Luke 4

     4:1-12.  See notes Mt.4:1-11.

     Here at the beginning of Jesus ministry, he begins to fulfill all the typology of the holy days.  V.1 strongly suggests the scapegoat, as the sin bearer of the people is led out into the wilderness on the Day of Atonement (Lev.16:10, 21-22).  If this was indeed that time of year (early autumn), then Jesus must have had a three and one half year ministry, ending in the early spring during the Passover festival, probably in A.D.30 (cf. Dan.9:24-27, where it is said Messiah will be cut off in mid-week of the 70th week of years).  (See 4:25 note for the significance of the three and one half year time period).

     4:13.  Luke’s addition of the phrase, “until an opportune time”, is important to reflect on.

     4:18-19.  Is.61:1-2.  Jesus proclaims “the favorable year of the LORD”.  That is, the year of Jubilee (Lev.25:8 ff.).

     4:25.  See also Ja.5:17.  The number seven, since the seven days of creation, has stood for completion.   In this verse, Jesus refers to the drought of 3 1/2 years in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17&18).  God ended it at Elijah’s prayer (Ja.5:17).  Since it was half of a complete seven, it came to symbolize a time cut short.  The symbol occurs in various forms (1260 days; 42 months; a time, times, and half a time, etc.) in both Daniel and the Revelation. 

     4:29.  Cf. John 1:11. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

     4:34.  I would have preferred the translators had used something like Aah! rather than “Ha!”  It seems not to be a cry of defiance, but of fear and surprise.