Luke 4:21

21 And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears.

Luke 4:21 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 4:21

And he began to say unto them
To preach from those words; the explanation of which he gave, though not here recorded, and applied them to himself, to whom they belonged, saying:

this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears;
which is as if he should say, I am the person here spoken of; and at this present time the Spirit of God is upon me; I am anointed with the Holy Ghost, and now preach glad tidings to you, and all the good things here mentioned, and for the several ends proposed; and this Scripture has its full accomplishment which has been read unto you, and you have heard this day. So the Syriac version renders it, (Nwkyndabd) , "which is in your ears"; that is, which you have now heard. The Jews themselves acknowledge, that these words are spoken of the Messiah. One of their writers F9 says,

``these are the words of the prophet with respect to the Messiah; for the Messiah shall say so, "because the Lord hath anointed me"''

And so said the true Messiah Jesus. Another of them expresses himself thus F11:

``these are the words of the prophet with respect to the Messiah; for the Messiah shall say thus, "because the Lord hath anointed me" or they are the words of the prophet concerning himself.''

And elsewhere it is said by them F12,

``the holy, blessed God, will send his Messiah to us, and he shall be worthy of this, (i.e. the character of a meek person) as it is said, ( Isaiah 61:1 ) "he hath sent me to preach glad tidings to the meek."''


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Kimchi in Sepher Shorash. rad. (xvm)
F11 R. Sol. Hamelec in Miclol Yophi in loc.
F12 Juchaain, fol. 69. 1.

Luke 4:21 In-Context

19 To preach deliverance to the captives and sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of reward.
20 And when he had folded the book, he restored it to the minister and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21 And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears.
22 And all gave testimony to him. And they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth. And they said: Is not this the son of Joseph?
23 And he said to them: Doubtless you will say to me this similitude: Physician, heal thyself. As great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in thy own country.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.