Luke Chapter 4.

Luke Chapter 4.

The Temptation. 4:1-13.

           

The temptation concerned His own consciousness as to His Person and work, especially His awareness of His Messianic office.  His Baptism had indicated what Messiahship meant for him.  The Messiah is the Servant of Jehovah who must suffer and die for men.  He had dedicated Himself to a ministry that meant suffering and death.  This was not the popular Jewish expectations for the Messiah.  Jesus is tested at this point.  He must choose between God's kind of Messiah and the kind for which the people looked.  Jesus had made his choice.  His Christ will embrace the role of the suffering Servant depicted in Isaiah.  The popular Messiah of Jewish thought, the Messiah of Satan's pattern, was far beyond such sufferings.  If He had chosen to fulfil the role of the popular Jewish Messiah, he would have given allegiance to Satan.  God's Messiah was destined to suffer and die.  Hence, every temptation is a thrust from Satan to turn Jesus from the Cross.

           

The First Temptation.   Suffering is incompatible with Sonship.  "Since you are the Son of God it cannot be His will that you hunger and suffer.  Use your Divine power to give you freedom from pangs of hunger."   There may be further suggestion that he make use of his power to feed the people, for they wanted bread, and for bread all would follow him.  Jesus replies, "Man shall not live by bread alone..."   Jesus had taken his place among men.  The narrative of the temptation gives us the deepest insight into the humanity of the Son of God.

           

It is not enough to give people bread.  Israel, Greece and Rome are remembered because of the abiding values they have contributed to our culture and civilization.  Communism gives bread, but man needs more than bread.  Man lives by the Word of God, by faith in God's promise and obedience to His will.  Obedience to the command of God is the secret of victory.  In all three instances, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy, the book that is so emphatic about obedience.  Jesus refused to be a Superman and did not clothe himself in a charmed life that had immunity from suffering.  That would have made the cross an impossibility.  "By every word,"   even if that word means suffering and death, only thus can men live.  Obedience issues in life.

           

The Second Temptation.   Suffering is incompatible with authority.   The Devil offers Him the world with its authority and glory, but it was on Satan's terms.  The popular Messiah was a world leader and Satan is willing to make Jesus such a leader.  The kingdoms are based on military force, organization, wealth and authority.  By no other means were kingdoms founded.  The refusal of Jesus to accept such a kingdom was a denial of all human wisdom and power.  This temptation discloses that the popular Jewish conception of the Messiah was a form of devil-worship.  Jesus refuses to compromise with the popular ideas about the Messiah.  The authority Jesus possesses is not derived from this world.  He will not compromise with Satan in order to gain power.  The authority that Jesus exercised involved the Cross.  For the Cross is the power of God unto salvation.  The choice between the world and the Cross, is the choice between Satan and God.

           

The Third Temptation.   Suffering is incompatible with the life of faith.   The "wings of the temple" suggests religious elevation (4:9).  Satan's argument is that the perfect faith which fully accepts God's promise will have immunity from suffering.  Satan invites the Son of God to step out on God's promise, and He certainly would be kept from harm.  Jesus replies that to needlessly and boastfully expose oneself to danger, is to unduly tempt the Lord our God.  It is an offence to the Divine Majesty.  There is an element of fanaticism in faith that presumes upon God's goodness and faithfulness.   It is not humble and obedient, but boastful and self-exalting.   True faith honours God, but Satan's pattern of faith tests God's patience.  Jesus would have nothing to do with the kind of faith that seeks one's own spiritual elevation rather than God's will.

           

Satan, assuming the role of a spiritual counsellor, would show Jesus the perfect path of faith which gives immunity from suffering.  He argues that perfect faith can know no cross.  But Jesus refuses the faith which makes trial of God in a manner none have the right to make. But Jesus did not seek immunity from suffering, neither does he make use of the faith that would perform wondrous acts before the people, who may have been gathered at the temple.  Jesus, exhibits the faith that is obedient to the will of God, and that accepted suffering as part of the will of God.  Yet, he would not expose himself needlessly to danger.  Much modern "faith-healing" is based on the Satanic assumption that faith gives immunity from suffering.

           

The Galilean Ministry.  4:14-9:50.  The ministry begins (4:14-15);  Jesus wins fame (4:16-30);  In the Synagogue at Nazareth,  in his home city,  Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1-2.  He interprets the prophecy as fulfilled in Himself and His Ministry.  Jesus claims:

            *  Person.          This prophecy was fulfilled in him.

            *  Place.            Now was the time of its fulfilment.

            *  Power.           The Lord had anointed him with His Spirit.

            *  Purpose.        To bring deliverance to all in need.

            *  Panorama.     This deliverance was such as was worthy

                                    of the Lord's Year of Jubilee.

           

The audience, at first interested in a fellow townsman who had won fame, marvel at His words.  But they disbelieve his claims, they refuse to believe He is a Person of great significance. 

Jesus warns them that their unbelief nourished by familiarity, may have deprived them of the promised Salvation.  This had been the case in the days of Elijah and Elisha, who at that time,  non-Israelites, the Sidonian widow and the Syrian Naaman, by being the recipients of distinguishing grace.  The audience became angry when Jesus compared them to those in Israel who were judged less worthy of the Divine benefits than the heathen to whom grace was shown.  The audience did not want such a Messiah of deliverance, for Jesus based privilege on grace, and not on nationality.  They became infuriated at the suggestion that outsiders shall receive the promised deliverance, while those who relied upon their nationality should miss it.    The folk at Nazareth rejected Him because He did not conform to their ideas of the Messiah.  They wanted a Messiah after Satan's pattern, not after God's pattern.

           

The Synagogue in Capernaum.  4:31-37.   The miracles of Christ are not wonder-stories, nor are they faith-cures in the modern sense. They reveal the Lord's compassion to men, but they properly form part of the coming and preaching of the Kingdom of God.  They were putting forth the Divine power for the overthrowing of Satan's dominion.  They are the powers of the Kingdom operating in the midst of the people.  They formed part of God's assault upon Satan's realm.

           

The cleansing of the demoniac in the Synagogue.  Jesus is not represented as requiring faith from demoniacs.  The man was completely under the power of Satan.

            *  The spirit was unclean. The man must be cleansed.

            *  The spirit was hostile. The man needed to be reconciled.

            *  The spirit was violent.  The man needed deliverance.

            What the story reveals about Jesus. :

           

*  The unique holiness of Jesus.   The spirit felt Jesus was a power hostile to its uncleanness.  The demon spoke in horror.  The power of holiness dwelling in Jesus overcomes the unclean spirit.  The Synagogue, into which the man came, had no such power of holiness.

           

*  The unique authority of Jesus.   The demon cannot resist His command.  Though the demon throws the man to the ground, he cannot do the man any harm when Jesus has spoken.  The cleansing was immediate.  When Jesus comes and speaks, then demons cannot stay long.

           

The return of the N.E.B. to "devils" is disappointing, for the Greek 'daimon' is best rendered "demon".  It is distinct from 'diabolos', "devil"' a term for Satan.  Diabolos is not used of evil spirits, other than for Satan, but in the Pastorals, it is used (plural) for persons who are slanderers.  See V-D.

           

The Authority of Jesus.  The Lord's authority or 'exousia' is a key idea in these chapters.  Though the word 'exousia' may not be frequently used in these chapters, yet the idea of authority is frequently present.  A Gentile discerns the true source and nature of the Lord's authority.  This incident forms a sort of high water mark of insight to the authority of Jesus.  Jesus refused the world's authority that Satan offered.  The authority Jesus is manifested in :

            *  His teaching.                                                  4:32.

            *  His power over demons.                                  4:36.

            *  His power to forgive sins.                                 5:24.

            *  His calling men to be his disciples.                  5:1-11.

            *  His healing all manner of diseases.                  5.th. chapter.

            *  His authority over the fish of the sea.                5:1-11.

            *  His authority over the elements.                                   5:22-25.

            *             "                 the dead.

            *             "                 the human heart.

            *  His delegation of authority to His servants.        9:11; 10:19.

           

The Healings in Capernaum.  4:38-41.   The healing of Simeon's mother-in-law. 4:38-39. The severity of the illness - a great fever is overcome by the saving authority of Jesus' word.  Although the fever leaves one very weak, she has strength immediately to minister to them, implying the suddenness of the healing.

           

The Departure from Capernaum.  4:43. 

           

*  The Kingdom of God. 4:43.  The theme of Jesus' preaching was the Kingdom of God.  He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom.  In the New Testament the Christian Salvation is described by different categories.  Paul - Justification.  John - Eternal Life. The Synoptics - The Kingdom of God.  In the Synoptics the Kingdom forms the central theme of our Lord's preaching.  The Kingdom of God is both soteriological and eschatological.

           

*  It is usual to regard kingdom as meaning rule, reign or sovereignty of God.  The word 'Basileia' is the essence, situation, dignity or power of a king. (Kittel).   The idea of sovereign rule is primary and that of realm is secondary.  This view has recently been challenged by Aalen, who admits it holds good for the Old Testament and Judaism.  But in the New Testament it is no longer the central idea as to the kingdom.  In the New Testament God is seldom described as a king, but there are constant references to the Coming of His Kingdom.  It is Jesus who is the King in God's Kingdom.  It seems certain that Jesus did not proclaim the Kingdom in terms of the reign of God as did Judaism.  It is not that this aspect is excluded, but Jesus taught that the Kingdom is the realm of God which men must enter.

            The Kingdom is:

            *  Preached.  Matt.4:23; 9:35; 24:14;                   Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2,60.

            *  Sought.         "    6:33;                                                   "     12:31; 18:24,25; 16:16.

            *  Entered.        "    5:20; 7:21; 19:23; 21:31;        Mk.9:47; 10:23-25.

            *  Received.  Mk.  10:15;                                                Luke 18:17.

            *  Inherited.   Matt.25:34.

            *  Awaited.   Mk.   15:43;                                                Luke 23:51.

            The Kingdom :

            *  Comes.

            *  Given.            Lk.12:32.

            *  Possessed.    Lk. 6:20.

            The Coming of the Kingdom :

            *  Pray for it.                  Matt.6:10.

            *  In Power.                   Mk.  9:1.

            *  Not by observation.     Lk. 17:20.

            *  Comes upon you.         "   11:20.

           

It will be seen from these references that the Kingdom of God is to come, but that it has a present dimension.  This is the teaching of the New Testament generally.  The Kingdom of God came in a Person, in the ministry and teaching of Jesus. (Matt.12:28; Lk.11:20; Rom.14:17).  This ministry is continued by the Risen Lord through His Spirit in the Church.  The numerous parables of the Lord suggest a present aspect of the Kingdom.  But most references to the Kingdom of God place it in future terms, for the Kingdom of God will come in power and glory at the Parousia.  Conzulmann argues that Luke always thinks of the Kingdom as coming.  The Kingdom was made manifest in the ministry of Jesus, but its actual coming belongs to the future.  The crucial text is Luke 17:20, but Conzulmann takes this, not of the actual coming of the Kingdom, for he says, 19:11 excludes this meaning, but that the message of the Kingdom is present, and has brought salvation to light, and has made it effective.  The coming of the Kingdom is the consummation of the Messianic Salvation.  A good comment on its consummation is Rom.8:17-21.

The same parables which concern the preaching of the Kingdom.  These parables concern man's response to the preaching of the Kingdom. 

The message is received with varying degrees of  human response, submission and co-operation.  It is because of man's incomplete   response to the message of the Kingdom, that there arises a measure of frustration and failure.  The Kingdom in its present form exhibits a mixture of good and evil, but it remains true that the seed alone constitutes the children of the Kingdom (Matt.13:38).

           

The designation "the Kingdom of the heavens" (frequently in Matthew) is not to be distinguished from the Kingdom of God.  In Matthew's account of the rich young ruler (19:16-26), the words "eternal life" (v.16), "the kingdom of the heavens" (v.23), "the kingdom of God" (v.24), and "saved" (v.25), must all refer to the same thing.  The kingdom of God is a soteriological phrase, and means God's intervention in human history for men's Salvation.

           

The kingdom of God concerns God's soteriological activity, but it includes such as have been saved.  It is true that final Salvation is to come, and we await the Kingdom of God, but we are already the sons of the Kingdom, (Matt.13:38).    This idea of the Kingdom as a family or community is of great importance, for it is closely related to our Lord's teaching concerning the Fatherhood of God.  It is clear that the two central themes of our Lord's preaching and His teaching, the Kingdom of God and the Fatherhood of God are vital to one another.  This brings us to the conception of the House of God.  Even in the Old Testament, House and Kingdom were interchangeable, so that we read of the House of Israel and the House of Judah.

           

Nathan's prophecy in 2nd.Samuel 7 and 1st. Chronicles 17 prepares the way for identifying "Kingdom" with "House".  The Targums of Chronicles and the evidence of the Quamran texts confirms this background for the New Testament.   This symbolism of a house for a kingdom is of great importance for the interpretation of Luke 22:29-30; Jn.8:35; 14:1-6; 1.Cor.4:1-5; Eph.2:19-22; Heb.3:1-6; 1.Pet.2:1-10.

           

Luke appears to recognize four epochs:

*  The Law and the prophets were until John  (Lk.16:16).  Unlike Matthew (3:2), he does not regard John's preaching as the preaching of the Gospel of the kingdom of God..

*  The preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in the ministry of Jesus and His disciples.

*  The extension of the Gospel to the ends of the earth, under the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is the story of Acts.

*  The coming of the Kingdom at the Parousia.