7: Early Galilean Ministry (1) (Lk 4:14-44)

I.       The Basics

A.     Setting

Jesus triumphed over Satan during the temptations that lasted forty days. Then He returned to Galilee, where He grew up, and began His public ministry. He taught in the synagogues from city to city and healed their sick. People were all amazed at His authority. But despite the great impact of His words and works on the people, Jesus already began to encounter intense rejection from the very start.

B.     Key Verse

            “But He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent’” (4:43).

C.     Did You Know…?

1.      Synagogues (4:15): (Hellenistic Gk. sunag-og-e, “gathering of people,” “a congregation,” “a place of prayer,” Acts 16:13)…  As only a small proportion of the people could become proficient in the study of the law under the scribes, and as it was desirable that all should have at least an elementary acquaintance therewith, the custom grew up in postexilic times of reading the Scriptures in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.^7/1229

2.      The year of the Lord’s favor (4:19): Not a calendar year, but the period when salvation would be proclaimed—the Messianic age. The quotation from Isa 61:1-2 alludes to the Year of Jubilee (Lev 25:8-55), when once every 50 years slaves were freed, debts were canceled and ancestral property was returned to the original family.^5/1545

3.      Sat down (4:20): it was customary to stand while reading Scripture (v. 16) but to sit while teaching (see Mt 5:1; 26:55; Jn 8:2; Ac 16:13).^5/1545

4.      Capernaum (4:23,31) is one of the territories assigned to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. It is located at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee.

5.      Sidon (4:26): One of the oldest Phoenician cities, situated along the Mediterranean.

6.      When the sun was setting (4:40): The Sabbath (v. 31) was over at sundown (about 6:00 p.m.). Until then, according to the tradition of the elders, Jews could not travel more than about two-thirds of a mile or carry a burden. Only after sundown could they carry the sick to Jesus, and their eagerness is seen in the fact that they set out while the sun was still setting.^5/1545-1546

II.    Observation

A.     Outline

(4:14-30)

(4:31-41)

(31-37)

(38-39)

(40-41)

(4:42-44)

B.     Key Words/Phrases

III. General Analysis

1.   Observe all the references to the effect of Jesus’ words and preaching.

2.   How was the messianic prophecy of Deut 18:18 fulfilled in Jesus in this narrative?

IV.  Segment Analysis

A.     4:14-30

1. What was the people’s initial response to Jesus’ message?

2a. Based on the words of Isaiah (18-19), explain the effect of Jesus’ ministry as well as our preaching.

2b. How have you experienced these effects of the gospel in your life?

2c. What enables the preacher of the gospel to bring out the effect of the gospel?

3. What was the people’s reaction after Jesus spoke from Isaiah’s prophecy? Why did they react this way?

4a. If Jesus knew that the people of His own town would reject Him, why did He still preach to them?

4b. What lesson can we learn here for our preaching?

5a. What was Jesus saying through the proverb in 23?

5b.What is the point of Jesus’ words in 25-27?

5c. What was the people’s reaction to these words, and why did they react this way? What does this tell us about them?

6. What miracle happened then?

B.     4:31-37

7. What kind of authority did Jesus’ words have that astonished the people? (32)

8a. How did Jesus heal the demon-possessed man?

8b. How does this story relate to the messianic prophecy in the previous section (18-19)?

8c. What was the people’s reaction and the resulting effect of the healing?

C.     4:38-41

9. Verse 38 mentions an important role Simon’s family played. What was it? What does this teach us?

10. What did Simon’s mother-in-law do after receiving healing? What can we learn from her?

11. How did Jesus heal the multitude? Is there something we can learn from His action?

12. Why do you think the people waited until sunset to bring the sick to Jesus?

D.     4:42-44

13a. What did Jesus do after the healings? Why?

13b. How do you withdraw yourself in the midst of your busy schedule?

14a. Why did the people try to keep Jesus from leaving them?

14b. What is the significance of the words in 43? What can we learn about the priority of Jesus’ ministry?