Bullet Point Bible

The Temptation of Jesus

¹ Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,² where for forty days he endured temptations from the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were completed, he was famished.³ The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."⁴ Jesus answered him, "It is written, ' Mandoes not live by bread alone .'"⁵ Then the devil led him up to a high place and showed him in a flash all the kingdoms of the world.⁶ And he said to him, "To you I will grant this whole realm -and the glory that goes along with it, for it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.⁷ So then, if you will worship me, all this will be yours."⁸ Jesus answered him, "It is written, ' You are to worshipthe LordyourGod and serve only him .'"⁹ Then the devil brought him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the highest point 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 will command his angels concerning you, to protect you ,'¹¹ and ' with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone .'"¹² Jesus answered him, "It is said, ' You are not to put the Lord your God to the test .'"¹³ So when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until a more opportune time.

This testing immediately follows Jesus' baptism and divine affirmation (Luke 3:21-22), validating his identity as the Son of God under trial.
Jesus, "full of the Holy Spirit" and "led by the Spirit" (Luke 4:1), shows that spiritual fullness does not preclude testing but equips one for it.
The 40 days recall significant periods of testing and preparation in Israel's history (e.g., Israel's wilderness wandering, Moses on Sinai).
The temptations target fundamental aspects of Jesus' messianic mission: dependence on God vs. self-provision (bread), allegiance to God vs. worldly power (kingdoms), and trust in God vs. presumption (temple).
Jesus consistently refutes Satan by quoting Deuteronomy (Deut 8:3; 6:13; 6:16), demonstrating the authority and sufficiency of Scripture in spiritual warfare.
Luke's sequence of temptations culminates in Jerusalem at the temple, perhaps highlighting the religious dimension of the ultimate test Jesus would face there.
Satan also quotes Scripture (Psalm 91:11-12), but twists its context, showing that biblical knowledge alone is insufficient without right application (Luke 4:10-11).
Jesus refuses to grasp messianic authority through illegitimate means offered by Satan, choosing the path of obedience and suffering.
The devil's departure "until a more opportune time" (Luke 4:13) foreshadows the ongoing spiritual conflict throughout Jesus' ministry, especially during the Passion.
This event establishes Jesus as the obedient Son who succeeds where Adam and Israel failed, relying fully on God's Word and Spirit.

Beginning of Ministry and Reading in Nazareth

¹⁴ Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the surrounding countryside.¹⁵ He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by all.¹⁶ Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,¹⁷ and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,¹⁸ " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,¹⁸ because he has anointedme to proclaim good news to the poor .¹⁸ He has sent meto proclaim releaseto the captives¹⁸ and the regaining of sightto the blind,¹⁸ to set freethose who are oppressed,¹⁹ to proclaim the yearof the Lord's favor ."²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him.²¹ Then he began to tell them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read."

Returning "in the power of the Spirit" (Luke 4:14) signifies divine empowerment for the ministry that follows his victory over temptation.
Jesus' initial ministry in Galilean synagogues met with widespread approval (Luke 4:15), setting a contrast with the rejection to come.
His return to Nazareth, his hometown, and participation in synagogue worship ("as was his custom," Luke 4:16) demonstrate his rootedness in Jewish life and piety.
Reading from Isaiah 61:1-2a serves as Jesus' inaugural address, outlining the nature and scope of his messianic mission.
The themes highlighted – good news to the poor, release for captives, sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed – are central concerns in Luke's Gospel, emphasizing the social and spiritual dimensions of salvation.
The phrase "the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:19) alludes to the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25), signifying a time of liberation and restoration brought by the Messiah.
Jesus notably stops reading before the phrase "and the day of vengeance of our God" (Isaiah 61:2b), emphasizing the initial phase of his ministry focused on grace and invitation.
Sitting down to teach (Luke 4:20) was the typical posture for authoritative rabbinic instruction after reading Scripture.
His declaration `"{{Today this scripture has been fulfilled...}}"` (Luke 4:21) is a radical claim: the long-awaited messianic era prophesied by Isaiah has arrived in his person and ministry.

Confrontation and Rejection in Nazareth

²² All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?"²³ Jesus said to them, "No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself!' and say, 'What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.'"²⁴ And he added, "I tell you the truth, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.²⁵ But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's days, when the sky was shut up three and a half years, and there was a great famine over all the land.²⁶ Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.²⁷ And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."²⁸ When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage.²⁹ They got up, forced him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.³⁰ But he passed through the crowd and went on his way.

The initial amazement (Luke 4:22) quickly sours as the people struggle to reconcile Jesus' profound words with his familiar, humble origins ("Isn't this Joseph's son?").
Jesus perceives their underlying demand for miracles as proof, rooted in hometown entitlement rather than genuine faith (Luke 4:23).
He invokes the proverb `"{{no prophet is acceptable in his hometown}}"` (Luke 4:24), framing their impending rejection within a known pattern of Israel's history.
The Old Testament examples of Elijah aiding a Gentile widow in Zarephath (Luke 4:26) and Elisha healing Naaman the Syrian (Luke 4:27) serve multiple purposes.
These stories challenge Nazareth's exclusivism, demonstrating God's sovereign freedom to extend grace beyond expected boundaries, even to Gentiles.
They implicitly rebuke the listeners' lack of faith by comparing them unfavorably to these receptive non-Israelites.
The examples foreshadow the eventual expansion of the gospel message to the Gentiles, a key theme in Luke-Acts.
The crowd's reaction escalates dramatically from skepticism to murderous "rage" (Luke 4:28), revealing their deep offense at Jesus' challenge to their perceived privileges.
The attempt to execute Jesus (Luke 4:29) is the first instance of violent opposition in Luke, foreshadowing the cross.
Jesus' escape ("passed through the crowd," Luke 4:30) demonstrates a supernatural authority and divine protection, indicating his time had not yet come.

Authority in Teaching and Exorcism

³¹ So he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he began to teach the people.³² They were amazed at his teaching, because he spoke with authority.³³ Now in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,³⁴ "Ha! Leave us alone, Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God."³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him: "Silence! Come out of him!" Then, after the demon threw the man down in their midst, he came out of him without hurting him.³⁶ They were all amazed and began to say to one another, "What's happening here? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"³⁷ So the news about him spread into all areas of the region.

Rejected in Nazareth, Jesus establishes Capernaum as a new center for his Galilean ministry (Luke 4:31).
The people recognize a unique quality in Jesus' teaching: "authority" (Greek: *exousia*), suggesting inherent power and certainty, not just interpretation of tradition (Luke 4:32).
The confrontation with the demoniac in the synagogue demonstrates that Jesus' authority extends beyond words to the spiritual realm (Luke 4:33).
The demon's cry reveals supernatural knowledge of Jesus' identity ("Holy One of God") and his mission's implications ("Have you come to destroy us?") (Luke 4:34).
Jesus silences the demon (`"{{Silence!}}"`), refusing testimony from an unclean source, and commands its departure (`"{{Come out of him!}}"`), demonstrating absolute power over evil spirits (Luke 4:35).
The exorcism is immediate and decisive, leaving the man unharmed, highlighting the restorative nature of Jesus' power (Luke 4:35).
The crowd's amazement shifts from his teaching (Luke 4:32) to the combined "authority and power" displayed in his command over demons (Luke 4:36).
This event confirms the nature of Jesus' ministry as an invasion into the domain of darkness, bringing liberation.
The incident significantly boosts Jesus' reputation throughout the surrounding region (Luke 4:37).

Healing Peter's Mother-in-Law and Many Others

³⁸ After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.³⁹ So he stood over her, commanded the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.⁴⁰ As the sun was setting, all those who had any relatives sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus. He placed his hands on every one of them and healed them.⁴¹ Demons also came out of many, crying out, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Jesus' ministry extends from the public synagogue to the private sphere of a home, specifically Simon Peter's (Luke 4:38).
This passage provides incidental confirmation that Simon Peter was married.
Jesus addresses the fever directly ("commanded the fever," Luke 4:39), treating the illness almost as a hostile entity, demonstrating his authority over physical ailments.
The healing is instantaneous and complete, evidenced by the woman immediately serving, signifying full restoration to health and function (Luke 4:39).
The timing "as the sun was setting" (Luke 4:40) indicates the end of the Sabbath, when travel and seeking help became permissible according to Jewish law.
The sheer number of people healed ("all those who had any," "every one of them") demonstrates the breadth and compassion of Jesus' ministry (Luke 4:40).
Jesus' method involved personal touch ("placed his hands on every one"), conveying care alongside power.
Healings and exorcisms occur together, showing Jesus' comprehensive attack against the effects of sin and evil – both physical and spiritual suffering.
Demons consistently recognize Jesus' divine identity ("Son of God," "the Christ"), yet Jesus silences them (Luke 4:41), controlling the revelation of his identity and refusing demonic testimony.

Commitment to Broader Ministry

⁴² The next morning Jesus departed and went to a deserted place. Yet the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them.⁴³ But Jesus said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do."⁴⁴ So he continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.

Jesus prioritizes time alone ("deserted place," Luke 4:42), likely for prayer, demonstrating his reliance on the Father amidst demanding ministry (cf. Luke 5:16).
The crowds' desire to keep Jesus with them reflects their focus on the benefits of his presence (healings, miracles) rather than the core message (Luke 4:42).
Jesus resists the pressure to stay localized, emphasizing the necessity ("{{I must}}") of a broader mission (Luke 4:43).
He defines his primary purpose: `"{{proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God}}"` (Luke 4:43). Miracles authenticate the message but are secondary to the proclamation itself.
The "kingdom of God" – God's reign and saving rule breaking into the world – is the central theme of Jesus' preaching.
His sense of divine commission ("{{that is what I was sent to do}}") underscores his obedience to the Father's will (Luke 4:43).
He continues using synagogues as strategic locations for preaching (Luke 4:44).
The reference to preaching in "Judea" (Luke 4:44, though some manuscripts read "Galilee") signifies the expanding scope of his ministry beyond just Capernaum, encompassing the wider Jewish territory.
This section highlights the tension between popular demand for miracles and Jesus' commitment to his God-given mission of proclaiming the Kingdom.

The Bullet Point Bible

Luke 4