Luke 4:20

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.

Luke 4:20 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 4:20

And he closed the book
"Or rolled it up"; and so the high priest did, after he read in the book of the law, on the day of atonement, all that was necessary to be read, (hrwt rpo llwg) , "he rolled the book of the law", and put it in his bosom F6:

and he gave it again to the minister;
the Chazan F7, who was the minister, or servant of the congregation, who had the affairs of it upon him, to let in, and bring out, and to order all things; and particularly to take care of the book of the law, and the chest, or ark in which it was. If the same rule was observed giving and taking the book of any prophet, as the book of the law; then Christ gave it to the minister, and he received it with his right hand: for so it is said {h},

``he that gives the book of the law to his friend, may not give it but with the right hand; and he that receives it may not receive it but with the right hand; for so was the giving of it on Mount Sinai, according to ( Deuteronomy 33:2 ) .''

And sat down;
as was the manner of the Jews, when they taught, or preached; (See Gill on Matthew 5:1).

and the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened
on him:
they looked very wistly at him, and were very attentive to what he should say, upon such a passage of Scripture, which they knew referred to the Messiah; and the rather, as they had known him formerly, and had heard that he was said to be the Messiah.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Misn. Yoma, c. 7. sect. 1.
F7 Bartenora in Misn. Sota, c. 7. sect. 7.
F8 Massechet Sopherirn, c. 3. sect. 10.

Luke 4:20 In-Context

18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me. Wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the contrite of heart,
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?
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