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We left Christ newly baptized, and owned by a voice from heaven and the descent of the Holy Ghost upon him. Now, in this chapter, we have, I. A further preparation of him for his public ministry by his being tempted in the wilderness, of which we had the same account before in Matthew as we have here, Lu 4:1-13. II. His entrance upon his public work in Galilee (Lu 4:14,15), particularly, 1. At Nazareth, the city where he had been bred up (Lu 4:16-30), which we had no account of before in Matthew. 2. At Capernaum, where, having preached to admiration (Lu 4:31-32), he cast the devil out of a man that was possessed (Lu 4:33-37), cured Peter's mother-in-law of a fever (Lu 4:38,39), and many others that were sick and possessed (Lu 4:40,41), and then went and did the same in other cities of Galilee, Lu 4:42-44.
1-13
The Temptation in the Wilderness
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在曠野受試探
¹ 耶穌被聖靈充滿，從約但河回來，聖靈將祂引到曠野，
² 四十天受魔鬼的試探。那些日子沒有吃甚麼；日子滿了，祂就餓了。
³ 魔鬼對祂說：「你若是神的兒子，可以吩咐這塊石頭變成食物。」
⁴ 耶穌回答說：「經上記著說：『人活著不是單靠食物，乃是靠神口裏所出的一切話。』」
⁵ 魔鬼又領祂上了高山，霎時間把天下萬國都指給祂看，
⁶ 對祂說：「這一切權柄、榮華，我都要給你，因為這原是交付我的，我願意給誰就給誰。
⁷ 你若在我面前下拜，這都要歸你。」
⁸ 耶穌說：「經上記著說：『當拜主你的神，單要事奉祂。』」
⁹ 魔鬼又領祂到耶路撒冷，叫祂站在殿頂上，對祂說：「你若是神的兒子，可以從這裏跳下去！
¹⁰ 因為經上記著說：『主要為你吩咐祂的使者保護你；
¹¹ 他們要用手托著你，免得你的腳碰在石頭上。』」
¹² 耶穌對他說：「經上說：『不可試探主你的神。』」
¹³ 魔鬼用完了各樣的試探，就暫時離開耶穌。
前章末了的話——耶穌是亞當的兒子——表明祂就是女人的後裔；既如此，我們在此看見祂（正如應許所說）傷蛇的頭，在魔鬼一切的試探中挫敗牠、擊潰牠——而魔鬼只用一次試探就挫敗、擊潰了我們的始祖。如此，在爭戰的起頭，祂就向魔鬼討回損失，征服了那征服者。
在基督受試探的記事中，請觀察，
一、祂如何預備並裝備自己受試探。那定意要祂經過這試煉的，也相應地裝備了祂；因為我們雖不知前面有甚麼經歷，也不知為我們存留了甚麼爭戰，基督卻知道，並已相應地預備；神也為我們預備，我們也盼望祂必相應地供應。
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祂被聖靈充滿——那聖靈曾彷彿鴿子降在祂身上。祂如今所得聖靈的恩賜、恩典和安慰，比從前更大。請注意，那些被聖靈充滿的人，對最猛烈的試探也有充分的武裝。
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祂剛從約旦河回來——在那裏祂受了洗，並有聲音從天上承認祂是神所喜愛的兒子；祂如此為這場爭戰作了預備。請注意，當我們與神有最甘甜的相交，並最清楚地看見祂對我們的恩寵時，我們可以料到撒但要攻擊我們（最富有的船就是海盜的目標），而神也要容許撒但這樣作，好叫祂恩典的大能得以顯明和被高舉。
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祂被聖靈引到曠野——被那良善的靈引導，如勇士被引到戰場，去與那祂必勝的仇敵爭戰。祂被引到曠野：（一）給了試探者某些優勢；因為在那裏祂孤立無援，沒有朋友同在，在試探的時刻無法藉著朋友的禱告和勸告得著幫助。那孤單的人有禍了！ 基督可以給撒但優勢，因為祂知道自己的力量；我們卻不可，因為我們知道自己的軟弱。（二）祂在曠野禁食四十日期間，為自己取得了某些優勢。我們可以設想，祂完全沉浸於正當的默想，並思考自己的使命和面前的工作；祂把所有的時間都花在與父親密的相交上，如摩西在山上一般，全無分散、分心或打岔。在基督肉身一生的所有日子中，這些日子看來最接近天使的完全和天上的生活，這就為祂抵擋撒但的攻擊作了準備，使祂得著堅固。
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祂繼續禁食（路 4:2）：那些日子祂沒有吃甚麼。 這禁食完全是神蹟性的，如摩西和以利亞的那樣，表明祂像他們一樣，是神所差來的先知。那曠野大概就是何烈曠野——摩西和以利亞禁食的同一個曠野。祂退到曠野，表明自己對世界全然淡泊；祂又禁食，表明自己對身體全然淡泊；撒但不容易抓住那些如此脫離並向世界和肉體死了的人。我們越治死身體，使它順服，撒但對我們的優勢就越小。
二、祂如何被一個接一個的試探攻擊，又如何在每次攻擊中挫敗試探者的計謀，成為得勝有餘的人。在那四十天裏，祂受魔鬼的試探（路 4:2）——不是出於內心的暗示，因為這世界的王在基督裏面一無所有，無從注入這樣的暗示；乃是出於外在的誘惑，也許是魔鬼以蛇的形狀出現，正如牠試探我們的始祖一樣。但在四十天滿了之後，當牠察覺祂餓了，牠就更靠近祂，彷彿要與祂正面交鋒（路 4:2）。也許那時我們的主耶穌開始在樹木間觀看，要看能否找到甚麼可吃的；魔鬼便藉此向祂提出下面的建議。
- 牠試探祂不信靠天父的看顧，並自立門戶，按著天父所未曾安排的方式為自己籌劃食物（路 4:3）：你若是神的兒子——正如天上聲音所宣告的——可以吩咐這塊石頭變成食物。（一）「我勸你這樣作；因為神若是你的父，祂已經忘記你了，要祂差遣烏鴉或天使來餵你，還要等很久呢。」我們若開始想要自己掌管，想要靠自己的籌謀過活，不倚靠神的護理，想要靠自己的力量和手中的能力得財富，我們就當看之為撒但的試探而加以拒絕；撒但的建議正是要我們想著脫離神而獨立。（二）「我挑戰你這樣作，你若能：你若不作，我就說你不是神的兒子；因為施洗約翰前不久說過：神能從這些石頭中給亞伯拉罕興起子孫來——這是更大的事；所以你若不能把石頭變成食物供自己需用——這是較小的事，你就沒有神兒子的大能。」從前神自己在曠野就是這樣受試探：他能擺設筵席嗎？他能賜糧食嗎？（詩 78:19,20）。
如今，[1] 基督不向試探屈服；祂不肯把那塊石頭**變成食物*——雖然祂餓了；第一，因為祂不肯行撒但吩咐祂行的事，否則看來彷彿祂與鬼王之間真有協議。請注意，我們不可作任何看來像給魔鬼留地步的事。神蹟是為堅固信心而行的，魔鬼沒有信心可被堅固，所以祂不肯為他行神蹟。祂在門徒面前行了祂的奇事（約 20:30），特別是那起初的神蹟——變水為酒，那是為叫門徒信祂而行的（約 2:11）；但在這曠野裏祂沒有門徒同在。第二，祂行神蹟是為印證祂的教訓，所以祂不傳道之前不肯開始行神蹟。第三，祂不肯為自己和自己所需而行神蹟，免得看來似乎不能忍耐飢餓——其實祂來不是要使自己喜悅，乃是要受苦，而飢餓正是所受之苦之一；祂既要表明自己不求自己的喜悅，就情願為朋友的體面和方便變水為酒，也不肯為自己的必需變石為餅。第四，祂要把祂是神兒子的證據留待日後，祂情願被撒但譏誚為軟弱、不能如此作，也不肯被撒但勸著作那本不當作的事；如此祂後來被仇敵譏誚，彷彿不能救自己、從十字架上下來——其實祂本可下來，卻不肯，因為那本不當作。第五，祂不肯作任何看來像不信靠父、或與父分離而行、或與當前狀態不合的事。祂既在凡事上與祂的弟兄相同，就要像神其他兒女一樣，活在對神護理和應許的倚靠中，信祂或在曠野為祂差來供應，或引導祂到可住的城邑——那裏有供應，正如祂素常所作的（詩 107:5-7）；在此期間，祂雖餓了，仍要扶持祂，正如祂這四十天所作的。
[2] 祂以聖經的話回答（路 4:4）：經上記著說。 這是基督就任先知職分以後，所記祂說的第一句話；這句話引自舊約，為要表明祂來是要堅持並維護聖經的權威——這權威連撒但也不能違抗。祂雖有無限量的聖靈，雖有自己要傳的教訓、要立的信仰，這教訓卻與摩西和眾先知相符；因此祂把他們的著作當作自己的準則，也推薦給我們作為抵擋撒但及其試探的回答。神的道是我們的劍，信這道是我們的盾牌；所以我們當精通聖經，並靠著這大能前去、前進，從事屬靈的爭戰，曉得經上記著甚麼——因為那是為教訓我們、為我們所用而寫的。祂所用的經文引自申 8:3：「人活著不是單靠食物。」 我不必把石頭變成食物，因為神能如為以色列所作的那樣，差嗎哪養活我；人靠神口裏所出的一切話也能活——靠神所定規人當靠以活著的任何方法。基督這四十天怎樣活著——而且活得安舒？不是靠食物，乃是靠神的話——靠默想那話、與那話相交，並藉著那話與神相交；照樣祂如今雖開始餓了，仍能活著。神有許多方法供應祂的百姓，不必用尋常的維生方法；所以祂在任何時候都不可被懷疑，在盡本分的道路上當隨時倚靠祂。肉若缺乏，神能除去食慾，或賜下那使人在毀滅和饑荒中而歡笑的忍耐（伯 5:22），或使素菜和白水比王所派的一切膳食更滋養（但 1:12,13），並使祂的百姓在無花果樹不發旺時仍能因耶和華歡欣（哈 3:17）。那位說自己在缺乏食物時曾以應許為多頓飯食的婦人，實在是活潑的信心者。
- 牠試探祂從牠手中接受那國度——這國度祂作為神的兒子本指望從父手中領受，並向牠致敬（路 4:5-7）。這位福音書作者把這試探放在第二，馬太則把它放在最後——其實這試探看來實在是最後的；但路加重視這試探，視之為最黑暗、最猛烈的，所以急忙先講。魔鬼試探我們的始祖時，先把禁果擺在他們面前——先是當作好作食物的，然後當作悅人眼目的；他們被這兩樣魅力所勝。撒但在這裏先試探基督把石頭變成食物——這是好作食物的；然後把天下萬國和萬國的榮華指給祂看——這是悅人眼目的；但基督在這兩樣上都勝過了撒但，路加調換次序也許正是為此。現在請觀察，
（一）撒但如何經營這試探，要使基督成為向牠進貢的，從牠手中領受國度。
[1] 牠給祂看天下萬國——霎時間——一個虛幻的景象，是牠認為最能打動想像、看來最像真實前景的。為了更見效，牠帶祂上了一座高山；因為我們在試探之後，看見基督在約旦河對岸，所以有人以為魔鬼帶祂到的是毗斯迦山頂——摩西從那裏看見迦南。魔鬼作為空中掌權者的首領，在這裏擺在救主面前的，不過是個幻象——這一點為路加所注意的情節所證實：這事是霎時間作成的；然而人若要觀看一個國家的全景，必須逐一觀看，必須轉身，先看一部分再看另一部分。魔鬼如此想用詭計欺騙我們的救主——deceptio visus（視覺的錯覺）；並要藉著使祂相信牠能把天下萬國指給祂看，就使祂產生一種看法，以為牠能把這一切國度賜給祂。
[2] 牠大膽宣稱這些國度都已交付牠，牠有權支配這些國度和它們的一切榮華，並可隨意賜給牠所願意的人（路 4:6）。有人以為牠在此自稱為光明的天使，並說作為那派定管理萬國的天使之一，牠已勝過其餘的天使——或以購買，或以爭戰——所以萬國的處置權都交託給牠，牠要奉神的名把它們賜給基督，因為牠知道這些本是為基督預備的；但附帶一個條件：基督要俯伏拜牠——而良善的天使決不會如此要求，甚至不會容許，縱然所顯明的事比這些更大，如啟 19:10；22:9 所記。但我寧可認為，牠是作為撒但如此宣稱，這權柄是交付牠的——不是主所交付，乃是這些國度的君王和百姓所交付，他們把自己的權柄和尊榮歸給了魔鬼（弗 2:2）。因此牠被稱為這世界的神、這世界的王。神曾應許神的兒子，說祂必以列國為產業（詩 2:8）。魔鬼說：「列國是我的，是我的臣民和效忠者；但無論如何，他們要歸你——我要把他們給你，條件是你敬拜我，並承認他們是我所賜的賞賜——正如在你以先許多人所作的（何 2:12）；並同意從我手中、藉著我、在我之下持有它們。」
[3] 牠要求祂致敬和敬拜：你若在我面前下拜，這都要歸你（路 4:7）。第一，牠要祂敬拜牠自己。也許牠不是要祂從此不拜神，而是要祂與神一同拜牠；因為魔鬼知道，牠若能一次作為合夥人進來，不久就要作獨一的主人。第二，牠要與祂立約：當祂照著應許得了這世上萬國之後，祂不可改變其中的宗教，倒要容許、任憑列國如同從前一樣向鬼魔獻祭（林前 10:20）；祂仍要在世上維持敬拜鬼魔，那時祂若願意，可取去萬國一切的權柄和榮華。誰要取去這地上的財富和榮華，都由得他；撒但只要得著人的心、人的情感和敬拜，只要在悖逆之子心中運行——牠就一切都有了；因為那時牠就有效地吞吃了他們。
（二）我們的主耶穌如何勝過這試探。祂斷然拒絕，厭惡地把它推開（路 4:8）：「撒但，退我後邊去吧！」 我聽不得這話。怎麼！要我敬拜我所事奉之神的仇敵？要我敬拜我所要拯救之人的仇敵？不，我決不如此行。這樣的試探不可與之理論，當立即拒絕；它立刻被一句話打發了——經上記著說：當拜主你的神——不但如此，單要事奉祂——事奉祂，不事奉別的。所以基督不拜撒但；當祂照自己所盼望的，不久從父手中領受萬國交付祂時，祂也不容許其中存留任何敬拜魔鬼的餘跡。不，福音所到之處，這一切都要被徹底拔除、廢棄。祂決不與牠妥協。多神主義和偶像崇拜必隨基督國度的興起而垮臺。人必從撒但權下歸向神——從敬拜鬼魔歸向敬拜那獨一又真又活的神。這是基督要在人間重新設立的神聖大律法，祂要憑祂的聖潔信仰使人歸順這律法——只有神當受事奉和敬拜；所以無論誰設立任何受造之物作為宗教敬拜的對象——即使是聖徒或天使，甚至是童女馬利亞本身——都是直接抵擋基督的計畫，重新陷入異教。
- 牠試探祂作自己的兇手——以為神必保護的妄自矜誇，其實祂並沒有這保證。請觀察，
（一）牠在這試探中的計畫：你若是神的兒子，可以從這裏跳下去（路 4:9）。[1] 牠要祂另尋一個證據來證明自己是神的兒子，彷彿父藉天上聲音和聖靈降臨所賜的證據還不夠——這就是虧缺了神的榮耀，彷彿神沒有揀選最恰當的方式使祂確信；這也表明不信那住在祂裏面的聖靈——而那正是對祂自己最有力、最令人信服的神兒子的證據（來 1:8,9）。[2] 牠要祂另尋一個向世人宣揚這事的方法。魔鬼實際上暗示：祂被證實為神的兒子，是在一個偏僻的角落——在跟隨約翰受洗的一群平凡人中間宣告了祂的尊榮；但祂如今若從殿頂上，在所有赴殿中事奉的顯貴人中間，宣告自己是神的兒子，然後為作證據而跳下來毫無損傷，就必立刻被眾人視為從天上差來的使者。如此撒但要祂尋求自己所設計的尊榮（輕看神所加給祂的），並要在耶路撒冷的聖殿裏顯露自己；然而神所定的，卻是要祂在約翰那些悔改者中間更顯露——祂的教訓對他們比對祭司們更為歡迎。[3] 也許牠還有某種指望：雖然牠不能把祂推下去而傷害祂丝毫，但祂若肯自己跳下去，這一摔也許就是祂的死；那時牠就巧妙地把祂除去了。
（二）牠如何支持並加強這試探。牠提出：經上記著說（路 4:10）。基督曾引聖經抵擋牠；牠想要扯平，並表明自己也能引聖經。異端和誘惑者向來慣於曲解聖經，把聖經用來服事極惡的罪惡。祂必為你吩咐祂的使者保護你——你若是祂的兒子——他們要用手托著你。 祂如今既在殿頂上，就格外可以指望天使的事奉；因為祂若是神的兒子，聖殿就是祂當在之處（路 2:46）；而日頭之下若有一處常有天使護衛，必是那裏（詩 68:17）。不錯，神應許了天使的保護，是為鼓勵我們信靠祂，不是為試探祂；神與我們同在的應許到何地步，天使事奉的應許也到何地步，卻不能超過：「你按著當走的路在地上行走時，他們必保護你；但你若妄自要在空中飛翔，他們就不保護你了。」
（三）祂在試探中如何被挫敗、被擊潰（路 4:12）。基督引申 6:16：「不可試探主你的神」——就是不可為證明神的啟示而求神蹟，因為祂已賜下足夠的證據；以色列人在曠野試探神時正是如此——他們說：祂既從磐石中給我們水喝，也能給我們肉吃嗎？ 基督若說：「祂既差遣聖靈降在我身上，證明我是神的兒子——這是更大的事；但祂能吩咐天使看顧我——這是較小的事嗎？」祂就犯了這罪。
三、這場爭戰的結果和結局（路 4:13）。我們得勝的救贖主守住陣腳，作得勝者而歸——不僅為自己，也是為我們。
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魔鬼傾空了箭袋：牠用完了各樣的試探。 基督給牠機會說盡、作盡一切所能來攻擊祂；祂任憑牠盡力一試，卻擊敗了牠。基督受試探受苦，直到一切試探都完了；我們豈不也當指望經過一切試煉，經過那派定給我們的試探的時辰嗎？
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然後牠退出戰場：牠離開祂。牠見攻擊祂徒然；牠在祂裏面一無所有，牠的火箭無處可附；祂沒有盲點，沒有薄弱或不設防的城牆，所以撒但放棄了這事。請注意，我們若抵擋魔鬼，牠就必逃遁。
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然而牠對祂的惡意卻未止息，離開時仍決意再來攻擊祂；牠不過暫時離開——原文achri kairou——等到一個時候，或等到那個祂要再被容許攻擊的時候；不是作試探者——引祂犯罪，因而傷祂的頭——這正是牠如今所圖謀，卻全然失敗的；而是作逼迫者——藉著猶大和牠所用的其他惡工具，使祂受苦，因而傷祂的腳跟——這是神曾告訴牠（創 3:15）牠所能作、也必將作的，雖然那將成為牠自己頭顱的破碎。牠如今離開，直到那個基督稱為黑暗的權勢的時候來到（路 22:53），那時這世界的王要再來（約 14:30）。
英文原文
The Temptation in the Wilderness
¹ And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
² Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
³ And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
⁴ And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
⁵ And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
⁶ And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
⁷ If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
⁸ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
⁹ And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
¹⁰ For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
¹¹ And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
¹² And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
¹³ And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
The last words of the foregoing chapter, that Jesus was the Son of Adam, bespeak him to be the seed of the woman; being so, we have here, according to the promise, breaking the serpent's head, baffling and foiling the devil in all his temptations, who by one temptation had baffled and foiled our first parents. Thus, in the beginning of the war, he made reprisals upon him, and conquered the conqueror.
In this story of Christ's temptation, observe,
I. How he was prepared and fitted for it. He that designed him the trial furnished him accordingly; for though we know not what exercises may be before us, nor what encounters we may be reserved for, Christ did, and was provided accordingly; and God doth for us, and we hope will provide accordingly.
1. He was full of the Holy Ghost, who had descended on him like a dove. He had now greater measures of the gifts, graces, and comforts, of the Holy Ghost than ever before. Note, Those are well armed against the strongest temptations that are full of the Holy Ghost.
2. He was newly returned from Jordan, where he was baptized, and owned by a voice from heaven to be the beloved Son of God; and thus he was prepared for this combat. Note, When we have had the most comfortable communion with God, and the clearest discoveries of his favour to us, we may expect that Satan will set upon us (the richest ship is the pirate's prize), and that God will suffer him to do so, that the power of his grace may be manifested and magnified.
3. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, by the good Spirit, who led him as a champion into the field, to fight the enemy that he was sure to conquer. His being led into the wilderness, (1.) Gave some advantage to the tempter; for there he had him alone, no friend with him, by whose prayers and advice he might be assisted in the hour of temptation. Woe to him that is alone! He might give Satan advantage, who knew his own strength; we may not, who know our own weakness. (2.) He gained some advantage to himself, during his forty days' fasting in the wilderness. We may suppose that he was wholly taken up in proper meditation, and in consideration of his own undertaking, and the work he had before him; that he spent all his time in immediate, intimate, converse with his Father, as Moses in the mount, without any diversion, distraction, or interruption. Of all the days of Christ's life in the flesh, these seem to come nearest to the angelic perfection and the heavenly life, and this prepared him for Satan's assaults, and hereby he was fortified against them.
4. He continued fasting (Lu 4:2): In those days he did eat nothing. This fast was altogether miraculous, like those of Moses and Elijah, and shows him to be, like them, a prophet sent of God. It is probable that it was in the wilderness of Horeb, the same wilderness in which Moses and Elijah fasted. As by retiring into the wilderness he showed himself perfectly indifferent to the world, so by his fasting he showed himself perfectly indifferent to the body; and Satan cannot easily take hold of those who are thus loosened from, and dead to, the world and the flesh. The more we keep under the body, and bring it into subjection, the less advantage Satan has against us.
II. How he was assaulted by one temptation after another, and how he defeated the design of the tempter in every assault, and became more than a conqueror. During the forty days, he was tempted of the devil (Lu 4:2), not by an inward suggestion, for the prince of this world had nothing in Christ by which to inject any such, but by outward solicitations, perhaps in the likeness of a serpent, as he tempted our first parents. But at the end of the forty days he came nearer to him, and did as it were close with him, when he perceived that he was hungry, Lu 4:2. Probably, our Lord Jesus then began to look about among the trees, to see if he could find any thing that was eatable, whence the devil took occasion to make the following proposal to him.
1. He tempted him to distrust his Father's care of him, and to set up for himself, and shift for provision for himself in such a way as his Father had not appointed for him (Lu 4:3): If thou be the Son of God, as the voice from heaven declared, command this stone to be made bread. (1.) "I counsel thee to do it; for God, if he be thy Father, has forgotten thee, and it will be long enough ere he sends either ravens or angels to feed thee." If we begin to think of being our own carvers, and of living by our own forecast, without depending upon divine providence, of getting wealth by our might and the power of our hands, we must look upon it as a temptation of Satan's, and reject it accordingly; it is Satan's counsel to think of an independence upon God. (2.) "I challenge thee to do it, if thou canst; if thou dost not do it, I will say thou art not the Son of God; for John Baptist said lately, God is able of stones to raise up children to Abraham, which is the greater; thou therefore hast not the power of the Son of God, if thou dost not of stones make bread for thyself, when thou needest it, which is the less." Thus was God himself tempted in the wilderness: Can he furnish a table? Can he give bread? Ps 78:19,20.
Now, [1.] Christ yielded not to the temptation; he would not turn that stone into bread; no, though he was hungry; First, Because he would not do what Satan bade him do, for that would have looked as if there had been indeed a compact between him and the prince of the devils. Note, We must not do any thing that looks like giving place to the devil. Miracles were wrought for the confirming of faith, and the devil had no faith to be confirmed, and therefore he would not do it for him. He did his signs in the presence of his disciples (Joh 20:30), and particularly the beginning of his miracles, turning water into wine, which he did, that his disciples might believe on him (Joh 2:11); but here in the wilderness he had no disciples with him. Secondly, He wrought miracles for the ratification of his doctrine, and therefore till he began to preach he would not begin to work miracles. Thirdly, He would not work miracles for himself and his own supply, lest he should seem impatient of hunger, whereas he came not to please himself, but to suffer grief, and that grief among others; and because he would show that he pleased not himself, he would rather turn water into wine, for the credit and convenience of his friends, than stones into bread, for his own necessary supply. Fourthly, He would reserve the proof of his being the Son of God for hereafter, and would rather be upbraided by Satan with being weak, and not able to do it, than be persuaded by Satan to do that which it was fit for him to do; thus he was upbraided by his enemies as if he could not save himself, and come down from the cross, when he could have come down, but would not, because it was not fit that he should. Fifthly, He would not do any thing that looked like distrust of his Father, or acting separately from him, or any thing disagreeable to his present state. Being in all things made like unto his brethren, he would, like the other children of God, live in a dependence upon the divine Providence and promise, and trust him either to send him a supply into the wilderness or to lead him to a city of habitation where there was a supply, as he used to do (Ps 107:5-7), and in the mean time would support him, though he was hungry, as he had done these forty days past.
[2.] He returned a scripture-answer to it (Lu 4:4): It is written. This is the first word recorded as spoken by Christ after his instalment in his prophetical office; and it is a quotation out of the Old Testament, to show that he came to assert and maintain the authority of the scripture as uncontrollable, even by Satan himself. And though he had the Spirit without measure, and had a doctrine of his own to preach and a religion to found, yet it agreed with Moses and the prophets, whose writings he therefore lays down as a rule to himself, and recommends to us as a reply to Satan and his temptations. The word of God is our sword, and faith in that word is our shield; we should therefore be mighty in the scriptures, and go in that might, go forth, and go on, in our spiritual warfare, know what is written, for it is for our learning, for our use. The text of scripture he makes use of is quoted from De 8:3: "Man shall not live by bread alone. I need not turn the stone into bread, for God can send manna for my nourishment, as he did for Israel; man can live by every word of God, by whatever God will appoint that he shall live by." How had Christ lived, lived comfortably, these last forty days? Not by bread, but by the word of God, by meditation upon that word, and communion with it, and with God in and by it; and in like manner he could live yet, though now he began to be hungry. God has many ways of providing for his people, without the ordinary means of subsistence; and therefore he is not at any time to be distrusted, but at all times to be depended upon, in the way of duty. If meat be wanting, God can take away the appetite, or give such degrees of patience as will enable a man even to laugh at destruction and famine (Job 5:22), or make pulse and water more nourishing than all the portion of the king's meat (Da 1:12,13), and enable his people to rejoice in the Lord, when the fig-tree doth not blossom, Hab 3:17. She was an active believer who said that she had made many a meal's meat of the promises when she wanted bread.
2. He tempted him to accept from him the kingdom, which, as the Son of God, he expected to receive from his Father, and to do him homage for, Lu 4:5-7. This evangelist puts this temptation second, which Matthew had put last, and which, it should seem, was really the last; but Luke was full of it, as the blackest and most violent, and therefore hastened to it. In the devil's tempting of our first parents, he presented to them the forbidden fruit, first as good for food, and then as pleasant to the eyes; and they were overpowered by both these charms. Satan here first tempted Christ to turn the stones into bread, which would be good for food, and then showed him the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, which were pleasant to the eyes; but in both these he overpowered Satan, and perhaps with an eye to that, Luke changes the order. Now observe,
(1.) How Satan managed this temptation, to prevail with Christ to become a tributary to him, and to receive his kingdom by delegation from him.
[1.] He gave him a prospect of all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, an airy representation of them, such as he thought most likely to strike the fancy, and seem a real prospect. To succeed the better, he took him up for this purpose into a high mountain; and, because we next after the temptation find Christ on the other side Jordan, some think it probable that it was to the top of Pisgah that the devil took him, whence Moses has a sight of Canaan. That it was but a phantasm that the devil here presented our Saviour with, as the prince of the power of the air, is confirmed by that circumstance which Luke here takes notice of, that it was done in a moment of time; whereas, if a man take a prospect of but one country, he must do it successively, must turn himself round, and take a view first of one part and then of another. Thus the devil thought to impose upon our Saviour with a fallacy—a deceptio visus; and, by making him believe that he could show him all the kingdoms of the world, would draw him into an opinion that he could give him all those kingdoms.
[2.] He boldly alleged that these kingdoms were all delivered to him that he had power to dispose of them and all their glory, and to give them to whomsoever he would, Lu 4:6. Some think that herein he pretended to be an angel of light, and that, as one of the angels that was set over the kingdoms, he had out-bought, or out-fought, all the rest, and so was entrusted with the disposal of them all, and, in God's name, would give them to him, knowing they were designed for him; but clogged with this condition, that he should fall down and worship him, which a good angel would have been so far from demanding that he would not have admitted it, no, not upon showing much greater things than these, as appears, Re 19:10,22:9. But I rather take it that he claimed this power as Satan, and as delivered to him not by the Lord, but by the kings and people of these kingdoms, who gave their power and honour to the devil, Eph 2:2. Hence he is called the god of this world, and the prince of this world. It was promised to the Son of God that he should have the heathen for his inheritance, Ps 2:8. "Why," saith the devil, "the heathen are mine, are my subjects and votaries; but, however, they shall be thine, I will give them thee, upon condition that thou worship me for them, and say that they are the rewards which I have given thee, as others have done before thee (Hos 2:12), and consent to have and hold them by, from, and under, me."
[3.] He demanded of him homage and adoration: If thou wilt worship me, all shall be thine, Lu 4:7. First, He would have him worship him himself. Perhaps he does not mean so as never to worship God, but let him worship him in conjunction with God; for the devil knows, if he can but once come in a partner, he shall soon be sole proprietor. Secondly, He would indent with him, that when, according to the promise made to him, he had got possession of the kingdoms of this world, he should make no alteration of religions in them, but permit and suffer the nations, as they had done hitherto, to sacrifice to devils (1Co 10:20); that he should still keep up demon-worship in the world, and then let him take all the power and glory of the kingdoms if he pleased. Let who will take the wealth and grandeur of this earth, Satan has all he would have if he can but have men's hearts, and affections, and adorations, can but work in the children of disobedience; for then he effectually devours them.
(2.) How our Lord Jesus triumphed over this temptation. He gave it a peremptory repulse, rejected it with abhorrence (Lu 4:8): "Get thee behind me, Satan, I cannot bear the mention of it. What! worship the enemy of God whom I came to serve? and of man whom I came to save? No, I will never do it." Such a temptation as this was not to be reasoned with, but immediately refused; it was presently knocked on the head with one word, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God; and not only so, but him only, him and no other. And therefore Christ will not worship Satan, nor, when he has the kingdoms of the world delivered to him by his Father, as he expects shortly to have, will he suffer any remains of the worship of the devil to continue in them. No, it shall be perfectly rooted out and abolished, wherever his gospel comes. He will make no composition with him. Polytheism and idolatry must go down, as Christ's kingdom gets up. Men must be turned from the power of Satan unto God, from the worship of devils to the worship of the only living and true God. This is the great divine law that Christ will re-establish among men, and by his holy religion reduce men to the obedience of, That God only is to be served and worshipped; and therefore whoever set up any creature as the object of religious worship, though it were a saint or an angel, or the virgin Mary herself, they directly thwart Christ's design, and relapse into heathenism.
3. He tempted him to be his own murderer, in a presumptuous confidence of his Father's protection, such as he had no warrant for. Observe,
(1.) What he designed in this temptation: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, Lu 4:9. [1.] He would have him seek for a new proof of his being the Son of God, as if that which his Father had given him by the voice from heaven, and the descent of the Spirit upon him, were not sufficient, which would have been a dishonour to God, as if he had not chosen the most proper way of giving him the assurance of it; and it would have argued a distrust of the Spirit's dwelling in him, which was the great and most convincing proof to himself of his being the Son of God, Heb 1:8,9. [2.] He would have him seek a new method of proclaiming and publishing this to the world. The devil, in effect, suggests that it was in an obscure corner that he was attested to be the Son of God, among a company of ordinary people, who attended John's baptism, that his honours were proclaimed; but if he would now declare from the pinnacle of the temple, among all the great people who attend the temple-service, that he was the Son of God, and then, for proof of it, throw himself down unhurt, he would presently be received by every body as a messenger sent from heaven. Thus Satan would have him seek honours of his devising (in contempt of those which God had put on him), and manifest himself in the temple at Jerusalem; whereas God designed he should be more manifest among John's penitents, to whom his doctrine would be more welcome than to the priests. [3.] It is probable he had some hopes that, though he could not throw him down, to do him the least mischief, yet, if he would but throw himself down, the fall might be his death, and then he should have got him finely out of the way.
(2.) How he backed and enforced this temptation. He suggested, It is written, Lu 4:10. Christ had quoted scripture against him; and he thought he would be quits with him, and would show that he could quote scripture as well as he. It has been usual with heretics and seducers to pervert scripture, and to press the sacred writings into the service of the worst of wickednesses. He shall give his angels charge over thee, if thou be his Son, and in their hands they shall bear thee up. And now that he was upon the pinnacle of the temple he might especially expect this ministration of angels; for, if he was the Son of God, the temple was the proper place for him to be in (Lu 2:46); and, if any place under the sun had a guard of angels constantly, it must needs be that, Ps 68:17. It is true, God has promised the protection of angels, to encourage us to trust him, not to tempt him; as far as the promise of God's presence with us, so far the promise of the angels' ministration goes, but no further: "They shall keep thee when thou goest on the ground, where thy way lies, but not if thou wilt presume to fly in the air."
(3.) How he was baffled and defeated in the temptation, Lu 4:12. Christ quoted De 6:16, where it is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, by desiring a sign for the proof of divine revelation, when he has already given that which is sufficient; for so Israel did, when they tempted God in the wilderness, saying, He gave us water out of the rock; but can he give flesh also? This Christ would be guilty of if he should say, "He did indeed prove me to be the Son of God, by sending the Spirit upon me, which is the greater; but can he also give his angels a charge concerning me, which is the less?"
III. What was the result and issue of this combat, Lu 4:13. Our victorious Redeemer kept his ground, and came off a conqueror, not for himself only, but for us also.
1. The devil emptied his quiver: He ended all the temptation. Christ gave him opportunity to say and do all he could against him; he let him try all his force, and yet defeated him. Did Christ suffer, being tempted, till all the temptation was ended? And must not we expect also to pass all our trials, to go through the hour of temptation assigned us?
2. He then quitted the field: He departed from him. He saw it was to no purpose to attack him; he had nothing in him for his fiery darts to fasten upon; he had no blind side, no weak or unguarded part in his wall, and therefore Satan gave up the cause. Note, If we resist the devil, he will flee from us.
3. Yet he continued his malice against him, and departed with a resolution to attack him again; he departed but for a season, achri kairou—till a season, or till the season when he was again to be let loose upon him, not as a tempter, to draw him to sin, and so to strike at his head, which was what he now aimed at and was wholly defeated in; but as a persecutor, to bring him to suffer by Judas and the other wicked instruments whom he employed, and so to bruise his heel, which it was told him (Ge 3:15) he should have to do, and would do, though it would be the breaking of his own head. He departed now till that season came which Christ calls the power of darkness (Lu 22:53), and when the prince of this world would again come, Joh 14:30.
14-30
Christ in the Synagogue of Nazareth; Christ Driven from Nazareth
繁體中文
基督在拿撒勒的會堂；基督被逐出拿撒勒
¹⁴ 耶穌滿有聖靈的能力回到加利利；他的名聲就傳遍了四方。 ¹⁵ 他在各會堂裏教訓人，眾人都稱讚他。 ¹⁶ 耶穌來到拿撒勒，就是他長大的地方。在安息日，照他平常的規矩進了會堂，站起來要念聖經。 ¹⁷ 有人把先知以賽亞的書交給他，他就打開，找到一處寫著說： ¹⁸ 主的靈在我身上，因為他用膏膏我，叫我傳福音給貧窮的人；差遣我報告：被擄的得釋放，瞎眼的得看見，叫那受壓制的得自由， ¹⁹ 報告神悅納人的禧年。 ²⁰ 於是把書捲起來，交還執事，就坐下。會堂裏的人都定睛看他。 ²¹ 耶穌對他們說：今天這經應驗在你們耳中了。 ²² 眾人都稱讚他，並希奇他口中所出的恩言；又說：這不是約瑟的兒子嗎？ ²³ 耶穌對他們說：你們必引這俗語向我說：醫生，你醫治自己吧！我們聽見你在迦百農所行的事，也當行在你自己家鄉裏； ²⁴ 又說：我實在告訴你們，沒有先知在自己家鄉被人悅納的。 ²⁵ 我對你們說實話，當以利亞的時候，天閉塞了三年零六個月，遍地有大饑荒，那時，以色列中有許多寡婦； ²⁶ 以利亞並沒有奉差往她們一個人那裏去，只奉差往西頓的撒勒法一個寡婦那裏去。 ²⁷ 先知以利沙的時候，以色列中有許多長大痲瘋的，但內中除了亞蘭王的乃縵，沒有一個得潔淨的。 ²⁸ 會堂裏的人聽見這話，都怒氣滿胸， ²⁹ 就起來攆他出城（他們的城造在山上）；他們帶他到山崖，要把他推下去。 ³⁰ 他卻從他們中間直行，過去了。
基督既勝了那惡者，便顯明自己何等受善靈的感動；既抵擋了魔鬼的攻擊，如今便開始「取攻勢」，藉著傳道與神蹟向魔鬼進擊，是他不能抵擋或擊退的。請看：
一、此處概括論及他在「加利利」——一處偏遠地區、遠離耶路撒冷——的傳道，以及所受的對待；他在那裏開始傳道，這也是他降卑的一部分。
但是，1. 他「靠著聖靈的能力」來到那裏。那使他有資格執行先知職任的同一聖靈，也大大感動他來承擔。他不必等候人的呼召，因為他自己裏面就有光與生命。2. 他在那裏「在他們的會堂裏教訓人」，就是他們公眾敬拜的所在；他們在那裏聚集，並不像在聖殿裏為禮儀之事，而是為虔誠的道德之舉——誦讀、解明、應用神的話，禱告讚美，並執行教會紀律；這些自被擄歸回以來日漸頻繁，因為禮儀的敬拜幾近廢止。3. 他這樣行，便得了極大的名聲。「他的名聲就傳遍了四方」（路 4:14），而且是美名；因為（路 4:15）「眾人都稱讚他」。人人都欽佩他，稱讚他；他們一生從未聽過這樣的傳道。起初他未遇輕蔑或反對；眾人都「稱讚」他，尚無人輕看他。
二、他在拿撒勒——他長大的城——的傳道，以及在那裏所受的對待。此處我們看到他如何在那裏「傳道」，又如何「受逼迫」。
- 他如何在那裏傳道。請注意，
(1.) 他傳道的機會：「他來到拿撒勒」，是當他在別處得了名聲之後，盼望如此至少可以消減些許他同胞將要對他存有的輕蔑與成見。他在那裏趁機傳道，[1.] 在「會堂」裏，這是合宜之處，是他作平民時「素常的規矩」要去的地方（路 4:16）。我們當趁機會參加對神的公眾敬拜。但如今他既已開始公開傳道，就在那裏傳講。魚群聚集之處，這位聰明的漁夫便要撒網。[2.] 在安息日，這是敬虔猶太人當守的合宜時間，他們不是僅守禮儀上的歇息、不作世俗勞碌，而是盡敬拜神的本分，正如古人在「月朔」和「安息日」經常上先知學校去。請注意，在嚴肅會中守安息日是美事。
(2.) 他傳道的呼召。[1.] 他「站起來要念」。他們在會堂裏每安息日有七位誦讀者，頭一位是祭司，第二位是利未人，其餘五位是那會堂的以色列人。我們常見基督在別的會堂裏「傳道」，卻從未見他「誦讀」，唯獨在拿撒勒這個他多年來作會員的會堂裏。如今他如同往常可能常作的那樣毛遂自薦；他誦讀了先知書中的一段（徒 13:15）。請注意，在宗教聚會中誦讀聖經是極合宜的工作；基督自己也不以從事此事為貶損。[2.] 「先知以賽亞的書」被「交給他」，或是由會堂的管事，或是由（路 4:20）所提到的執事所遞，所以他並非擅越，而是 pro hac vice——「在此場合」獲正式授權。那日第二段經文既是以賽亞書，他們便將那一卷交給他誦讀。
(3.) 他傳道所本經文。他「站起來要念」，為要教導我們在「誦讀」與「聽」神話語時當存敬畏。以斯拉展開律法書之時，「眾民都站起來」（尼 8:5）；基督在先知書中誦讀時也是如此。如今書既「交給他」，[1.] 他「打開」了。舊約的書卷在基督打開之前，可說是「封閉」的（賽 29:11）。「曾被殺的羔羊配拿書卷、揭開七印」；因為他能開的，不僅是書卷，更是悟性。[2.] 他「找到」當日按次序當讀的那一段，這不必人指點；他隨即找到，讀了出來，並以此為題。他所選的題目出自賽 61:1,2，此處大段引用（路 4:18,19）。當日所讀的竟是一段如此明白論及彌賽亞的經文，其中有神的護理，好使那些「雖然安息日誦讀眾先知的聲音」、為他作見證、卻「不認識他」的人無可推諉（徒 13:27）。這段經文完整說明了基督所承擔的使命，以及他到世上來所要作的工。請看：
第一，他如何有資格承擔這工：「主的靈在我身上。」聖靈一切的恩賜與恩典都賜給了他，不是像賜給別的先知那樣限量而賜，而是沒有限量地賜下（約 3:34）。他如今「靠著聖靈的能力」而來（路 4:14）。
第二，他如何受差遣：「因為他用膏膏我」，又「差遣我」。他非凡的資格便等於差遣；他「受膏」既表明他適合承擔這使命，也表明他被呼召承擔。凡神所「指派」服事的，神也必為之「膏抹」：「他既差遣了我，也差遣了他的靈與我同來。」
第三，他的工作是甚麼。他既有資格、又受差遣，
- 作偉大的「先知」。他「受膏傳道」；這話在此三次提及，因為那正是他如今正要開始的工作。請看，(1.) 他「向誰」傳道：向「貧窮人」；向那些在「世上」貧窮的人，猶太教師不屑教導他們，反倒輕看他們；向那些「心靈貧窮」的人、謙卑的人，以及為罪憂傷的人：福音與其中的恩惠對他們是可悅納的，他們也必得著（太 11:5）。(2.) 他「傳甚麼」。總而言之，他要傳「福音」。他受差 euangelizesthai——「傳福音」給他們；不僅向他們傳講，更使這傳講發生功效；不僅帶到他們耳中，更帶到他們心裏，將他們模成福音的樣式。他要傳三件事：—
[1.] 「被擄的得釋放。」福音是自由的宣告，如同向在埃及和巴比倫的以色列人所宣告的。藉著基督的功勞，罪人可以脫離罪咎的捆綁；藉著他的靈與恩，可以脫離敗壞的奴役。這是從最壞的奴役中得釋放，凡願意以基督為首、甘願受他治理的人，都必得著這益處。
[2.] 「瞎眼的得看見。」他不僅藉福音的道將「光」帶給坐在「黑暗」中的人，更藉恩典的能力使「瞎眼」的得看見；不僅是外邦世界，更是每一個未重生的人——他不僅在「捆綁」中，也在「瞎眼」中，如同參孫和西底家。基督來告訴我們，他有「眼藥」給我們，只要求就必得著；我們若禱告說，「主啊，求你使我們的眼睛能看見」，他的回答必是，「你可以看見」。
[3.] 「神悅納人的禧年」（路 4:19）。他來要讓世人知道，他們所得罪的神願意與他們和好，並在新的條件下「悅納」他們；他們的敬拜仍有一條途徑可蒙悅納；如今正是「對人施恩的時候」。這話引用「釋放之年」，或「禧年」，那是對僕人「悅納的一年」，他們那時得以自由；對債戶也是，那時一切控告都撤銷了；對那些典當了田地的人也是，因為那時田地歸還他們。基督來要吹響「禧年」的號角；凡聽見「這歡喜之聲」的有福了（詩 89:15）。這是悅納的時候，因為這是拯救的日子。
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基督來作偉大的「醫生」；因為他受差「醫好傷心的人」，安慰並醫治受壓的良心，將平安賜給那些為罪憂傷謙卑、又因罪在神怒氣之下戰兢的人，並使那些在罪咎與敗壞的重擔下疲乏困倦的人得享安息。
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作偉大的「救贖主」。他不僅像古列向在巴比倫的猶太人宣告自由（「凡願意的，都可以上來」），更使受壓制的得自由；他藉著他的靈「感動」並「使」他們能運用所得的自由，正如那時除了「神激動他靈」的人，無人如此行（拉 1:5）。他奉神的名釋放那些欠債於神、被囚於神公義的可憐罪人。先知不過能「宣告自由」，但基督卻以有權柄之人的樣式、以「在地上有赦罪之權柄」之人的樣式，來「使人得自由」；所以這話在此被加上。Lightfoot 博士認為，按著猶太人允許誦讀者在誦讀時以經解經的慣例，基督是從賽 58:6 加上這話，那裏將使「受壓制的得自由」列為悅納之年當盡的本分，而七十士譯本所用的措辭與此處相同。
(4.) 此處是基督將這段經文「應用」到自己身上（路 4:21）：他讀完了，便「把書捲起來」，又交還給「執事」，即侍立的「書記」，並「坐下」，這是猶太教師的慣例；他「每日在殿裏教訓人」（太 26:55）。如今他「開始」這樣講論：「今天這經應驗在你們耳中了。以賽亞用預言寫下的，我如今用歷史讀給你們聽。」這事如今在基督開始公開傳道時便應驗了；「如今」，在他們聽見他在別處傳道和行神蹟的傳聞之時；「如今」，在他自己的會堂裏向他們傳道之時。基督很可能繼續說下去，具體說明這段經文如何在他所傳「天國近了」的道中應驗；那道正是傳自由、傳看見、傳醫治，並傳「主悅納之年」一切福氣。還有許多恩言從他口中出來，這些不過是「起頭」；因為基督常傳長篇道理，我們所得的只是簡短的記載。這話已足以引出許多內容：「今天這經應驗了。」請注意，[1.] 舊約一切將要在彌賽亞身上應驗的經文，都在主耶穌身上完全應驗了，這充份證明他就是「那要來的一位」。[2.] 在神的護理中，我們當留心觀察「聖經的應驗」。神的作為不僅成全他隱秘的話，也成全他啟示的話；將聖經與神的護理兩相比較，能幫助我們明白二者。
(5.) 此處是聽眾的「留心」與「驚奇」。
[1.] 他們的「留心」（路 4:20）：「會堂裏眾人」（也許為數不少）「的眼睛都定睛看他」，滿心期望他要說甚麼，因為近來聽見許多關於他的事。請注意，聽道時將目光固定在向我們說話的神所用之傳道者身上，是好的；因為眼目既影響人心，通常人心也隨眼目而轉，或遊蕩，或專注。或者更確切地說，讓我們由此學會將目光固定在藉傳道者向我們說話的基督身上。「我主對僕人說甚麼呢？」
[2.] 他們的「驚奇」（路 4:22）：「眾人都稱讚他」，說他講得極好、極中肯。他們都稱讚他，並「希奇他口中所出的恩言」；然而由下文觀之，他們並不「信他」。請注意，欽佩好傳道者和好講道的人，自己可能仍不是真基督徒。請注意，第一，他們欽佩的是甚麼：「他口中所出的恩言」「恩言」；好話，且以動人融化人心的方式說出。請注意，基督的話是「恩言」，因為「恩典傾注在他嘴裏」（詩 45:2），恩言便從中湧流。這些恩言是當「希奇」的；基督的名是奇妙的，而在他的恩、在他恩言、並隨恩言而來的能力上，更顯奇妙。他竟向我們這樣無恩的罪人說出如此「恩言」，我們實當希奇。第二，加增他們希奇的是甚麼：就是想到他的出身：「他們說，這不是約瑟的兒子嗎？」所以他的出身卑微、教養卑微。有人或許因此更加欽佩他的「恩言」，斷定他必是「神所教導的」，因為他們知道無人教過他；另有人或許便以此抑止自己對他恩言的希奇，斷定其中無論表面如何，必無「真正」可欽之處，因為他是「約瑟的兒子」。這樣卑微的人，能有甚麼偉大、值得我們看重的事嗎？
(6.) 基督預先提出一個他知道許多聽者心中的反對。請看，
[1.] 反對是甚麼（路 4:23）：「你們必向我說：醫生，你醫治自己吧。你們既知道我是約瑟的兒子、你們的鄰舍，就指望我在你們中間行神蹟，如同我在別處所行的；正如人指望醫生若有能力，當醫治不僅自己，連自己家人和親屬也當醫治。」基督多數的神蹟是「醫病」；——「那麼為何不醫治你自己城裏的病人，像醫治別城的呢？」這些神蹟本是要醫治人的不信；——「那麼，若不信真是一種病，為何不在你自己城裏的人身上醫治這病，像在別人身上一樣呢？我們聽見你在迦百農所行的事，已經傳開了，也當行在你自己家鄉裏。」他們喜愛「基督的恩言」，只因為盼望這不過是他某些「奇事」的引子。他們想要自己的瘸子、瞎子、病人、長大痲瘋的得醫治、得幫助，好減輕他們城裏的負擔；這才是他們所看重的。他們以為自己的城與別城一樣配作神蹟的舞臺；他為何不把人吸引到這裏，反倒到別處？他的鄰舍和熟人為何不能比别人更得他傳道與神蹟的益處？
[2.] 他如何回答這反對他行事路徑的話。
第一，以一個明確而積極的理由，說明他為何不把拿撒勒作為總部（路 4:24）：因為通常「沒有先知在自己家鄉被人悅納」，至少不如在別處那樣、也不如那樣有行善的指望；經驗印證了這話。先知既奉差帶著憐憫的信息和神蹟而來，少有本鄉人——既知其出身與教養——是適合「接待」他們的。Hammond 博士如此說。熟識生輕蔑；我們既慣於與某人交往，便容易輕看他；那些在「平民」時期為人所熟知的，鮮能被恰當地尊為「先知」。凡「遠求」而「貴買」的，總比「本地所產」更受看重，儘管後者其實更優越。這也源於鄰舍彼此常存的嫉妒，以致不能忍受不久前還凡事不及自己的人，如今竟成自己的「上級」。為此緣故，基督避免在拿撒勒行神蹟或作任何特別的事，因為他們在那裏對他存著根深蒂固的成見。
第二，以舊約兩位最著名先知的恰當例證，他們寧可將恩惠分給外人，也不分給本國同胞，而這無疑是出於神的指示。1. 以利亞在「遍地有饑荒」之時，供養了「西頓的撒勒法」——「撒勒法的一個寡婦」——一個與以色列國無分的外人（路 4:25,26）。此事記於王上 17:9 及以下。那裏說天閉塞了「三年零六個月」；而王上 18:1 說「第三年」以利亞向亞哈顯現，並降了「雨」；但那不是乾旱的第三年，而是以利亞與撒勒法寡婦同住的第三年。神既藉此顯明自己是「孤兒的父」，是「寡婦的審判者」，也要顯明他豐富的憐憫及於萬人，甚至外邦人。2. 以利沙潔淨了乃縵的大痲瘋，雖然乃縵是亞蘭人、不僅是外人、更是以色列的仇敵（路 4:27）；「先知以利沙的時候，以色列中有許多長大痲瘋的」，特別是那四個報信說亞蘭人倉促撤圍、留下帳棚財物使撒瑪利亞富足的人——那時以利沙自己就在被圍之城內，這也是他預言的應驗；見王下 7:1,3 及以下。然而我們未見以利沙潔淨他們，連為他們的服務和所報的好消息也不潔淨，唯獨潔淨了那亞蘭人；因為除了他，無人有信心來就先知求醫治。基督自己在外邦人中遇見的信心，也常比在以色列中大。他在此引用這兩個例子，為要表明他並非憑私意分賜神蹟的恩惠，而是照神智慧的安排。以色列人原可對以利亞或以利沙說，正如拿撒勒人對基督說的：「醫生，你醫治自己吧。」不但如此，基督的神蹟雖不在同鄉中行，卻仍在以色列人中行；而這兩位大先知乃是在外邦人中行神蹟。聖徒的榜樣雖不能使惡行變善，卻能使善行免受挑剔之人的責難。
- 他在拿撒勒如何「受逼迫」。
(1.) 激怒他們的，是他提及神藉以利亞和以利沙向外邦人所施的恩：「他們聽見這話，都怒氣滿胸」（路 4:28），他們「都是如此」；這與路 4:22 他們「希奇他口中所出的恩言」時相比，變化何大；可見群眾的意見與情感何等無常、何等善變。他們若將信心與所欽佩的基督恩言調和，就必被基督這後來的話激發，謹慎不可因罪錯失機會；但前者只「悅耳」，不能深入，所以後者「刺耳」，激動他們的敗壞。他們惱怒他竟將自己——他們所知的約瑟之子——與那些大先知相比，又將那些先知與那個都向巴力屈膝的敗壞世代的人相比。但尤其激怒他們的，是他暗示神為外邦人有所保留的恩惠，這是猶太人萬萬不能忍受的（徒 22:21）。他們敬虔的祖先以將外邦人加入教會為盼望而自慰（大衛許多詩篇和以賽亞的預言都可為證）；但這墮落的一代既自己失了約，便恨惡想到別人要被收納。
(2.) 他們被激怒到一個地步，竟要害他的命。這在他剛出來傳道之際是嚴重的試煉，卻是他「到自己地方來、自己的人倒不接待他」時所受對待的預嘗。[1.] 他們「起來」以暴亂之勢攻擊他，打斷他的講論，也打斷自己的敬拜，因為他們不能等到會堂的敬拜結束。[2.] 他們「攆他出城」，當作不配在他們中間居住的，雖然他在那裏久已定居。他們將救主和救恩攆走，如同他是萬物的渣滓。他本可合理地從天上降火滅他們！但這是他忍耐之日。[3.] 他們「帶他到山崖」，存心「把他推下去」，當作不配存活的人。雖然他們知道他多年來在他們中間何等無可指摘，他的為人何等光明，——雖然他們聽見過他的名聲、剛才還自己「希奇他的恩言」，——雖然按公義他理當得著公正的聽審和解釋自己的自由，他們卻在群眾的狂怒、更確切地說是狂亂中，將他匆匆帶去，要以最野蠻的方式治死他。有時他們因他所作的「善事」要拿石頭打他（約 10:32），此處卻因他沒有作他們所期望的善事而要害他。暴力竟滋生到如此高度。
(3.) 然而他脫險了，因為他的時候還沒有到：他「從他們中間直行」過去，毫髮無傷。或他使他們眼睛昏迷，如同神使所多瑪人和亞蘭人的眼睛昏迷，或他捆住他們的手，或使他們滿心混亂，以致不能行他們所設計的；因為他的工作尚未完成，才剛開始；他的時候還沒有到，及至時候到了，他便甘心獻上自己。他們「攆」他走，他便「去了」。他本要聚集拿撒勒，他們「卻不願意」，所以他們的家「成為荒場留給他們」。這加增了他被稱為「拿撒勒人耶穌」的羞辱——不但那裏是個不指望有好事出來的地方，更是個如此邪惡、粗野、對他如此「無情」的地方。然而其中也有護理：他不該被拿撒勒人太看重，否則看來像是他與舊識串通；如今他們雖「不接待他」，卻有接待他的人。
英文原文
Christ in the Synagogue of Nazareth; Christ Driven from Nazareth
¹⁴ And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
¹⁵ And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
¹⁶ And 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 for to read.
¹⁷ And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. 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 hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
¹⁹ To preach the acceptable 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 synagogue were fastened on him.
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 which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
²³ And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever 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 out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
³⁰ But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
After Christ had vanquished the evil spirit, he made it appear how much he was under the influence of the good Spirit; and, having defended himself against the devil's assaults, he now begins to act offensively, and to make those attacks upon him, by his preaching and miracles, which he could not resist or repel. Observe,
I. What is here said in general of his preaching, and the entertainment it met with in Galilee, a remote part of the country, distant from Jerusalem; it was a part of Christ's humiliation that he began his ministry there.
But, 1. Thither he came in the power of the Spirit. The same Spirit that qualified him for the exercise of his prophetical office strongly inclined him to it. He was not to wait for a call from men, for he had light and life in himself. 2. There he taught in their synagogues, their places of public worship, where they met, not, as in the temple, for ceremonial services, but for the moral acts of devotion, to read, expound, and apply, the word, to pray and praise, and for church-discipline; these came to be more frequent since the captivity, when the ceremonial worship was near expiring. 3. This he did so as that he gained a great reputation. A fame of him went through all that region (Lu 4:14), and it was a good fame; for (Lu 4:15) he was glorified of all. Every body admired him, and cried him up; they never heard such preaching in all their lives. Now, at first, he met with no contempt or contradiction; all glorified him, and there were none as yet that vilified him.
II. Of his preaching at Nazareth, the city where he was brought up; and the entertainment it met with there. And here we are told how he preached there, and how he was persecuted.
1. How he preached there. In that observe,
(1.) The opportunity he had for it: He came to Nazareth when he had gained a reputation in other places, in hopes that thereby something at least of the contempt and prejudice with which his countrymen would look upon him might be worn off. There he took occasion to preach, [1.] In the synagogue, the proper place, where it had been his custom to attend when he was a private person, Lu 4:16. We ought to attend on the public worship of God, as we have opportunity. But, now that he was entered upon his public ministry, there he preached. Where the multitudes of fish were, there this wise Fisherman would cast his net. [2.] On the sabbath day, the proper time which the pious Jews spent, not in a mere ceremonial rest from worldly labour, but in the duties of God's worship, as of old they frequented the schools of the prophets on the new moons and the sabbaths. Note, It is good to keep sabbaths in solemn assemblies.
(2.) The call he had to it. [1.] He stood up to read. They had in their synagogues seven readers every sabbath, the first a priest, the second a Levite, and the other five Israelites of that synagogue. We often find Christ preaching in other synagogues, but never reading, except in this synagogue at Nazareth, of which he had been many years a member. Now he offered his service as he had perhaps often done; he read one of the lessons out of the prophets, Ac 13:15. Note, The reading of the scripture is very proper work to be done in religious assemblies; and Christ himself did not think it any disparagement to him to be employed in it. [2.] The book of the prophet Esaias was delivered to him, either by the ruler of the synagogue or by the minister mentioned (Lu 4:20), so that he was no intruder, but duly authorized pro hac vice—on this occasion. The second lesson for that day being in the prophecy of Esaias, they gave him that volume to read in.
(3.) The text he preached upon. He stood up to read, to teach us reverence in reading and hearing the word of God. When Ezra opened the book of the law, all the people stood up (Ne 8:5); so did Christ here, when he read in the book of the prophets. Now the book being delivered to him, [1.] He opened it. The books of the Old Testament were in a manner shut up till Christ opened them, Isa 29:11. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to take the book, and open the seals; for he can open, not the book only, but the understanding. [2.] He found the place which was appointed to be read that day in course, which he needed not to be directed to; he soon found it, and read it, and took it for his text. Now his text was taken out of Isa 61:1,2, which is here quoted at large, Lu 4:18,19. There was a providence in it that that portion of scripture should be read that day, which speaks so very plainly of the Messiah, that they might be left inexcusable who knew him not, though they heard the voices of the prophets read every sabbath day, which bore witness of him, Ac 13:27. This text gives a full account of Christ's undertaking, and the work he came into the world to do. Observe,
First, How he was qualified for the work: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit were conferred upon him, not by measure, as upon other prophets, but without measure, Joh 3:34. He now came in the power of the Spirit, Lu 4:14.
Secondly, How he was commissioned: Because he had anointed me, and sent me. His extraordinary qualification amounted to a commission; his being anointed signifies both his being fitted for the undertaking and called to it. Those whom God appoints to any service he anoints for it: "Because he hath sent me, he hath sent his Spirit along with me."
Thirdly, What his work was. He was qualified and commissioned,
1. To be a great prophet. He was anointed to preach; that is three times mentioned here, for that was the work he was now entering upon. Observe, (1.) To whom he was to preach: to the poor; to those that were poor in the world, whom the Jewish doctors disdained to undertake the teaching of and spoke of with contempt; to those that were poor in spirit, to the meek and humble, and to those that were truly sorrowful for sin: to them the gospel and the grace of it will be welcome, and they shall have it, Mt 11:5. (2.) What he was to preach. In general, he must preach the gospel. He is sent euangelizesthai—to evangelize them; not only to preach to them, but to make that preaching effectual; to bring it, not only to their ears, but to their hearts, and deliver them into the mould of it. Three things he is to preach:—
[1.] Deliverance to the captives, The gospel is a proclamation of liberty, like that to Israel in Egypt and in Babylon. By the merit of Christ sinners may be loosed from the bonds of guilt, and by his Spirit and grace from the bondage of corruption. It is a deliverance from the worst of thraldoms, which all those shall have the benefit of that are willing to make Christ their Head, and are willing to be ruled by him.
[2.] Recovering of sight to the blind. He came not only by the word of his gospel to bring light to them that sat in the dark, but by the power of his grace to give sight to them that were blind; not only the Gentile world, but every unregenerate soul, that is not only in bondage, but in blindness, like Samson and Zedekiah. Christ came to tell us that he has eye-salve for us, which we may have for the asking; that, if our prayer be, Lord, that our eyes may be opened, his answer shall be, Receive your sight.
[3.] The acceptable year of the Lord, Lu 4:19. He came to let the world know that the God whom they had offended was willing to be reconciled to them, and to accept of them upon new terms; that there was yet a way of making their services acceptable to him; that there is now a time of good will toward men. It alludes to the year of release, or that of jubilee, which was an acceptable year to servants, who were then set at liberty; to debtors, against whom all actions then dropped; and to those who had mortgaged their lands, for then they returned to them again. Christ came to sound the jubilee-trumpet; and blessed were they that heard the joyful sound, Ps 89:15. It was an acceptable time, for it was a day of salvation.
2. Christ came to be a great Physician; for he was sent to heal the broken-hearted, to comfort and cure afflicted consciences, to give peace to those that were troubled and humbled for sins, and under a dread of God's wrath against them for them, and to bring them to rest who were weary and heavy-laden, under the burden of guilt and corruption.
3. To be a great Redeemer. He not only proclaims liberty to the captives, as Cyrus did to the Jews in Babylon (Whoever will, may go up), but he sets at liberty them that are bruised; he doth by his Spirit incline and enable them to make use of the liberty granted, as then none did but those whose spirit God stirred up, Ezr 1:5. He came in God's name to discharge poor sinners that were debtors and prisoners to divine justice. The prophets could but proclaim liberty, but Christ, as one having authority, as one that had power on earth to forgive sins, came to set at liberty; and therefore this clause is added here. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that, according to a liberty the Jew allowed their readers, to compare scripture with scripture, in their reading, for the explication of the text, Christ added it from Isa 58:6, where it is made the duty of the acceptable year to let the oppressed go free, where the phrase the LXX. uses is the same with this here.
(4.) Here is Christ's application of this text to himself (Lu 4:21): When he had read it, he rolled up the book, and gave it again to the minister, or clerk, that attended, and sat down, according to the custom of the Jewish teachers; he sat daily in the temple, teaching, Mt 26:55. Now he began his discourse thus, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. This, which Isaiah wrote by way of prophecy, I have now read to you by way of history." It now began to be fulfilled in Christ's entrance upon his public ministry; now, in the report they heard of his preaching and miracles in other places; now, in his preaching to them in their own synagogue. It is most probable that Christ went on, and showed particularly how this scripture was fulfilled in the doctrine he preached concerning the kingdom of heaven at hand; that it was preaching liberty, and sight, and healing, and all the blessings of the acceptable year of the Lord. Many other gracious words proceeded out of his mouth, which these were but the beginning of; for Christ often preached long sermons, which we have but a short account of. This was enough to introduce a great deal: This day is this scripture fulfilled. Note, [1.] All the scriptures of the Old Testament that were to be fulfilled in the Messiah had their full accomplishment in the Lord Jesus, which abundantly proves that this was he that should come. [2.] In the providences of God, it is fit to observe the fulfilling of the scriptures. The works of God are the accomplishment not only of his secret word, but of his word revealed; and it will help us to understand both the scriptures and the providences of God to compare them one with another.
(5.) Here is the attention and admiration of the auditors.
[1.] Their attention (Lu 4:20): The eyes of all them that were in the synagogue (and, probably, there were a great many) were fastened on him, big with expectation what he would say, having heard so much of late concerning him. Note, It is good, in hearing the word, to keep the eye fixed upon the minister by whom God is speaking to us; for, as the eye effects the heart, so, usually, the heart follows the eye, and is wandering, or fixed, as that is. Or, rather, let us learn hence to keep the eye fixed upon Christ speaking to us in and by the minister. What saith my Lord unto his servants?
[2.] Their admiration (Lu 4:22): They all bore him witness that he spoke admirably well, and to the purpose. They all commended him, and wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth; and yet, as appears by what follows, they did not believe in him. Note, It is possible that those who are admirers of good ministers and good preaching may yet be themselves not true Christians. Observe, First, What it was they admired: The gracious words which proceedeth out of his mouth. The words of grace; good words, and spoken in a winning melting way. Note, Christ's words are words of grace, for, grace being poured into his lips (Ps 45:2), words of grace poured from them. And these words of grace are to be wondered at; Christ's name was Wonderful, and in nothing was he more so than in his grace, in the words of his grace, and the power that went along with those words. We may well wonder that he should speak such words of grace to such graceless wretches as we are. Secondly, What it was that increased their wonder and that was the consideration of his original: They said, Is not this Joseph's son, and therefore his extraction mean and his education mean? Some from this suggestion took occasion perhaps so much the more to admire his gracious words, concluding he must needs be taught of God, for they knew no one else had taught him; while others perhaps with this consideration corrected their wonder at his gracious words, and concluded there could be nothing really admirable in them, whatever appeared, because he was the Son of Joseph. Can any thing great, or worthy our regard, come from one so mean?
(6.) Christ's anticipating an objection which he knew to be in the minds of many of his hearers. Observe,
[1.] What the objection was (Lu 4:23): "You will surely say to me, Physician, heal thyself. Because you know that I am the Son of Joseph, your neighbour, you will expect that I should work miracles among you, as I have done in other places; as one would expect that a physician, if he be able, should heal, not only himself, but those of his own family and fraternity." Most of Christ's miracles were cures;—"Now why should not the sick in thine own city be healed as well as those in other cities?" They were designed to cure people of their unbelief;—"Now why should not the disease of unbelief, if it be indeed a disease, be cured in those of thine own city as well as in those of others? Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, that has been so much talked of, do here also in thine own country." They were pleased with Christ's gracious words, only because they hoped they were but the introduction to some wondrous works of his. They wanted to have their lame, and blind, and sick, and lepers, healed and helped, that the charge of their town might be eased; and that was the chief thing they looked at. They thought their own town as worthy to be the stage of miracles as any other; and why should not he rather draw company to that than to any other? And why should not his neighbours and acquaintances have the benefit of his preaching and miracles, rather than any other?
[2.] How he answers this objection against the course he took.
First, By a plain and positive reason why he would not make Nazareth his headquarters (Lu 4:24), because it generally holds true that no prophet is accepted in his own country, at least not so well, nor with such probability of doing good, as in some other country; experience seals this. When prophets have been sent with messages and miracles of mercy, few of their own country-men, that have known their extraction and education, have been fit to receive them. So Dr. Hammond. Familiarity breeds contempt; and we are apt to think meanly of those whose conversation we have been accustomed to; and they will scarcely be duly honoured as prophets who were well known when they were in the rank of private men. That is most esteemed that is far-fetched and dear-bought, above what is home-bred, though really more excellent. This arises likewise from the envy which neighbours commonly have towards one another, so that they cannot endure to see him their superior whom awhile ago they took to be every way their inferior. For this reason, Christ declined working miracles, or doing any thing extraordinary, at Nazareth, because of the rooted prejudices they had against him there.
Secondly, By pertinent examples of two of the most famous prophets of the Old Testament, who chose to dispense their favours among foreigners rather than among their own countrymen, and that, no doubt, by divine direction. 1. Elijah maintained a widow of Sarepta, a city of Sidon, one that was a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, when there was a famine in the land, Lu 4:25,26. The story we have 1Ki 17:9, etc. It is said there that the heaven was shut up three years and six months; whereas it is said, 1Ki 18:1, that in the third year Elijah showed himself to Ahab, and there was rain; but that was not the third year of the drought, but the third year of Elijah's sojourning with the widow of Sarepta. As God would hereby show himself a Father of the fatherless, and a Judge of the widows, so he would show that he was rich in mercy to all, even to the Gentiles. 2. Elisha cleansed Naaman the Syrian of his leprosy, though he was a Syrian, and not only a foreigner, but an enemy to Israel (Lu 4:27); Many lepers were in Israel in the days of Eliseus, four particularly, that brought the news of the Syrians' raising the siege of Samaria with precipitation, and leaving the plunder of their tents to enrich Samaria, when Elisha was himself in the besieged city, and this was the accomplishment of his prophecy too; see 2Ki 7:1,3, etc. And yet we do not find that Elisha cleansed them, no not for a reward of their service, and the good tidings they brought, but only the Syrian; for none besides had faith to apply himself to the prophet for a cure. Christ himself often met with greater faith among Gentiles than in Israel. And here he mentions both these instances, to show that he did not dispense the favour of his miracles by private respect, but according to God's wise appointment. And the people of Israel might as justly have said to Elijah, or Elisha, as the Nazarenes to Christ, Physician, heal thyself. Nay, Christ wrought his miracles, though not among his townsmen, yet among Israelites, whereas these great prophets wrought theirs among Gentiles. The examples of the saints, though they will not make a bad action good, yet will help to free a good action from the blame of exceptious people.
2. How he was persecuted at Nazareth.
(1.) That which provoked them was his taking notice of the favour which God by Elijah and Elisha showed to the Gentiles: When they heard these things, they were filled with wrath (Lu 4:28), they were all so; a great change since Lu 4:22, when they wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth; thus uncertain are the opinions and affections of the multitude, and so very fickle. If they had mixed faith with those gracious words of Christ which they wondered at, they would have been awakened by these latter words of his to take heed of sinning away their opportunities; but those only pleased the ear, and went no further, and therefore these grated on the ear, and irritated their corruptions. They were angry that he should compare himself, whom they knew to be the son of Joseph, with those great prophets, and compare them with the men of that corrupt age, when all had bowed the knee to Baal. But that which especially exasperated them was that he intimated some kindness God had in reserve for the Gentiles, which the Jews could by no means bear the thoughts of, Ac 22:21. Their pious ancestors pleased themselves with the hopes of adding the Gentiles to the church (witness many of David's psalms and Isaiah's prophecies); but this degenerate race, when they had forfeited the covenant themselves, hated to think that any others should be taken in.
(2.) They were provoked to that degree that they made an attempt upon his life. This was a severe trial, now at his setting out, but a specimen of the usage he met with when he came to his own, and they received him not. [1.] They rose up in a tumultuous manner against him, interrupted him in his discourse, and themselves in their devotions, for they could not stay until their synagogue-worship was over. [2.] They thrust him out of the city, as one not worthy to have a residence among them, though there he had had a settlement so long. They thrust from them the Saviour and the salvation, as if he had been the offscouring of all things. How justly might he have called for fire from heaven upon them! But this was the day of his patience. [3.] They led him to the brow of the hill, with a purpose to throw him down headlong, as one not fit to live. Though they knew how inoffensively he had for so many years lived among them, how shining his conversation had been,—though they had heard such a fame of him and had but just now themselves admired his gracious words,—though in justice he ought to have been allowed a fair hearing and liberty to explain himself, yet they hurried him away in a popular fury, or frenzy rather, to put him to death in a most barbarous manner. Sometimes they were ready to stone him for the good works he did (Joh 10:32), here for not doing the good works they expected from him. To such a height of wickedness was violence sprung up.
(3.) Yet he escaped, because his hour was not yet come: He passed through the midst of them unhurt. Either he blinded their eyes, as God did those of the Sodomites and Syrians, or he bound their hands, or filled them with confusion, so that they could not do what they designed; for his work was not done, it was but just begun; his hour was not yet come, when it was come, he freely surrendered himself. They drove him from them, and he went his way. He would have gathered Nazareth, but they would not, and therefore their house is left to them desolate. This added to the reproach of his being Jesus of Nazareth, that not only it was a place whence no good thing was expected, but that it was such a wicked, rude place, and so unkind to him. Yet there was a providence in it, that he should not be much respected by the men of Nazareth, for that would have looked like a collusion between him and his old acquaintance; but now, though they received him not, there were those that did.
31-44
The Expulsion of a Demon; Christ's Departure from Capernaum
繁體中文
趕出污鬼；基督離開迦百農
³¹ 耶穌下到迦百農，就是加利利的一座城，在安息日教訓眾人。
³² 他們很希奇他的教訓，因為他的話裏有權柄。
³³ 在會堂裏，有一個人，被污鬼的精氣附著，大聲喊叫說：
³⁴ 「唉！拿撒勒的耶穌，我們與你有甚麼相干？你來滅我們嗎？我知道你是誰，乃是神的聖者。」
³⁵ 耶穌責備他說：「不要作聲，從這人身上出來吧！」鬼把那人摔倒在眾人中間，就出來了，卻也沒有害他。
³⁶ 眾人都驚訝，彼此對問說：「這是甚麼道理呢？因為他用權柄能力吩咐污鬼，污鬼就出來。」
³⁷ 於是耶穌的名聲傳遍了周圍地方。
³⁸ 耶穌出了會堂，進了西門的家。西門的岳母害熱病甚重，有人為她求耶穌。
³⁹ 耶穌站在她旁邊，斥責那熱病，病就退了；她立刻起來服事他們。
⁴⁰ 日落的時候，凡有病人的，不論害甚麼病，都帶到耶穌那裏。耶穌按手在他們各人身上，醫好他們。
⁴¹ 又有鬼從好些人身上出來，喊著說：「你是神的兒子基督。」耶穌斥責他們，不許他們說話，因為他們知道他是基督。
⁴² 天亮的時候，耶穌出來，走到曠野地方。眾人去找他，到了他那裏，要留住他，不要他離開他們。
⁴³ 但耶穌對他們說：「我也必須在別城傳神國的福音，因我奉差原是為此。」
⁴⁴ 於是耶穌在加利利的各會堂傳道。
基督被趕出拿撒勒之後，便來到迦百農——加利利的另一座城。這幾節聖經關於祂在那裏傳道和行神蹟的記載，我們之前已經見過（可 1:21 等）。請觀察，
一、祂的傳道：「在安息日教訓眾人」（路 4:31）。在聽人傳講神的道時，我們是把這道當作神的條例，所以是「敬拜神」，這是「安息日」當作的合宜之工。基督的講道大大感動了百姓（路 4:32）；他們「希奇他的教訓」，祂說的每一句話都有分量，並藉此向他們啟示了令人欽佩的真理。這道理本身就令人驚奇，不僅因為這話出自一個未受過博學教育之人。「他的話裏有權柄」；其中有威嚴的力量，又有運行的能力隨著話語進入人的良心。保羅所傳的道理，正藉此證明自己是出於神，因為它「是用聖靈和大能的明證」臨到的。
二、祂的神蹟。此處我們有：
1. 特別指明的兩件神蹟，表明基督是：
（1）在人類世界、在人靈魂中「管轄」並「勝過」「撒但」的那一位——因祂有能力把撒但從所附之人的身體中趕出去；因為「神的兒子顯現出來，為要除滅魔鬼的作為」。
請觀察，[1.] 魔鬼是「污鬼」，其本性與那純全「聖潔」的神直接相反，又從起初的本性敗壞了。[2.] 這污鬼在世人心中運行；在許多人的靈魂裏，正如當時在人的身體裏。[3.] 那些大大在撒但的權勢和運行之下的人，仍可能出現在「會堂」裏，在敬拜神的人之中。[4.] 連鬼魔也「知道並且相信」「耶穌基督是神的聖者」、是神所差來、是「聖者」。[5.] 牠們信卻「戰驚」。這污鬼「大聲喊叫」，是在「某種畏懼審判的等待」之下，並且恐懼基督如今來要毀滅牠。污鬼常常處於持續的驚嚇之中。[6.] 鬼魔與耶穌基督「無干」，也不願與祂有任何相干；因為祂並不是取了天使的本性。[7.] 基督把魔鬼約束住了：「耶穌責備他說，不要作聲」；這話祂是「帶著權柄」說的——希臘文 phimotheti——「被勒住口」；基督不僅吩咐牠靜默，更親自掩住牠的口，勉強牠違背己意而靜默。[8.] 在撒但權勢被打破之時，被征服的仇敵顯出其惡意，而征服者基督則顯出祂統管一切的恩典。此處，第一，魔鬼顯出牠想要作的事——牠把那人「摔倒在眾人中間」，猛烈狂暴，彷彿要把他撕碎。但是，第二，基督顯出祂對魔鬼有何等的大能——祂不僅勉強魔鬼離開那人，更叫魔鬼離開時連「傷害」他都辦不到，沒有給他臨別一擊，沒有臨別一攫。撒但不能「毀滅」的人，牠必盡力「傷害」；但安慰的是，牠只能在基督允許的範圍內傷害他們，甚至不能加給他們任何真正的損害。牠「出來」，「卻也沒有害他」；也就是說，那可憐的人立刻完全痊愈，雖然魔鬼離開他時帶著極大的狂怒，使在場的人都以為他把那人撕碎了。[9.] 基督勝過鬼魔的權柄受到普遍的承認和敬仰（路 4:36）。無人懷疑這神蹟的真實性；它明顯得無可辯駁，也無人提出任何話來削弱其榮耀，因為他們「都驚訝說：這是甚麼道理呢」？那些自稱能趕鬼的人，要用許多咒語和符咒來安撫魔鬼，使之入睡；但基督是「用權柄能力」吩咐牠們，牠們不能抗拒。連「空中掌權者的首領」也是祂的臣僕，在祂面前戰驚。[10.] 這件事比任何別的事更為基督贏得了名聲，傳開了祂的名聲。祂這權能的實例，如今許多人輕看，當時卻被那些親眼看見的人（而且他們不是愚人，是有洞察力的人）所放大，並看作大大尊崇祂的記號（路 4:37）；因這緣故，「耶穌的名聲」比以往更傳遍了「周圍一切地方」。我們的主耶穌起初開始公開傳道時，被談論得極多，後來人們的新鮮感消退，便不及從前了。
（2）基督表明自己是「醫治疾病」的那一位。在前一件神蹟中，祂擊中人類苦難的根源，即撒但的敵意——一切禍患的起源；在這一件中，祂擊中其中一個最蔓延的枝子，即人生最常見的災禍之一，就是肉身的疾病——這病是隨罪進入世界的，是今世最常見、最可感知的罪之刑罰，並且在使我們短暫的年日「滿了患難」上，與任何事物一樣大有貢獻。這些疾病，我們的主耶穌來要除去其毒鉤；作為這意圖的記號，祂在地上時，多半選擇以這類親自除去疾病本身的神蹟來印證祂的道理。在一切肉身疾病中，對成人而言，沒有比「熱病」更常見、更致命的了；這些病來得突然，又突然在人壽數的中間截斷人的年日；有時是「流行性」的，能在短時間內「殺死成千上萬的人」。如今我們在這裏看見基督用一句話治好熱病；地點是在西門的家中，病人是西門的岳母（路 4:38,39）。請觀察，[1.] 基督是一位善為客人付膳資的客人；凡以愛心接待祂進入心中和家中的人，必不因祂吃虧；祂來時帶著醫治。[2.] 連基督所探访的家庭，也可能遭受疾病。那蒙祂「特別恩典」之福的家，仍會遇到今生「常見的災禍」。西門的岳母「患了熱病」。「主啊，你所愛的人病了。」[3.] 連敬虔人有時也會受最嚴厲的試煉，比別人更苦：她「害熱病甚重」——非常急性、高熱、危險；這熱病也許侵襲了她的頭部，使她神志不清。最輕的熱病日久也可能變為危險；但這一開始就是「大熱病」。[4.] 任何年齡都不能免於疾病。彼得的岳母大概「年紀老邁」，卻仍在「熱病」中。[5.] 我們的親屬患病時，我們當為他們的緣故憑信心和禱告就近基督：「有人為她求耶穌」；並且有一特別的應許說，信心的祈禱要救那病人。[6.] 基督在祂百姓患病受苦時，對他們有親切的關懷：「耶穌站在她旁邊」，如同關心她、憐憫她景況的人。[7.] 基督從前有、如今仍有對肉身疾病的主權：「耶穌斥責那熱病」，用一句話吩咐它離開，它「就退了」。祂對疾病說「去」，它就去；「來」，它就來；祂如今仍能「斥責熱病」，甚至大熱病。[8.] 這證明基督的醫治是神蹟性的：因為是瞬間完成的：「她立刻起來」。[9.] 基督賜下新生命——從疾病中康復——之處，祂計畫並期望這確實是一個新的生命，比以往更獻身於事奉祂、榮耀祂。我們的疾病既被斥責而退，我們從病榻上起來，就當專心事奉耶穌基督。[10.] 那事奉基督的人，必須樂意因祂的緣故事奉一切屬祂的人：她「服事他們」——不僅「服事」那治好她的「他」，也服事那為她「求耶穌」的人。我們當盡力向那些為我們禱告的人感恩。
2. 對其他許多同類神蹟作概括性的整批記述。
（1）祂「治好了許多病人」，凡來就祂的，無一例外都被治好；這是「日落的時候」（路 4:40）；是在祂於會堂度過的那個安息日的傍晚。注意，行滿一整天安息日之工是好的，要在這日的工作上豐盛，或這樣或那樣行善，直到日落；正如那些稱安息日和安息日的事為「可喜樂的」之人。請觀察，祂「治好了一切病人」，貧窮的和富足的都治，並且他們「不論害甚麼病」；所以無可懷疑祂只有醫治某一種疾病的特效藥。祂對每一種病都有藥到病除之方。祂醫治時所用的記號是「按手」在病人身上——不是為他們舉手，因為祂是憑權柄醫治的。祂是憑自己的大能醫治。祂這樣要尊榮那後來在賜下聖靈時所用的記號。
（2）祂從許多被鬼附的人身上把鬼趕出去（路 4:41）。鬼附者被迫作出認信。他們說：「你是神的兒子基督」，但他們「喊著」說，滿懷憤怒和不甘；這是在刑架上作的認信，所以不蒙接納為證。基督「斥責他們」，「不許他們說話」，不容他們說「他們知道他是基督」，為要顯明：祂勝過他們是毫無爭辯餘地的，並非與他們有所勾結。
3. 此處記載祂離開迦百農（路 4:42,43）。
（1）祂暫時退到「清靜」之處。祂只給自己留少許睡眠時間；不僅因為「少許便足」，更因為祂「知足於少許」，從不放縱自己安逸；但「天亮的時候」，祂「走到曠野地方」——不是要像隱士那樣長住，而是要偶爾「獨自與神同在」；即使那些最投入公開事工的人，也當如此，並當設法如此，否則他們的工作必進展不佳，並且他們會發現自己「如此獨處之時」最不孤單。
（2）祂又「回到」「人群聚集」之處和祂在那裏當作的工。雖然「曠野地方」可能是方便的「退修」之處，卻不是方便的「常住」之處，因為我們被差到這世上，不是要「為自己活」——甚至不是只為自己「最好的部分」活——而是要在自己的世代中榮耀神、行善。[1.] 人們懇切挽留祂在迦百農。「眾人」極其愛慕祂；恐怕，多半因為祂醫好了他們的病人，勝過因為祂向他們傳悔改的道。「他們去找他」，探問祂走的是哪條路；雖是在「曠野地方」，他們「還是到了他那裏」。我們若與基督同在，曠野就不是曠野了。他們「要留住他，不要他離開他們」，這樣祂若要走，也不會是因為沒有邀請。祂拿撒勒的舊鄰舍曾把祂趕走，但祂迦百農的新相識卻極力挽留祂與他們同住。注意，基督的工人不當因有人拒絕他們而氣餒，因為他們必遇見別的人歡迎他們和他們的信息。[2.] 祂情願把福音之光「擴散」到「多處」，而不願固定在「一處」，免得有人自稱為其餘眾教會的「母會」。祂在迦百農雖受歡迎，又在那裏行了許多善事，卻「奉差傳福音給別城」；迦百農不可強留祂住在那裏。享受福音之益的人，當樂意別人也同享此益，不可貪圖「獨佔」；那些不是被「趕離」一處的工人，可能因更大用處的遠景而被「吸引」到另一處。基督雖在迦百農會堂裏傳道不落空，卻不願受此捆綁，而「在加利利的各會堂傳道」（路 4:44）。Bonum est sui diffusivum——善是自我擴散的。我們的主耶穌沒有把自己局限於任何一個地方或民族，這對我們實在是好的；無論在哪裏，有兩三個人奉祂的名聚會，祂就在他們中間；甚至在「外邦人的加利利」，祂也以特別的同在住在基督徒的會堂裏。
英文原文
The Expulsion of a Demon; Christ's Departure from Capernaum
³¹ And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.
³² And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
³³ And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,
³⁴ Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
³⁵ And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.
³⁶ And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.
³⁷ And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
³⁸ And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her.
³⁹ And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
⁴⁰ Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
⁴¹ And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
⁴² And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.
⁴³ And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
⁴⁴ And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
When Christ was expelled Nazareth, he came to Capernaum, another city of Galilee. The account we have in these verses of his preaching and miracles there we had before, Mk 1:21, etc. Observe,
I. His preaching: He taught them on the sabbath days, Lu 4:31. In hearing the word preached, as an ordinance of God, we worship God, and it is a proper work for sabbath days. Christ's preaching much affected the people (Lu 4:32); they were astonished at his doctrine, there was weight in every word he said, and admirable discoveries were made to them by it. The doctrine itself was astonishing, and not only as it came from one that had not had a liberal education. His word was with power; there was a commanding force in it, and a working power went along with it to the conscience of men. The doctrine Paul preached hereby proved itself to be of God, that it came in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
II. His miracles. Of these we have here,
1. Two particularly specified, showing Christ to be,
(1.) A controller and conqueror of Satan, in the world of mankind, and in the souls of people, by his power to cast him out of the bodies of those he had taken possession of; for for this purpose was he manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Observe, [1.] The devil is an unclean spirit, his nature directly contrary to that of the pure and holy God, and degenerated from what it was at first. [2.] This unclean spirit works in the children of men; in the souls of many, as then in men's bodies. [3.] It is possible that those who are very much under the power and working of Satan may yet be found in the synagogue, among the worshippers of God. [4.] Even the devils know and believe that Jesus Christ is the Holy One of God, is sent of God, and is a Holy One. [5.] They believe and tremble. This unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice, under a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and apprehensive that Christ was now come to destroy him. Unclean spirits are subject to continual frights. [6.] The devils have nothing to do with Jesus Christ, nor desire to have any thing to do with him; for he took not on him the nature of angels. [7.] Christ has the devil under check: He rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace; and this word he spoke with power; phimotheti—Be muzzled, Christ did not only enjoin him silence, but stopped his mouth, and forced him to be silent against his will. [8.] In the breaking of Satan's power, both the enemy that is conquered shows his malice, and Christ, the conqueror, shows his over-ruling grace. Here, First, The devil showed what he would have done, when he threw the man in the midst, with force and fury, as if he would have dashed him to pieces. But, Secondly, Christ showed what a power he had over him, in that he not only forced him to leave him, but to leave him without so much as hurting him, without giving him a parting blow, a parting gripe. Whom Satan cannot destroy, he will do all the hurt he can to; but this is a comfort, he can harm them no further than Christ permits; nay, he shall not do them any real harm. He came out, and hurt him not; that is, the poor man was perfectly well in an instant, though the devil left him with so much rage that all that were present thought he had torn him to pieces. [9.] Christ's power over devils was universally acknowledged and adored, Lu 4:36. No one doubted the truth of the miracle; it was evident beyond contradiction, nor was any thing suggested to diminish the glory of it, for they were all amazed, saying, What a word is this! They that pretended to cast out devils did it with abundance of charms and spells, to pacify the devil, and lull him asleep, as it were; but Christ commanded them with authority and power, which they could not gainsay or resist. Even the prince of the power of the air is his vassal, and trembles before him. [10.] This, as much as any thing, gained Christ a reputation, and spread his fame. This instance of his power, which many now-a-days make light of, was then, by them that were eye-witnesses of it (and those no fools either, but men of penetration), magnified, and was looked upon as greatly magnifying him (Lu 4:37); upon the account of this, the fame of him went out, more than ever, into every place of the country round about. Our Lord Jesus, when he set out at first in his public ministry, was greatly talked of, more than afterwards, when people's admiration wore off with the novelty of the thing.
(2.) Christ showed himself to be a healer of diseases. In the former, he struck at the root of man's misery, which was Satan's enmity, the origin of all the mischief: in this, he strikes at one of the most spreading branches of it, one of the most common calamities of human life, and that is bodily diseases, which came in with sin, are the most common and sensible corrections for it in this life, and contribute as much as any thing towards the making of our few days full of trouble. These our Lord Jesus came to take away the sting of, and, as an indication of that intention, when he was on earth, chose to confirm his doctrine by such miracles, mostly, as took away the diseases themselves. Of all bodily diseases none are more common or fatal to grown people than fevers; these come suddenly, and suddenly cut off the number of men's months in the midst; they are sometimes epidemical, and slay their thousands in a little time. Now here we have Christ's curing a fever with a word's speaking; the place was in Simon's house, his patient was Simon's wife's mother, Lu 4:38,39. Observe, [1.] Christ is a guest that will pay well for his entertainment; those that bid him welcome into their hearts and houses shall be no losers by him; he comes with healing. [2.] Even families that Christ visits may be visited with sickness. Houses that are blessed with his distinguishing favours are liable to the common calamities of this life. Simon's wife's mother was ill of a fever. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. [3.] Even good people may sometimes be exercised with the sharpest afflictions, more grievous than others: She was taken with a great fever, very acute, and high, and threatening; perhaps it seized her head, and made her delirious. The most gentle fevers may by degrees prove dangerous; but this was at first a great fever. [4.] No age can exempt from diseases. It is probable that Peter's mother-in-law was in years, and yet in a fever. [5.] When our relations are sick, we ought to apply ourselves to Christ, by faith and prayer, on their account: They besought him for her; and there is a particular promise that the prayer of faith shall benefit the sick. [6.] Christ has a tender concern for his people when they are in sickness and distress: He stood over her, as one concerned for her, and compassionating her case. [7.] Christ had, and still has, a sovereign power over bodily diseases: He rebuked the fever, and with a word's speaking commanded it away, and it left her. He saith to diseases, Go, and they go; Come, and they come; and can still rebuke fevers, even great fevers. [8.] This proves Christ's cures to be miraculous, that they were done in an instant: Immediately she arose. [9.] Where Christ gives a new life, in recovery from sickness, he designs and expects that it should be a new life indeed, spent more than ever in his service, to his glory. If distempers be rebuked, and we arise from a bed of sickness, we must set ourselves to minister to Jesus Christ. [10.] Those that minister to Christ must be ready to minister to all that are his for his sake: She ministered to them, not only to him that had cured her, but to them that had besought him for her. We must study to be grateful to those that have prayed for us.
2. A general account given by wholesale of many other miracles of the same kind, which Christ did.
(1.) He cured many that were diseased, even all without exception that made their application to him, and it was when the sun was setting (Lu 4:40); in the evening of that sabbath day which he had spent in the synagogue. Note, It is good to do a full sabbath day's work, to abound in the work of the day, in some good work or other, even till sun-set; as those that call the sabbath, and the business of it, a delight. Observe, He cured all that were sick, poor as well as rich, and though they were sick of divers diseases; so that there was no room to suspect that he had only a specific for some one disease. He had a remedy for every malady. The sign he used in healing was laying his hands on the sick; not lifting up his hands for them, for he healed as having authority. He healed by his own power. And thus he would put honour upon that sign which was afterwards used in conferring the Holy Ghost.
(2.) He cast the devil out of many that were possessed, Lu 4:41. Confessions were extorted from the demoniacs. They said, Thou art Christ the Son of God, but they said it crying with rage and indignation; it was a confession upon the rack, and therefore was not admitted in evidence. Christ rebuked them, and did not suffer them to say that they knew him to be the Christ, that it might appear, beyond all contradiction, that he had obtained a conquest over them, and not made a compact with them.
3. Here is his removal from Capernaum, Lu 4:42,43.
(1.) He retired for awhile into a place of solitude. It was but a little while that he allowed himself for sleep; not only because a little served him, but because he was content with a little, and never indulged himself in ease; but, when it was day, he went into a desert place, not to live constantly like a hermit, but to be sometimes alone with God, as even those should be, and contrive to be, that are most engaged in public work, or else their work will go on but poorly, and they will find themselves never less alone than when thus alone.
(2.) He returned again to the places of concourse and to the work he had to do there. Though a desert place may be a convenient retreat, yet it is not a convenient residence, because we were not sent into this world to live to ourselves, no, not to the best part of ourselves only, but to glorify God and do good in our generation. [1.] He was earnestly solicited to stay at Capernaum. The people were exceedingly fond of him; I doubt, more because he had healed their sick than because he had preached repentance to them. They sought him, enquired which way he went; and, though it was in a desert place, they came unto him. A desert is no desert if we be with Christ there. They detained him that he should not depart from them, so that if he would go it should not be for want of invitation. His old neighbours at Nazareth had driven him from them, but his new acquaintances at Capernaum were very importunate for his continuance with them. Note, It ought not to discourage the ministers of Christ that some reject them, for they will meet with others that will welcome them and their message. [2.] He chose rather to diffuse the light of his gospel to many places than to fix it to one, that no one might pretend to be a mother-church to the rest. Though he was welcome at Capernaum, and had done abundance of good there, yet he is sent to preach the gospel to other cities also; and Capernaum must not insist upon his stay there. They that enjoy the benefit of the gospel must be willing that others also should share in that benefit, and not covet the monopoly of it; and those ministers who are not driven from one place may yet be drawn to another by a prospect of greater usefulness. Christ, though he preached not in vain in the synagogue at Capernaum, yet would not be tied to that, but preached in the synagogues of Galilee, Lu 4:44. Bonum est sui diffusivum—What is good is self-diffusive. It is well for us that our Lord Jesus has not tied himself to any one place or people, but, wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he will be in the midst of them: and even in Galilee of the Gentiles his special presence is in the Christian synagogues.
上文記到基督剛受了洗，得着從天上來的聲音的認可，並有聖靈降在他身上。如今在本章中我們看到：一、他因在曠野受試探而為自己的公開事奉作進一步的預備——這事我們在馬太福音中已讀過同樣的記載（路四1-13）。二、他在加利利開始公開的事工（路四14-15），特別是：1. 在拿撒勒——他從小長大的城（路四16-30），這一段我們在馬太福音中從未讀過。2. 在迦百農，他在那裏傳道令人讚歎（路四31-32），又從一個被鬼附的人身上趕出鬼（路四33-37），醫好了彼得的岳母的熱病（路四38-39），並醫好了許多患病和被鬼附的人（路四40-41），然後到加利利的別的城去作同樣的事（路四42-44）。