus to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor

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BONUS COVERAGE
When God talked to Israel, He saw a continuous Covenant: He didn’t mention to people in the Dispensation of the Law the break that occurred because of our dispensation. There were several examples where this happened.

Isaiah 61 began:

“1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

Notice, these three verses were one sentence. It looked like this prophecy would happen at one time…

Now look at Luke 4 when Jesus preached:

“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.”

Notice, Jesus had just read what we would call Isaiah 61:1 and the first part of verse 2. Jesus stopped mid verse! (The Bible wasn’t numbered then like it is today. Still, Jesus stopped mid-sentence…mid-prophecy.) What happened next?

“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.”

Jesus stated that part of the prophecy was fulfilled at that moment…and the rest would come after our dispensation! But to the Jews, it looked like it OUGHT to be continuous.

In Joel 2, we saw the same thing:

“28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.”

The first part of this prophecy occurred to end Israel’s dispensation, with the second part occurring when Israel’s dispensation is continued.

There were two chapters in Daniel where prophecy was given for Israel and it bridged the gap caused by our dispensation.

Daniel 8:

“21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.”

Verses 21 and 22 made up one sentence and took place with Alexander the Great before our dispensation. Verse 23 is the Anti-Christ and takes place after our dispensation.

Daniel 11:

“35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.”

Verse 35 took place before our dispensation and even identified there was a gap…”a time appointed”. Verse 36 is the Anti-Christ and takes place after our dispensation.

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