Luke 4:14-21 Good news for the poor
Focus on Isaiah's prophecy about the Servant of the Lord.
4:14 The whole countryside was talking about him probably meaning throughout Galilee.
v15 He taught
v16 and then he went to Nazareth where he had grown up his home town.
as was his custom displaying Jesus as a practicing Jew.
he stood up in order to read. An essential element in the synagogue service was the reading of scripture. The teacher stands to read and sits to teach. There was probably a cycle of readings, first a reading from the Torah followed by a reading from the Prophets. The reading was in Hebrew with a translation in Aramaic, Aramaic being the local language of Palestine at the time.
v17 and when he unrolled the scroll. he found. The fact that Jesus found the reading in the scroll possibly indicates that it wasn't a set reading, since if set, the scroll would have already been open ready for the reader.
v18 The quote is an extract from Isaiah: 61:1, 58:6, 61:2, not only does he proclaim the coming kingdom, in terms of the long-awaited Jubilee year (freedom, release of slaves, wiping of debts ...) he actually institutes the Jubilee himself - he is "anointed ... to release the oppressed". Given the context of Isaiah 58, setting at liberty those who are oppressed as faithful Israel, breaking the bonds of wickedness Israel that practises fasting rather than justice. to communicate ..", "to proclaim ..", "to release .." and "to proclaim ..
to preach good news-important communication imperial
Who are the poor?
He has sent me to preach. freedom – forgiveness the prisoners
recovery of sight
to release the oppressed
v19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's Jubilee, Leviticus 25, the fiftieth year when slaves are released, debts cancelled, etc.
v20 he rolled up the scroll gave it back sat down. A teacher would normally sit down to teach; he took the preacher's seat.
were fastened on him
v21 he began today is fulfilled in your hearing
v22 spoke well of were amazed - Amazement is an important initial response to the gospel; it is the kind of response a person makes when confronted by a theophany
the gracious words
