Luke 4:1-2

1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

 

Vs 1 - Then Jesus… was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…

 

To be led, we must first be able to discern. The mind is where everything happens. Our decisions and actions are determined by what goes through our head. 

 

So, the most important question we must ask ourselves is…

“Does the Holy Spirit have influence over our minds?”

“If not, what are the things that occupy our minds?”

 

There is something important that we must learn from Simeon (Luke 2:25-35).

 

• He had the Holy Spirit in him

• The Holy Spirit revealed to him how he would not die before seeing the Messiah

• The Holy Spirit led him to the temple to see Jesus 

• He prophesied about Jesus’ destiny

 

Without a doubt, Simeon had the Holy Spirit, and he could discern the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was able to speak to him and lead him to places. How so? 

 

Simeon was a devout man and his mind was occupied with the things of God. A devout person is one who commits his life to God and his priorities would always favor God. This explains why Simeon was described as a man who “waited for the Consolation of Israel”. 

 

When we are devout and devote our years, months, weeks, days, and hours to God, there will be no doubt that we will discern the leading of the Holy Spirit and be led by the Holy Spirit. We cannot expect to be Spirit-led people when our minds are only thinking about God for 20 minutes a day, while our minds are filled with other things for the rest of the day! 

 

Are we more devoted to money? 

Are we more devoted to someone else more than God? 

Are we more devoted to fun and entertainment?

 

We must reflect on this and repent. 

 

I challenge us today to relook at how we devote time to God on a daily basis. No matter where we are today, why not consider increasing your time spent in the things of God? 

 

Some suggestions:

 

• Increase your minutes in Bible reading and meditating on God’s word

• Dedicate time to listening to Christian songs

• Plan for moments to talk to people and care for people (Don’t leave it to opportunity)

• Intentionally pray for certain things like Simeon did

• Everyday, spend moments reflecting on the most recent thing that God has revealed to us (prophecy, counsel, advice..)

 

When our minds are more in tune with God, He will be able to freely lead us to places where He wants us to go, including the wilderness. 

 

Vs 1-2 - … led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil.

 

This is a phrase we will rarely hear in today’s churches, and it is a theology that many will not receive today. 

 

A study from Lifeway Research reveals that 76% of American Christians are prosperity driven. 

 

With the majority of Christians thinking like this, how many of us will be willing to go through testing? 

 

Did Jesus have a choice to avoid this period of testing? I believe so. It was His choice to go into the wilderness, abstain from food, and remain there even though he was repeatedly tested by the devil. 

 

It is theologically sound and correct for us to believe that God can and will test us. 

 

• God allowed the devil to test Job (Job 1)

• God tested Abraham with the sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22)

• God led the Israelites into the wilderness for 40 years to test them (Deut 8:2)

• God tested Israel by not driving out all the enemies, but by leaving some behind, to test Israel if they would trust in Him and obey Him (Judges 3)

• God allowed the devil to test Paul with the “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7)

 

Bear in mind that we are talking about tests that are God-willed. We are not talking about tests and consequences that result from our own foolish actions. They are totally different. 

 

When God wills for us to be tested, we must trust that He is with us and will help us through the testing period. It will not be unbearable or impossible (1 Corinthians 10:13).

 

Throughout the many examples of testing in the Bible, the constant lesson that we learn is that the test always reveals truth and everything in the heart (Deut 8:2). 

 

Let’s think about this for a moment, why do we have tests in our real world? Why do students sit for tests in schools? Why are we tested in our jobs? 

 

We are tested so that we know if…

 

• We understand and remember what we have learnt

• We are competent enough to apply what we have learnt

• We are ready to move on to the next phase of learning

 

So, if we understand the importance of tests in our world, shouldn’t we also embrace this from God? It is perfectly reasonable for God to test us if He wants. And when we are tested, may our faith, being much more precious than gold, be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus (1 Peter 1:7).

 

Vs 2 - … being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing…

 

In the Bible, there are a couple of examples where a 40 days fast was also done. 

 

• Moses ate no food and drank no water when he was on Mount Sinai receiving the ten commandments (Exodus 34:28)

• Elijah presumably also experienced a 40 days fast when he embarked on a journey that lasted 40 days after eating the food that the angel prepared for him (1 Kings 19:8)

 

An interesting fact to note also is that there are many other events in the Bible which lasted for 40 days.

 

• God judged the world with rain for 40 days and nights during Noah’s time (Gen 7:12)

• Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai seeking the Lord, and the Israelites were tested during the wait. 

• The Israelite spies spied out Canaan for 40 days and their faith was tested (Num 13:25)

• Goliath challenged Israel for 40 days and the Israelites were tested in their faith (1 Sam 17:16)

• Jonah prophesied that judgment will come upon Nineveh in 40 days (Jonah 3:4)

• After Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to His disciples for 40 days (Acts 1:3)

 

Luke 4:3-4

3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”

 

Vs 3-4 - … the devil said to Him… Jesus answered him…

 

We must be aware that the devil is always seeking opportunities to speak to us, especially through our minds. 2 Cor 4:4 talks about how the devil has blinded the minds of unbelievers and 2 Cor 11:3 talks about how our thoughts will be led astray like how the serpent deceived Eve. 

 

Are we quick enough to recognize the lies and deception of the devil? 

 

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Vs 3-4 - “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”

 

Up to this point, Jesus has yet to perform any miracles. But, He already knew His status as the Son of God (Luke 2:49). 

 

The devil had two strategies. 

 

First, he took advantage of Jesus’ hunger. Knowing that Jesus was hungry, he tried to get Jesus to do his bidding. In response to the devil, Jesus quoted Deut 8:3 and this quote gives us context to what Jesus was likely meditating on during His time in the wilderness and during this exchange with the devil. 

 

Deut 8:2-3 says:

And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. 

 

Jesus probably saw the parallel significance between His time in the wilderness and the Israelites’ time in the wilderness. He knew that the Spirit led Him to the wilderness for a time of testing (like the Israelites), to reveal what’s in His heart, to test His obedience, and to rely on every word that came from God. So, Jesus was never going to do anything that God had not told Him to.  

 

The next thing that the devil tried to take advantage of was Jesus’ confidence as the Son of God. In other words, the devil was sowing thoughts like, “Are you sure You are the Son of God?” We will notice that this is repeated in the next few verses where the devil questions the legitimacy of His Sonship. This was indeed a strategic move by the devil, since Jesus had not yet performed any miracles. 

 

Jesus did not need to do miracles to verify His Sonship.

He was completely secure and confident in His relationship with God the Father and He was not shaken by the devil’s arrows of doubt. 

 

What can we learn from this? 

 

Vs 4 - Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

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Essentially, God wants us to live our lives according to His every word. 

 

How we live our lives and how we make decisions in life must be based on God’s word. When God gave the Israelites manna, He instructed them to only collect what was needed for the day, and if anyone collected extra and left it overnight, the manna would spoil. God intentionally did this because He was teaching them to look to Him at all times. He wanted His people to depend on Him and recognize that He is the provider of life and sustenance. 

 

So, how do we apply this to our lives? 

 

Do we read the Bible as if our lives depend on it? If we do not read and know enough, how do we live according to God’s word? 

 

This applies to prophecy (God’s spoken word) too. When God speaks to us through prophecy, do our lives make the necessary changes? 

 

Luke 4:5-8

5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 

 

Vs 6 - “All this authority I will give You, and their glory, for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.”

 

The devil is not as weak as we think him to be. God has allowed the devil to have this power and influence over the world for a time period and for a purpose. Here are some other references that also speak of how the devil has authority in this world:

 

• Prince (ruler) of this world (John 12:31, John 16:11)

• God of this world (2 Cor 4:4)

• Prince of this world (Ephesians 2:1-2)

• Rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12)

 

So why did God allow the devil to have such authority? 

It’s almost the same as asking, “why does God allow evil?”

 

In Deut 13:1-3, God allowed false prophets to be in the midst of His people to test them whether they loved God with all their hearts and souls. 

 

In Judges 2:21-22, God intentionally spared some enemies of Israel so that through them He could prove whether Israel would keep His ways or not. 

 

Ultimately, the reason why God allows the devil to have such authority in this world (for a while) is because He wants to test the hearts of man and to test our faith. From the story of Job, we already know how the devil has power to inflict harm on people (with God’s permission). And from these verses, we also learn that the devil has the power to “bless”! He can give people riches, power, and fame. 

 

So, having this understanding now, we must be more discerning. 

Does it mean that someone is surely a good Christian if he is blessed in life? 

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“God must be pleased with him since he is so blessed in life!”

“He is so rich and influential! God must have blessed him!”

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Such thinking is naive! It is not always necessarily so. 

 

Why do you think God is not yet judging and removing erroneous churches that promote prosperity? 

 

Vs 8 - And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 

 

“Get behind Me, Satan!” was Jesus’ way of saying, “Get lost!” or “Get out of my sight!” 

Jesus was resisting the devil (James 4:7). In this case, the devil did not flee immediately because God allowed it, but at least we know that the devil departed shortly after this. We must recognize warfare when we are in it and resist him. 

 

The devil wanted Jesus to worship him and he would have rewarded Jesus, but Jesus was unmovable and “lived on every word of God”. His decision was based on God’s commandment. Jesus valued His relationship with His Father more than the world. 

 

It is helpful when we know and remember God’s word. With everything that the devil threw at Jesus, Jesus always had the perfect response. He knew how to apply God’s word in various situations. 

 

Are we capable enough to handle such situations like Jesus? 

If not, what are we prepared to do from today onwards? 

 

Luke 4:9-13

9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:

He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you,’

11 and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”

13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. 

 

Vs 9-12

 

Noticed how the devil adapted his strategy? Since Jesus was always looking to God’s word for guidance, the devil used God’s word and tried to get Jesus to misapply it. 

 

Hey! The devil knows God’s words too! The enemy is well-informed and educated! 

 

One of the strategies of the devil is getting Christians to mishandle and misapply the word of God. This means believing and acting on the word… in the wrong situation, or with the wrong intentions. 

 

The phrase that the devil quoted here is from Psalm 91:11.

Its context is: 

When someone trusts in the Lord, dwells in His presence, and takes refuge in God, God will protect him with His angels. 

 

Jesus knew that this psalm was never meant to be applied in such a situation where He could purposely endanger Himself and trust that God’s angels would protect Him. This is why Jesus responded with, “You shall not tempt (test) the Lord your God”.

Mishandling and misapplying God’s word puts us at risk of wrongfully testing God. 

 

Another common verse that Christians mishandle and misapply is Philippians 4:13 which says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Its context is Paul writing about his experiences with suffering and distress, and how he learnt that he could still do the things that he needed to do through Jesus who strengthened him. But, today when you look at Christians everywhere, you will see some quoting and applying this verse carelessly! You will find someone applying this verse as he is contemplating divorce for the wrong reasons, or you will find someone believing in this verse while he is about to do something against God’s will. 

 

We must be careful not to twist the meaning of Scriptures (2 Peter 3:16) and we must be careful to only listen to teachers who handle the Word of God carefully (2 Tim 2:15). Then we are able to accurately apply God’s word in the various situations of our lives. 

 

Vs 13 - … he departed from Him until an opportune time. 

 

The devil never gives up as long as we are breathing. 

An “opportune time” meant that the devil was restrategizing and finding a better time to test Jesus again. 

 

The devil is always closely monitoring us and waiting for a time when we are vulnerable. When our minds are weak, when our emotions are raging, or when we are going through a difficult period, the devil will never miss the opportunity to attack us. It is during such times when we must force ourselves to act righteously and godly. 

 

Luke 4:14-15

14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 

 

Vs 14 - Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit…

 

Luke highlighted here that Jesus was in the power of the Spirit after the time of testing in the wilderness. What does it really mean? Firstly, the Holy Spirit is always powerful and nothing changes that. However, the question is, “Is His power working 100% in us and through us?”

 

This can be likened to a power station. A power station always generates the same constant power, but if the switch is turned off or if the device is disconnected, the power is not at work. The limitation is not in the source, but in the connection. 

 

Disobedience, inability to discern the Spirit’s leading, misapplication of God’s Word, distractions, unbelief, and fleshly desires disconnect us from the power of the Holy Spirit. The tests in the wilderness were important for Jesus because when He overcame them, the power of the Holy Spirit could flow and work completely in Jesus without any resistance. 

 

This is why we are instructed to not quench the Spirit (1 Thes 5:19) and not to resist the Spirit (Acts 7:51).  

 

God gave us the Holy Spirit so that He can work His power thoroughly (100%) in us. Being filled with the Spirit is not the end goal for us, but living in the power of the Spirit is. As long as the power of the Holy Spirit is not yet working in us completely, God will be testing and refining us to reach that goal. 

 

What do you think are some things in our lives that may be limiting or restricting the power of God?

 

Vs 15 - And He taught in their synagogues…

 

Having the power of the Holy Spirit, it was time to begin ministry. 

And it is very important for us to take note of the sequence of events leading up to this point:

 

• From young, Jesus devoted Himself to the Father’s business

• Jesus grew in wisdom, knowledge, and became strong

• Jesus led by the Spirit to the wilderness

• Jesus was tested and overcame the challenges

• The power of the Spirit began to be at work in Him

• He then began ministry

 

It took Jesus about 30 years and it was necessary for Him to go through these stages and seasons before He was ready for ministry. Because He went through all these things, He had a flawless and effective ministry. 

 

Let’s carefully compare ourselves to the sequence of events that Jesus went through and reflect on some of these questions now:

 

“Do we devote ourselves to the things of God?”

“Do we seek to grow in the knowledge of God?”

“Have we passed our God-given tests?”

“Do we have the power of the Spirit working in us?”

“Are we really prepared for ministry?”

 

Some of us may be in a season of waiting for ministry to happen, or may be waiting for an open door. And if the wait is taking longer than expected, we should be asking God, “What else do I still lack now?” 

 

If the power of the Spirit is not working well in us, why would God want us to begin work? Without the power of the Spirit, we will end up doing things in our own strength. We cannot take this lightly. 

 

Luke 4:16-22

16 So 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 to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. 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 has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

 

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” 

 

This prophecy can be found from Isaiah 61.

 It basically sums up Jesus’ ministry on earth and there is a two-fold meaning to this prophecy: Literal and Spiritual. 

 

Jesus preached the gospel to those who were really poor, and those who were spiritually poor. He also emotionally healed those who were hurt. Those who were physically and spiritually blind were also healed by His words. And last of all, His teachings and sacrifice freed people from oppressive traditions, erroneous teachings, and their chains of sin.

 

It is also very important to note how Jesus abruptly stops His reading after the last phrase “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” If we look at the actual prophecy in Isaiah 61, more things are mentioned after this phrase in the continuing verses. 

 

So why did He not finish reading the complete prophecy? 

 

Jesus purposely stopped at that phrase because the prophecy contained two different timelines and events. The first part which He read (Isaiah 61:1-2), spoke of the first coming of the Messiah and His ministry on earth, that is why it was appropriate for Him to read it and claim its fulfilment. The second part which He avoided reading (Isaiah 61:2-7), spoke of the final judgment of God and the restoration of Israel. There is a time gap (in the comma) between these two parts and it was not time for the second part yet, that is why He refrained from reading that part. 

 

If only the Jews paid close attention to what He said here, they would not have expected Him to be an actual king and to restore Israel then (Luke 24:21). 

 

Vs 21-22 - “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”... the people marveled and said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

 

It takes conviction to declare this statement! It also takes courage to claim to be the Messiah whom Israel has been waiting for, for hundreds of years. When this was declared, it is no surprise that the people marveled. Everyone would have been in shock! 

 

Being in shock is understandable, but being in doubt was where the problem was. The fault was not in them making the connection between Jesus and Joseph. But rather, their problem was unbelief. As we read on, Luke gives us more insight to how the people reacted in doubt.

 

Luke 4:23-27

23 He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’” 24 Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; 26 but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 

 

Vs 23 - “You will surely say this proverb to Me…”

 

“Proverb” here means comparison (parabolē in Greek). So, Jesus was saying, “You will surely make this comparison of Me…”

 

Vs 23 - “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’”

 

Chronologically, which came first? Was Jesus at Capernaum before coming to the synagogue in Nazareth? Determining the events of the life of Jesus chronologically (through the Gospels) is always a complex thing. 

 

This phrase suggests that Jesus had already done work in Capernaum before coming to the synagogue in Nazareth. However, it is more likely that Jesus said this prophetically, knowing that this would take place eventually. Here are some reasons:

 

• Jesus said, “You will say”

• “Physician, heal yourself!” were things that the people said to Him during the last part of Jesus ministry when He was crucified (Luke 23:35, 37, 39). 

• Luke recorded that Jesus made His journey to Capernaum after this event (as we will read later on).

 

So, Jesus already knew their unbelieving hearts and their intentions to reject Him, and He simply told them in advance of the things that they would do and say against Him. 

 

Vs 24 - “... no prophet is accepted in his own country.”

 

This conclusion made by Jesus was not baseless, but based on historical facts. 

 

• God sent Elijah to a widow of Zarephath in Sidon instead of his own people because they resisted him and God (1 Kings 17:8–16)

• God sent Elisha to heal Naaman the Syrian of his leprosy instead of the many lepers in his own country because they also resisted him and God (2 Kings 5:1–14)

• Jeremiah was hunted down by his own people (Jeremiah 11:21)

• Joseph rejected by his brothers (Genesis 37:8) 

• David overlooked by his own family (1 Samuel 16:11)

 

Throughout history, whenever God chose a person to be a prophet or gave an important role to someone, chances were that they faced rejection from people close to them. 

 

So, having this knowledge and seeing this pattern, Jesus spoke this truth to the people. He knew that familiarity breeds contempt. What this means is that the more familiar we become with someone, the more likely we are to lose respect for him. This is why when the people said, “Is He not Joseph’s son?”, they were actually unable to accept the fact that the person that they were so familiar with had turned out to be the Messiah. 

 

But, of course, this phrase is true in all situations. For example, the brothers of Jesus who did not believe initially, eventually believed, and Mary also embraced and believed in Jesus (Acts 1:14). But generally speaking, “a prophet is not accepted in his own country” has a lot of truth to it. 

 

If a prophet is not accepted well in his own country, his ministry has to be extended elsewhere. Could this be the reason why the ministry of missionaries is so important? This is the reason why some people excel better when they minister in a foreign country.

 

Are we in a similar situation today where we are “not accepted in our own country”? Do people close to us believe in us and our ministry? 

 

If we are facing a similar challenge, take comfort that Jesus faced it and had it worse. Be encouraged that we are not experiencing something uncommon to Jesus and we should rejoice that we are sharing in Christ’s sufferings (1 Peter 4:13).  

 

Luke 4:28-30

28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way. 

 

After hearing all that Jesus said, the crowd was going to kill Him. They perceived Him as a false prophet and planned to kill Him (because Deut 13:5 commanded that false prophets must be killed). Just imagine facing such resistance and persecution at this early stage of His ministry! This is why Jesus is worthy of it all! With every difficulty we face in life or ministry, Jesus had it worse and yet He overcame them all. 

 

To simply “pass through the crowd and go His way”, God must have intervened. In the old testament, there were a few occurrences where God confused the enemies of Israel and helped them win their battles. It would be no surprise to us if God actually caused confusion among the crowd for Jesus to be able to slip away from their grasp. 

 

Luke 4:31-32

31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. 32 And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. 

 

Vs 31 - Then He went down to Capernaum… and was teaching them…

 

Right after the persecution and all the commotion, Jesus continued His journey and ministry. The rejection at Nazareth and the threat of death did not deter or stop Jesus. He was a Man on a mission and He was focused! 

 

Such an example brings to mind Ecclesiastes 11:4 which says, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.”

 

What this verse means is that work will not be done if we allow our concerns and uncertainties to affect us. If we are waiting to only work in perfect conditions, we will not accomplish anything.

 

In this example, Jesus ignored the “wind” and “clouds” and continued His journey and ministry. He ignored the fear of rejection, the fear of death, worries, etc… He ignored the noise and kept on sowing and reaping. 

 

What are the “wind” and “clouds” in our lives? 

Are we only going to serve God when perfect conditions are met? 

Or are we going to be faithful in serving Him, even though circumstances are not ideal? 

 

Vs 32 - … for His word was with authority.

 

Jesus taught and spoke with authority not because He attended courses that helped Him with confidence or leadership. In fact, in John 12:49, Jesus explained that His authority was not His own, but He simply obeyed the Father and spoke what the Father wanted Him to speak. Jesus could teach and speak with authority because He knew that the words were of the Father. 

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Speaking God's word well begins with hearing God's word well. 

 

For most cases, we struggle with confidence and conviction because we are not sure if we heard God correctly. When we grow in hearing God and recognizing His voice, we will naturally grow more confident in conveying His message to others . If we are 100% confident that we are speaking what God wants us to speak, we have confidence knowing that our words are God’s. 

 

Luke 4:33-37

33 Now 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, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. 36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” 37 And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. 

 

Vs 33 - … there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon.

 

What is the difference between demon and devil? 

 

In the Bible, the word “devil” (Greek word: diabolos) is used to refer to Satan. 

And “demon” (Greek word: daimonion) is used to refer to the evil spirits under Satan. 

 

In Matthew 25:41, Jesus spoke about everlasting fire that awaits the devil and his angels. 

 

Vs 34 - “Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are - the Holy one of God!”

 

If Satan already knew about Jesus and tried to tempt Him in the wilderness, surely the evil spirits would know about Jesus too. And not only that, but they also knew about the judgment that was awaiting them (Matthew 25:41). 

 

Vs 35 - Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him.

 

Let us compare how Jesus delivered this man from the evil spirit to how many churches practice this today. Throughout the Gospels and New Testament, whenever Jesus or the apostles confronted the devil or evil spirits, it was always done in a calm, simple, firm and authoritative way. Shouting, punching, staring, or any form of physical intimidation has no effect on evil spirits. The only thing that scares them is the authority of God. Quoting Scriptures itself is not enough too, if God is not with the person (Acts 19:15-16). 

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Luke 4:38-39

38 Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. 39 So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them. 

 

Noticed that Jesus rebuked the fever? Similar to vs 36, not only did Jesus have authority and power over evil spirits, but He also had such authority and power over sicknesses. These things that we read about are evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit. 

 

Notice also how Peter’s mother in law immediately served them when she was healed. She reciprocated with hospitality. 

 

Luke 4:40-41

40 When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ. 

 

Word was spreading fast about Jesus healing the sick and those who were oppressed by demons! Even the demons could not deny who Jesus was! 

 

However, what does the phrase “He… did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ” mean? 

 

It is most likely because Jesus knew that the commotion may have brought forward His time for crucifixion (for it was not time for Him to be crucified yet). There are a few other occasions (Luke 9:20-21, Matthew 12:15-16) where Jesus also told specific people not to tell others that He is the Christ until the time was right.

 

Why then did Jesus tell some people that He was the Christ on other occasions? Like in the previous verses, He declared to the people in the synagogue in Nazareth that He was the Messiah. He also made known to the Samaritan woman that He was the Messiah (John 4:25-26), which then led her to spread the word after that. 

 

Jesus was selective and was careful in managing the spreading of the news. He certainly had to tell people that He was the Messiah, but He had to make sure that his death would not be expedited prematurely too. Timing was important! 

 

Luke 4:42-44

42 Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; 43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 44 And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. 

 

Vs 42 - Now when it was day,  He departed and went into a deserted place.

 

Notice in vs 40 that crowds were going to Jesus for healing when the sun was setting. 

And here in vs 42, it mentions that Jesus then went to a deserted place when it was day. 

It seems like Jesus spent an entire night healing people! It could have been at least 12 hours of ministry. 

 

To think that we are already feeling tired from 2 hours of ministry? Think again. Jesus was on a different level. His love for the people and dedication to the Father’s business kept Him going and working. 

 

Vs 43 - I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also…

 

Jesus’ ministry was time-sensitive. He could not afford to sit back and relax after a good and successful night of ministry. There was no time for Him to enjoy the reception of the people there. Jesus had to continue ministering to the other cities.

 

Interesting fact:

Galilee was almost the same size as present-day Hong Kong, slightly bigger than Singapore, and although it isn’t that big, it had quite many cities like Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin, etc…

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