and, as his custom was, he went | him the book of the prophet Esaias. into the synagogue on the sabbathday, and stood up for to read. 5. 17 And there was delivered unto And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, But if And wherever it exists, we may find union of feeling, if not agreement in opinion, provided our Own hearts be right before God. Thus Jesus worshipped with the Jews, though hẹ knew their opinions were wrong, and even that there was much corruption in their hearts. He knew they cherished some devotion towards God, and he united with them in ascriptions of praise. Synagogue. See note on Matt. iv. 23. Stood up for to read. In the Jewish assemblies, it was customary to stand, while reading the scriptures, but to sit, while addressing the people in the way of instruction or exhortation. Hence it was that our Lord's discourses were delivered in a sitting posture. But when he was about to read the allotted portion of the holy word in the synagogue, according to the usual custom he stood up. The reading of the scriptures in public was not always by the priests, but under their direction. It was also permitted to those who were not priests to address the people, as Jesus did on this occasion. See Acts xiii. 15. Paul and Barnabas being present in the synagogue at Antioch," after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on;" which invitation Paul accepted. of God for the accomplishment of a ship with fellow-believers. mighty work. Indeed, none probably these cannot be found within a convebelieved that such was his character, nient distance, it is better to unite with except his mother and her husband; any professed disciples of Christ, in for it is expressly stated that his breth-religious worship, than to abstain altoren did not believe in him, John vii. gether. The spirit of religious devotion TAs his custom was, &c. He was is not exclusively confined to any one punctual in his attendance on the pub-sect. lic exercises of religion. He did not go to the synagogue to be instructed; for he was more wise, and understood infinitely more of the true kingdom of God, than any of the teachers. But he went to worship God, in the house devoted to his service. He went to unite with his brethren in offering thanks to God for his great goodness. He went, that others might have the benefit of his example. It were well if all would imitate it. The apostle exhorted Christians not to forsake the assembling of themselves together, a fault of which some, even then, were guilty. Heb. x. 25. There are those who forsake the public assembly, because they think they have become more wise than their teachers. Suppose they have; our Lord was more wise even than they; but he did not forsake the house of God. When men cease to need blessings, and have no occasion to ask; when they cease to receive blessings, and have no occasion for thankfulness; when they cease to have an interest in God's grace, and have no occasion to meditate on its richness and fulness; when they cease to have a common brotherhood with men, and are no longer under obligation to encourage the hearts of their brethren in well-doing, to strengthen the weak, to confirm the doubting, to caution the straying, to rejoice with the happy, and to mingle tears with the sorrowful; then, perhaps, they may be justified in forsaking the public assembly because they have no more to learn; but until then, it will be good and profitable for them to devote a portion of their time to the public worship of God, that they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. iii. 18. Nor is a mere difference of opinion, on some doctrines, a sufficient reason for utterly forsaking public worship. It is more pleasant to wor 17. The book of the prophet Esaias. That is, the roll containing the prophecy of Isaiah. Books of the present form were not anciently used. Parchment and vellum, made of the skins of beasts, were among the materials used for writing. These were sometimes cut in narrow pieces, united, and rolled upon two wooden rollers. In order to read any portion of what was thus written, the parchment was rolled from one roller to the other, until the desired place was found. Hence comes our English word 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 volume, from the Latin volumen, a thing broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, sin. In afflictions to which mortality is subject; or, those who are borne down by a sense of their own sinfulness and imperfection, and filled with sorrow for their transgressions. Deliverance to the captives. A literal deliverance from captivity is often accomplished by the operation of that benevolent spirit which the gospel requires. But deliverance from spiritual bondage is probably intended here. No chains are more strong, and none eat more deeply into the flesh, than those of The sacred writers frequently use 18. The spirit of the Lord is upon this figure, to denote the miserable and me. As God appointed his Son to per- helpless condition of sinners. Rom. vii. form a special work, fully qualified him 23; 2 Tim. ii. 26. See also Rom. vi. therefor by all necessary gifts and graces, 12-16. And a spiritual renovation, or and continually afforded him his pres- a change from sinfulness to holiness, is ence and assistance, the Son might well described as a liberation from bondage. be said to be filled with the divine John viii. 32-36; Rom. vi. 18-22. spirit, or to have that spirit upon him. Recovering of sight to the blind. TAnointed. See note on Matt. i. 1. a literal sense, our Lord gave sight to As Jesus was consecrated both priest the blind, in several instances. But the and king by the divine anointing, he reference here is undoubtedly to that was called Messiah and Christ, both spiritual illumination which is denoted which names signify, in the original in the prediction, that he should be a languages, anointed. In this place, the light to lighten the Gentiles, that he reference is especially to his consecration should give light to those who sat in as a priest, or religious teacher: he hath darkness and in the region of the shadow anointed or consecrated me to preach, of death. It is one of the most common &c. The great object of his ministry, figures in the scriptures, to represent sin the leading truth he was to preach, is set as darkness, and holiness as light; sinforth in what follows. ¶ To preach the ners as blind, and those who are purified gospel to the poor. See note on Matt. from sin as able to see. Rom. xiii. 12; xi. 5. "The gospel means good news, 2 Cor. vi. 14; 1 Pet. ii. 9. The comthe good news of salvation. By the mission to Paul has a striking resempoor are meant all those who are desti- blance to the passage under consideratute of the comforts of this life, and who, tion. Jesus sends him to the Gentiles, therefore, may be more readily disposed" to open their eyes, and to turn them to seek treasures in heaven; all those from darkness to light, and from the who are sensible of their sins, or are power of Satan unto God, that they may poor in spirit, Matt. v. 3; and all the receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritmiserable and afflicted, Isa. lviii. 7. ance among them which are sanctified Our Saviour gave it as one proof that he by faith that is in me." Acts xxvi. 18. was the Messiah, or was from God, that T To set at liberty them that are bruised. he preached to the poor. Matt. xi. 5.- This is similar to the deliverance of the It is also one proof that the gospel is captives before mentioned; but it emtrue. If it had been of men, it would braces also an additional idea. It more have sought the rich and mighty. But distinctly refers to the misery produced it pours contempt on all human great- by sin, and gives assurance of deliverness, and seeks, like God, to do good to ance from it. Men are bruised and those whom the world overlooks or de- crushed by sin; its effects are exceedspises."-Barnes. ¶ To heal the bro-ingly painful. They sometimes feel that ken-hearted. Either, those whose spir- their punishment is greater than they its are crushed by the calamities and can bear. Gen. iv. 13; Prov. vii. 26; 19 To preach the acceptable | gogue were fastened on him. year of the Lord. 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 syna xviii. 14; Isa. i. 6; Rom. ii. 8, 9; vi. 21. From this state of misery, the consequence of sin, men are to be delivered, as well as from sin itself. When the captives come out from the prison house, and the fetters of sin are broken, their wounds and bruises shall also be healed. To deliver men from sin, but make them to suffer eternally for their former sins, or to remit the penalty of former sins, but leave them under the power of sin to repeat their transgressions, and inflict upon themselves new wounds and bruises, either of these would be a trivial blessing, compared with that entire deliverance from the power of sin, and that entire healing of all the hurts it has inflicted, which are here promised together. 19. The acceptable year of the Lord. This phrase is supposed to refer to the year of jubilee, when, by divine appointment, the trumpet of the jubilee was sounded throughout the land, and liberty was proclaimed to the inhabitants; then all estates which had been pledged returned to their owners, and those who had been sold into bondage became free. It was indeed a day of general restitution and restoration, a day of redemption and temporal salvation. See Lev. ch. XXV. By this figure, our Lord teaches that God will grant a like spiritual deliverance from the power of sin, from its servitude, from its miseries, and will reinstate men in purity and happiness which sin had defaced, and to a great extent destroyed. The time had now come when the trumpet of the gospel was to be sounded, proclaiming a spiritual jubilee to mankind. The kingdom of God was now to be manifested; its principles were to become operative; and by their influence the whole creation was to be delivered from this bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Rom. viii. 21. The year or time had come, and the Saviour, the mighty and strong deliverer, The mystery hid from former ages was revealed, and all flesh should now see the salvation of God. had come. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words 20. Closed the book. Or rolled it up. The minister. See note on Matt. iv. 23. ¶ Were fastened, &c. They regarded him attentively. This word is often used by Luke, and twice by Paul. It uniformly denotes a peculiar earnestness in the beholder. See Luke xxii. 56; Acts iii. 4, 12; vii. 55; 2 Cor. iii. 7, 13. There was something unusual in the attention with which the men in the synagogue regarded Jesus. It could not have been the language of the prophet which thus excited them; for this they had doubtless heard read in the synagogue frequently. Either the fame which they had heard of Jesus, as a prophet mighty in word and in deed, ver. 22, or that "divine gracefulness," with which he was endowed, enabling him to speak as never man spake and to produce an effect without parallel on the minds of his hearers, was probably the reason why they thus attentively and anxiously regarded him, expecting and desiring he would address them. And it may be supposed he read the prophecy in such a manner as led them to perceive it had some more sublime meaning than they had discovered, and excited a strong desire that he should explain and apply it. 21. He began to say unto them. It is evident that Luke records only the substance of our Lord's address. The theme of his discourse was the fulfilment of the prophecy he had read, showing its true meaning, and its application to spiritual blessings which he came to preach and to bestow. ¶ This scripture. That is, the portion just read from the prophet, ver. 18, 19. ¶ Is fulfilled. The time has come, even the acceptable year of the Lord. The deliverance darkly predicted is now openly announced, and the Deliverer is here, engaged in his glorious work. We may properly suppose, that our Lord proceeded to unfold the divine plan which embraced the deliverance of all men from the power of sin, and their translation into the kingdom of righteousness. Col. i. 13. which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? 22. All bare him witness. This phrase is variously interpreted. Hammond paraphrases it thus:-"And all that heard him did with acclamations express that they were amazed at the power and wisdom with which he spake," &c. Bishop Pearce, on the other hand, says, "Their wonder seems to have been not the effect of approbation, but of dislike; and, if so, they could only bear him witness by marking his words with a view to give them in evidence against him." There can be no question that the word martured, (uagτvoia,) is often used to indicate a favorable testimony. See Acts vi. 3; x. 22; xvi. 2. And such I should feel confident was its meaning here, were it not so manifest from what follows that the men in the synagogue did not believe in Jesus or in the truth of his testimony. Perhaps the word may have the same sense here as in Matt. xxiii. 31; in which case, the meaning would be, all were witnesses; they heard him distinctly, and were surprised at the character of his message. Wondered at the gracious words, &c. Literally, at the words of grace. "The words of grace or favor; the kind, affectionate and tender exposition of the words, and explanation of the design of his coming, and the nature of the plan of redemption. It was so different from the harsh and unfeeling mode of the Pharisees; so different from all their expectations respecting the Messiah, who, they expected, would be a prince and a bloody conqueror; that they were filled with astonishment and awe."-Barnes. Truly, this discourse was different from the harsh mode of the Pharisees; it was also different from the harsh mode of many others who have professed to speak in God's name. It was a gospel message, a message of joy, a message of grace, announcing the love of God, and his intention to bless men. Two facts are especially observable. (1.) The prophecy and its interpretation were full of grace, because blessings and only blessings are named. The gospel, or good news, is proclaimed to the poor; broken hearts are to be healed, not sound hearts broken; captives are to be delivered, not the free brought into 23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: what bondage; the blind are to receive sight, not the lamp of reason to be extinguished; the bruised are to be healed, not the happy pierced through with many sorrows; in short, the proclamation of the gospel is to impart happiness, not grief. (2.) The promises of good are not limited in extent. There is no intimation that only a part of the afflicted shall be relieved; but the expressions are all general, and their most obvious import is, that all who have need of divine assistance have an equal interest in the promise. Such a message was truly full of grace. It differed much from what had passed for truth, and from what has more recently passed for gospel. It occasioned surprise then, as it has often produced the same effect, at other times. It was regarded as too good to be true; even too good to be satisfactory to those who had been taught from childhood that God loved the children of Israel, and would bless them to the exclusion of the Gentiles. It has always been regarded as too good to be true, by those who believe God is partial in the distribution of his richest spiritual gifts, and that he will bestow salvation on a part of his children and withhold it from the remainder. ¶ Is not this Joseph's son? on Matt. xiii. 55. One cause of their wonder was the fact, that a man, whom they had known from his youth, and who had enjoyed no visible advantages for acquiring wisdom, should have become such a powerful speaker, and should undertake to interpret the sublime language of the prophet. See note 23. Physician, heal thyself. A common proverb among the Jews. If one should attempt to heal another, when he himself had the same disease, it would be natural to say, heal thyself first, that we may have evidence of thy skill. So, if one rebuked sin in another, when guilty of the same, it might be said, heal thyself, that is, reform thy own conduct, first, that we may have evidence of thy sincerity. The application of the proverb here is not literal but figurative; give the same evidence here which you are reported to have given elsewhere, that we may judge whether your pretensions to the Mes soever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. 24 And he said, Verily, I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own.country. 25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land: 26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. 28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 And rose up, and thrust him drought, during which the ground would necessarily become parched and unfruitful. See 1 Kings xviii. 2. 26. The event here referred to is re siahship are well founded. In his answer is found the reason why he would not comply with their demand. Done in Capernaum. See note on Matt. iv. 13. It would seem that Jesus had al-corded at length, 1 Kings xvii. 8-24. ready visited Capernaum, and performed ¶ Sarepta. Hebrew Zarephath. This mighty works there. Pearce supposes was a city of the Sidonians, on the the order of time is not observed here, Mediterranean Sea, situated between and that the visit to Capernaum, men- Tyre and Sidon. The meaning of this tioned ver. 31, was previous to this verse is better expressed by Campbell: scene at Nazareth. But others, and " with apparently better reason, suppose that the miracles were wrought at Capernaum at the time referred to by John, ii. 12, during a visit which is not particularly noticed by the other evangelists. 24. No prophet is accepted, &c. That is, acknowledged to be a prophet, and honored as such. See note on Matt. xiii. 57. 25-27. Jesus illustrates two facts in this passage: (1.) That prophets are not ordinarily honored in their own country; and (2.) that those, who thus foolishly and inconsiderately dishonor true prophets, cannot reasonably demand the performance of miracles; and, indeed, that there would be an impropriety in yielding to such a demand. See note on Matt. xiii. 58. 25. Elias. Elijah. ¶ Three years and six months. See 1 Kings xvii. 1; xviii. 1. It seems that the rain fell after an interval of three years from the time when it was expected. The rains in Judea fall in the autumn and spring, called the former and the latter rain. To the three years during which rain was expected but fell not, should be added the six months which elapsed before it was expected; the whole period will correspond with that here mentioned. Great famine. A natural consequence of such long continued many yet to none of them was Elijah sent, but to a widow in Sarepta of Sidonia." That is, though there were widows in Israel, at that time, Elijah was not sent to them, but was directed to visit a widow in a Gentile city. 27. Lepers. See note on Matt. viii. 2. ¶ Eliseus. Elisha. Naaman the Syrian. For an account of this person and his miraculous cure, see 2 Kings, ch. V. The disease of which he was thus healed was one of the most loathsome and fatal which ever afflicted men. 28. Filled with wrath. Three cir cumstances especially enraged them. (1.) By comparing his own conduct with that of Elijah and Elisha, two very eminent prophets, or, at the least, by citing their example in justification of himself, Jesus was understood to claim that he was a prophet; and his townsmen were filled with envy and wrath, that one whom they had so long known in humble life should at once profess to be so much superior to them. (2.) By the examples he quoted, they understood him to decline a compliance with their demand of miraculous proof that his claim was well founded. This they regarded as a slight, if not in fact an evidence that he was an impostor. (3.) By the same examples, it was strongly intimated that the Jews had no exclusive title to the blessings of the Mes |