Luke 4:21

21 He began to say to them, "While you heard these words just now, they were coming true!"

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 God sent me to free those who have been treated unfairly and to announce the time when the Lord will show his kindness."
20 Jesus closed the book, gave it back to the assistant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue was watching Jesus closely.
21 He began to say to them, "While you heard these words just now, they were coming true!"
22 All the people spoke well of Jesus and were amazed at the words of grace he spoke. They asked, "Isn't this Joseph's son?"
23 Jesus said to them, "I know that you will tell me the old saying: 'Doctor, heal yourself.' You want to say, 'We heard about the things you did in Capernaum. Do those things here in your own town!'"
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.