Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 4:17
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
17. there was delivered unto him ] Literally, “there was further handed to Him.” The expression means that after He, or another, had read the Parashah, or First Lesson, which was always from the Pentateuch, the clerk handed to him the Roll of Isaiah, which contained the Haphtarah, or Second Lesson.
when he had opened the book ] If anaptuxas is the true reading, it means ‘unrolling.’ The Thorah, or Law, was written on a parchment between two rollers, and was always left unrolled at the column for the day’s lesson; but the Megilloth of the Prophets, &c., were on single rollers, and the right place had to be found by the reader ( Maphtir).
he found ] The word heure leaves it uncertain whether the ‘finding’ was what man calls ‘accidental,’ or whether it was the regular haphtarah of the day. It is now the Second Lesson for the great day of Atonement; but according to Zunz (the highest Jewish authority on the subject) the present order of the Lessons in the Synagogue worship belongs to a later period than this.
the place where it was written ] Isa 61:1-2. Our Lord, according to the custom of the Synagogue, must have read the passage in Hebrew, and then either by Himself, or by an interpreter ( Methurgeman) it must have been translated to the congregation in Aramaic or Greek, since Hebrew was at this time a dead and learned language. The quotation is here freely taken by the Evangelist from the LXX., possibly from memory, and with reminiscences, intentional or otherwise, of other passages.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
There was delivered unto him – By the minister of the synagogue, or the keeper of the sacred books. They were kept in an ark or chest, not far from the pulpit, and the minister gave them to whomsoever he chose, to read them publicly.
The book – The volume contained the prophecy of Isaiah. It would seem, from this, that the books were kept separate, and not united into one as with us.
When he had opened the book – Literally, when he had unrolled the book. Books, among the ancients, were written on parchments or vellum that is, skins of beasts, and were rolled together on two rollers, beginning at each end, so that while reading they rolled off from one to the other. Different forms of books were indeed used, but this was the most common. When used the reader unrolled the manuscript as far as the place which he wished to find, and kept before him just so much as he would read. When the roller was done with, it was carefully deposited in a case.
The place where it was written – Isa 61:1-2.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. And when he had opened the book] , When he had unrolled it. The Sacred Writings used to this day, in all the Jewish synagogues, are written on skins of basil, parchment, or vellum, sewed end to end, and rolled on two rollers, beginning at each end; so that, in reading from right to left, they roll off with the left, while they roll on with the right. Probably the place in the Prophet Isaiah, here referred to, was the lesson for that day; and Jesus unrolled the manuscript till he came to the place: then, after having read, he rolled it up again, and returned it to the officer, Lu 4:20, the ruler of the synagogue, or his servant, whose business it was to take care of it. The place that he opened was probably the section for the day. See the table at the end of Deuteronomy, and the note at the end of that table.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The words differ in some things from the words of the prophet out of which they are quoted, Isa 61:1, where is nothing of recovering of sight to the blind; but they exactly agree with the Septuagint version, only, Luk 4:19, they have , to call, and Luke hath , to preach, according to which probably the copies of the Septuagint in use with them were. It was their manner in the synagogues for the minister (an officer appointed to that purpose, see Luk 4:20) to bring the book of the law or of the prophets which was to be read, and to deliver it to him that officiated for that time, who, when he had read, redelivered it to the same officer to be laid up. Their writers tell us, that the books of Moses were divided into several portions, which they were tied to read in order; but for the books of the prophets, he that officiated was more at liberty to read in what place and proportion he pleased. Our Lord readeth Isa 61:1, which, according to the Septuagint copy, was as Luke here translated; and by the way, this custom of the writers of the New Testament, (writing in Greek), to quote texts out of the Old Testament, very often according to that Septuagint translation, may, first, give us some account of the difficulty we met with Luk 3:1-38, where Sala was made the son of Cainan, and the grandchild of Arphaxad, whereas Moses mentions no Cainan, Gen 11:1-32 Luke, taking the quotation of the Septuagint, might put it in according to them, for they have it in Gen 11:12. Secondly, it may learn us not to be too curious as to minute things in Scripture, for had it been a thing of moment, the Holy Spirit of God had certainly never suffered Luke to write after their copy, either there or here. God never had a church in any place, but he soon stirred up some to make an interpretation of the Scriptures for their use, and so far assisted them, that though they might differ from the Hebrew text, or the Greek, in some minute things, yet they differed not in any thing of moment necessary for us to know and believe in order to salvation. And the frequent quotations we have in the New Testament out of the Septuagint, incline us to think that it is the will of God, that particular persons in churches should make use of such versions, and take them for the Holy Scriptures, not lightly and ordinarily varying from them; the translating of Scriptures, being not an ordinary ministerial gift, but the work of some stirred up by God unto it, and whom he more than ordinarily so assists, as that they have not erred in any momentous thing. If this may be admitted, we need not lay the fault upon those who transcribed Lukes copy. But let us come to the text itself.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me. Anointing may signify two things:
1. The endowment of the person with gifts and abilities fit for his work. Thus, 1Jo 2:27, the anointing is said to teach us all things; and Christ is said, Psa 45:7; Heb 1:9, to be anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows, which the Baptist seemeth to interpret, Joh 3:34, God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
2. Anointing also was a symbol of Gods calling out and sending a person to the execution of an office, 2Ki 9:6.
3. I find also anointing used as a symbol of Gods purpose and designation of a person to an employment, to the performance of which he did not presently call him; thus David was anointed, 1Sa 16:13.
By
the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, I conceive is meant, exciting and quickening Christ to the present execution of that office to which God had anointed him; that is:
1. Of old designed him;
2. Fitted him, giving him the Spirit not by measure;
3. Now called him to the exercise of it: and because the Lord had so designed him, so prepared, and now so called him, the Spirit now excited and quickened him.
God stirreth up none to take upon them the office of the ministry, whom he hath not fitted with gifts for the discharge of it. But what was this employment to which Christ was anointed? , to preach the gospel to the poor. This was the great work of our Lord and Saviour, to preach. And what? The gospel, the glad tidings of salvation. To whom? : it is used to signify those that are mean in the world, and, by a figure, those that are miserable and afflicted; and this I should take to be the sense here, in conformity to that other phrase which our Saviour useth to Johns disciples, Mat 6:5, and to that of the apostle, 1Co 1:27. Christ was first sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who were all at this time in a poor afflicted state and condition, and amongst them chiefly to the meaner sort. The rulers believed not on him, Joh 7:48; to teach ministers what Erasmus saith, Nulla nobis anima vilis videri debet, pro qua Dominus gloriae mori non est dedignatus, That they are too proud that despise the poor, and that we ought not to count any soul vile for which he who was the Lord of glory disdained not to die: we may add, to which the great Minister of the circumcision took himself to be anointed to preach.
I had rather thus understand it, than of such as are poor in spirit; which seem to be understood in the next words, he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, whether wounded in the sense of sin, or melted in the sense of mercy: the whole hearted are such as see no need of repentance, no need of a Saviour; Christ came not to heal these; The whole need not a physician.
It followeth, to preach deliverance to the captives; to let them know, that are yet slaves to sin and to their lusts, that there is a way for their deliverance.
And recovering of sight to the blind; to let all blind sinners know, that there is an eye salve discovered, which if applied will recover their spiritual sight.
To set at liberty them that are bruised: it is of the same significance with binding up the broken in heart.
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord; the true jubilee, when every soul may be set free from the bonds of its sins, 2Co 6:17; the year of Gods good will; that the time was now come, when in every nation he that feared God, and wrought righteousness, should be accepted with him, Act 10:35.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And there was delivered unto him,…. By the “Chazan”, or minister, to whom he gave it again, Lu 4:20, for the “Chazan” of the synagogue, was, , “the minister” r; one part of whose business was, to deliver the book of the law to, and take it from him that read: when an high priest read, the method taken was this s;
“the “Chazan”, or minister of the synagogue, took the book of the law, and gave it to the ruler of the synagogue, and the ruler of the synagogue gave it to the “Sagan”, and the “Sagan” gave it to the high priest, and the high priest stood and received, and read standing.”
The same method was observed, when a king read in the book of the law t; but when a common priest, or an inferior person read, so much ceremony was not used, as to hand the book from one to another: the manner in their synagogues and schools, was this u;
“the “Chazan” brought out the book of the law, and the priest read, and after him a Levite; then the “Chazan” of the synagogue brought the book of the law down, to the head of the captivity, and all the people stood; and he took the book of the law into his hands, and “stood and read” in it; and the heads of the schools stood with him, and the head of the university of Sofa interpreted it; and returned the book of the law to the “Chazan”, and he returned it to the chest.”
That part of the sacred volume which was delivered unto Jesus at this time, was
the book of the prophet Esaias; it is very likely, that the lesson out of the prophets for that day, was to be read out of the prophecy of Isaiah; and it seems probable, that it was the single book of Isaiah, or that prophecy rolled up by itself, in one volume, that was delivered to Christ; as the law was divided, into five parts, each fifth part was sometimes in a book, or volume by itself: hence a fifth part of the law, is by the Jews interpreted w, , “a book” of the law, in which there is but one fifth part; so might the prophets be in separate and distinct books, and it as if they sometimes were, by the following account x a man may
“join together the law, the prophets, and the holy writings, as one, the words of R. Meir. R. Juda says, the law by itself, the prophets by themselves, and the holy writings by themselves; and the wise men say, each by themselves (i.e. each book by itself;) and says R. Judah, it happened to Baithus ben Zunin, that he had eight prophets joined together as one; and there are that say, that he had not, but, , “every one by itself.””
And when he had opened the book; or unrolled it, for books formerly were written in rolls of paper and parchment; and in this form, is the book of the law with the Jews, in their synagogues, to this day:
“all books, they say y, are rolled from the beginning to the end of them, but the book of the law is rolled to the middle of it, and a pillar, or column, is made for it here and there; says R. Eliezer with R. Zadok, so the writers of books in Jerusalem made their books: the Rabbins teach, that they do not make the book of the law its length, more than its circumference, nor its circumference more than its length.”
Such a roll, or volume, of the prophet Isaiah, Christ unrolled, till he came to the place he intended to read: it is a rule with the Jews z that
“they do not unroll the book of the law in the congregation, because of the glory of the congregation.”
It may therefore be asked, whether Christ did not break this rule, since he unrolled the book that was given him, publicly in the synagogue? To which it may be replied, that it was lawful to unroll the book of the prophets, which was what Christ did, but not the law; for so runs another of their rules, a
“they skip in the prophets, but not in the law, because,
, “that they unroll a prophet publicly”, but they do not unroll the law publicly.”
Christ having thus unrolled the volume of the prophet Isaiah, which was put into his hands by the “Chazan”, or minister,
he found the place where it was written; as is expressed in the following verse, and which is to be seen in Isa 61:1, and which was either the lesson of the day, or what Christ particularly sought for, and looked out; or was providentially directed to, as what was pertinent to himself, and proper to read and insist on at this time; for it was not by chance that he hit on this place, and read it, but it was according to purpose, and with design. Before the reading of the prophets, a blessing used to be said, which was in this form b;
“blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the king of the world, Who hath chosen the good prophets, and art well pleased with their words, which are said in truth; blessed art thou, O Lord, who hast chosen the law, Moses his servant, and Israel his people, and the prophets of truth and righteousness.”
Whether this was delivered by Christ, is not certain; however, he read the following passage.
r Jarchi & Battenora in Misn. Sota, c. 7. sect. 7. & Yoma, c. 7. 1. s Misn. Yoma, c. 7. sect. 1. Maimon. Yom Haccippurim, c. 3. sect. 10. t Misn. Sota, c. 7. sect. 8. u Juchasin, fol. 123. 1. w Gloss. in T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 27. 1. x T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 13. 2. & Massechet Sopherim, c. 3. sect 1, 5. y T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 1. z T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 70. 1. Maimon. Hilch, Tephilla, c. 12. sect. 23. a Massecheth Sepherim, c. 11. sect. 2. b Seder Tephillot, fol. 127. 2. Ed. Basil.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Was delivered (). First aorist passive indicative of , to give over to, a common verb. At the proper stage of the service “the attendant” or “minister” (, under rower) or “beadle” took out a roll of the law from the ark, unwrapped it, and gave it to some one to read. On sabbath days some seven persons were asked to read small portions of the law. This was the first lesson or Parashah. This was followed by a reading from the prophets and a discourse, the second lesson or Haphtarah. This last is what Jesus did.
The book of the prophet Isaiah ( ). Literally, “a roll of the prophet Isaiah.” Apparently Isaiah was handed to Jesus without his asking for it. But certainly Jesus cared more for the prophets than for the ceremonial law. It was a congenial service that he was asked to perform. Jesus used Deuteronomy in his temptations and now Isaiah for this sermon. The Syriac Sinaitic manuscript has it that Jesus stood up after the attendant handed him the roll.
Opened (). Really it was
unrolled () as Aleph D have it. But the more general term (from , common verb) is probably genuine. does not occur in the N.T. outside of this passage if genuine.
Found the place ( ). Second aorist active indicative. He continued to unroll (rolling up the other side) till he found the passage desired. It may have been a fixed lesson for the day or it may have been his own choosing. At any rate it was a marvellously appropriate passage (Isa 61:1; Isa 61:2 with one clause omitted and some words from Isa 58:6). It is a free quotation from the Septuagint.
Where it was written ( ). Periphrastic pluperfect passive again as in 4:16.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The book [] . A diminutive of biblov, the inner bark of the papyrus, used for writing. Hence, a roll. The word is also used to denote a division of a work, and is therefore appropriate here to mark the writings of a single prophet as related to the whole body of the prophetic writings. Opened [] . Lit., unrolled. Both this and the simple verb ptussw, to close, (verse 30), occure only once in the New Testament. The former word was used in medical language of the opening out of various parts of the body, and the latter of the rolling up of bandages. The use of these terms by Luke the physician is the more significant from the fact that elsewhere in the New Testament ajnoigw, is used for the opening of a book (Rev 5:2 – 5; Rev 10:2, 8; Rev 20:12) and eijlissw, for rolling it up (Rev 6:14).
Found. As if by chance : reading at the place where the roll opened of itself, and trusting to divine guidance.
Was written [ ] . Lit., was having been written; i e., stood written.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And there was delivered unto him,” (kai epedothe auto) “And there was handed to him,” passed to Him for Him to select a passage and offer His comment on it, a frequent practice of courtesy extended by the ruler of the synagogue to persons of recognized learning or note.
2) “The book of the prophet Esaias.” (biblion tou prophetou Isaiou) “The scroll (book) of Isaiah the prophet,” the one written by Isaiah the prophet.
3) “And when he had opened the book,” (kai anoiksas to biblion) “And when he had opened (unrolled) the scroll,” to locate a particular passage.
4) “He found the place where it was written,” (heuren (ton) topon ou en gegrammenon) “And he found (located) the place (passage) where it had been and was written,” or located the Scripture reading for the day, in the midst of Isaiah’s description of the Messiah, or the passage appropriate for that day, Isa 61:1-2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
17. He found the passage There is no doubt that Christ deliberately selected this passage. Some think that it was presented to him by God; (322) but, as a liberty of choice was allowed him, I choose to say that, by his own judgment, he took this passage in preference to others. Isaiah there predicts that, after the Babylonish captivity, there will still be witnesses of the grace of God, who shall gather the people from destruction, and from the darkness of death, and restore, by a spiritual power, the Church, which has been overwhelmed by so many calamities. But as that redemption was to be proclaimed in the name and authority of Christ alone, he uses the singular number, and speaks in the name of Christ, that he may more powerfully awaken the minds of the godly to strong confidence. It is certain, that what is here related belongs properly to Christ alone, for two reasons: first, because he alone was endued with the fullness of the Spirit, (Joh 3:34,) to be the witness and ambassador of our reconciliation to God; (and, for this reason, Paul (Eph 2:17) assigns peculiarly to him, what belongs to all the ministers of the Gospel, namely, that he, “came and preached peace to them which were afar off, and to them that were nigh:”) secondly, because he alone, by the power of his Spirit, performs and grants all the benefits that are here promised.
(322) “ Aucuns pensent que par la volonte de Dieu il l’ait recontre sans le chercher.” — “Some think that, by the will of God, he found it without seeking for it.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) The book of the prophet Esaias.The Lawi.e., the Pentateuchwas commonly written on one long roll. The other books, in like mannersingly or combined, according to their lengthwere written on rolls of parchment, and were unrolled from the cylinder to which they were fastened. Here, it is clear, Isaiah formed a roll by itself. It is a natural inference from the fact that it was given to Him, that it contained the prophetic lesson for the day. In the calendar of modern Jews, the lessons from Isaiah run parallel with those from Deuteronomy. The chapter which He read stands as the second lesson for the day of Atonement. We cannot prove that the existing order obtained in the time of our Lords ministry, but everything in Judaism rests mainly on old traditions; and there is therefore nothing extravagant in the belief that it was on the day of Atonement that the great Atoner thus struck what was the key-note of His whole work.
When he had opened the book.Better, when He had unrolled.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Delivered unto him The chazan, or superintendent of service, hands him the book or roll, taken from the chest or closet where it was, as was customarily done to any person in the estimation of the superintendent qualified to read the exercise. The “fame of him” (Luk 4:14-15) had encompassed Nazareth, and the curiosity of the audience amply justified the chazan in giving him liberty of speech. The book was a roll, as described in our note upon Mat 1:1. It was opened by unrolling, and shut by rolling up again. The place may have been the regular lesson of the day, and the roll containing Isaiah may have been handed him; but it is not certain that such division of the lesson at that time existed.
Found the place By revolving the roll so as to reach it. No place could be more appropriate. The passage is in Isa 61:1-2.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And there was delivered to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written,’
The scroll handed to Jesus was the book of the prophet Isaiah. We do not know whether this was because the reading for the day had been fixed, or simply by the choice of the ruler of the Synagogue. Either way Jesus opened the book at what we know as Chapter 61. This is the description of the Spirit anointed Prophet of the last days. Jesus then read from it.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 4:17-19. When he had opened the book, &c. , unrolling the volume. The sacred books were written anciently on skins of parchment, and sewed together; and the books thus written were rolled up into volumes, like the Pentateuchs used by the modern Jews in their synagogues. The reader will find a full account of them in Jones’s Vindicationof St. Matthew’s Gospel, ch. 15. As the scriptures were read in order, the passage of the prophet Isaiah which fell of course to be read in the synagogue of Nazareth that day, would naturally present itself on separating the two rolls of the book. This happened to be the celebrated prediction, Isa 61:1 in which the Messiah is introduced describing his own mission, character, and office; the reader is referred to our notes on that chapter. The doctrine of the ever-blessed Trinity is often interwoven, even in those scriptures where one would least expect it. We have a clear declaration of the great THREE-ONE in the words before us.The Spiritof the Lordis upon Me; because he hath anointed me, that is, commissioned meto preach the Gospel to the poor, that is to say, the meek and lowly in heart. To one who considers the matter attentively, it must appear an unspeakable recommendation of the gospel economy, that it offers the pardon of sin and salvation to all, on the same terms. The rich here have no pre-eminence over the poor, as they seem to have had under the law, which prescribes such costly sacrifices for the atonement of sin as were very burdensome to the poor. The prophet Isaiah, therefore, in describing the happiness of gospel-times, very fitly introduces the Messiah mentioning this as one of the many blessings which would accrue to the world from his coming; that the glad tidings of salvation were to be preached by him and his ministers to the poor, and consequently were to be offered to them without money, and without price, Isa 55:1. Instead of recovering of sight to the blind, which is in the LXX, the Hebrew copies of Isaiah have, and the opening of the prison to the bound. Some render the clause in Isaiah, and to the prisoners broad day-light, or open vision. The last clause in the 18th verse is neither in the LXX, nor in the original Hebrew. We find it indeed in Isa 58:6 where the LXX have the very words. The 18th verse contains a magnificent description of the Messiah’s miracles and mighty works: all that he needed to do, for the deliverance of such persons as were held captives,or, as the apostle expresses it, were oppressed of the devil, Act 10:38.was to preach ( ), to proclaim, or declare them delivered. In like manner, to give recovery of sight to the blind, or to work any other miracle of healing, no more was requisite, but that he should speak the word. It is observable, that in this description of the Messiah’s ministry, Isaiah has alluded to the manners of the easterns, who in ancient times were so inhuman as to lead captive into far distant lands those whom they conquered. Their principal captives they cast into prison, loaded with irons, which sorely bruised their bodies; and to render them incapable of raising fresh disturbances, or it may be to increase their misery, they sometimes put out their eyes. In this manner Nebuchadnezzar treated Zedekiah. Wherefore, as the Messiah in many other prophesies had been represented under the notion of a great and mighty conqueror, Isaiah, in describing his spiritual triumphs, with great propriety introduces him declaring, that he was come to subdue the oppressors ofmankind, and to deliver from captivity and misery those wretches whom they had enslaved, by opening the prison-doors, healing the wounds and bruises occasioned by their chains, and even by giving sight to those whose eyes had been put out in prison. Some, understanding this prophesy in a literal sense, are of opinion, that it foretels the alteration which by the Christian religion has been made in the policy of nations, but especially in the manner of making war, and of treating the vanquished, in both which much more humanityis now used than anciently, to the great honour of the Christian institution, and of its Divine Author; and this sense we have no objection to including in the passage, though not as the primary or most important one.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 4:17 . ] it was given up to Him that is to say, by the officer of the synagogue, Lightfoot, p. 763.
] the reading of the Parascha (section out of the law), which preceded that of the Haphthara (prophetic section), appears to have been already concluded, and perhaps there was actually in the course a Haphthara from Isaiah. [84] But in accordance with His special character (as , Mat 12:8 ), Jesus takes the section which He lights upon as soon as it is unrolled ( . , comp. Herod. i. 48, 125), and this was a very characteristic Messianic passage, describing by very definite marks the Messiah’s person and work. By . and the lighting exactly on this passage is represented as fortuitous , but just on that account as being divinely ordered (according to Theophylact: not , but ).
[84] The arrangement of the present Haphtharas was not yet settled at the time of Jesus. See Zunz, Gottesd. Vortrge d. Juden , p. 6.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Ver. 17. He found the place ] Whether he looked for it, or it so happened by a providence, it is uncertain. Origen, after his fall, lighting on that text, Psa 50:16 . “What hast thou to do to take my words,” &c., fell into a passion of weeping, and came out of the pulpit, as not able to speak to the people. Augustine hearing from heaven, Tolle, lege, and happening upon that place, Rom 13:14 ; “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,” &c., was presently converted thereby. So was Cyprian, by reading the prophecy of Jonah.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
17. ] It is doubtful whether the Rabbinical cycle of Sabbath readings, or lessons from the law and prophets, were as yet in use: but some regular plan was adopted; and according to that plan, after the reading of the law, which always preceded, the portion from the prophets came to be read (see Act 13:15 ), which, for that sabbath, fell in the prophet Isaiah. The roll containing that book (probably, that alone) was given to the Lord. But it does not appear that He read any part of the lesson for the day; but when He had unrolled the scroll, found (the fortuitous, i.e. providential , finding is the most likely interpretation, not the searching for and finding) the passage which follows.
No inference can be drawn as to the time of the year from this narrative; partly on account of the uncertainty above mentioned, and partly because it is not quite clear whether the roll contained only Isaiah, or other books also.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 4:17 . : the second lesson, Haphtarah , was from the prophets; the first, Parashah , from the Law, which was foremost in Rabbinical esteem. Not so in the mind of Jesus. The prophets had the first place in His thoughts, though without prejudice to the Law. No more congenial book than Isaiah (second part especially) could have been placed in His hand. Within the Law He seems to have specially loved Deuteronomy, prophetic in spirit (vide the temptation ). : by choice, or in due course, uncertain which; does not greatly matter. The choice would be characteristic, the order of the day providential as giving Jesus just the text He would delight to speak from. The Law was read continuously, the prophets by free selection (Holtz., H. C.).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
there was delivered, &c. = there was further delivered: i.e. the prophets (the Haphtorah), the second lesson after another had read the Law (the Parashah or first lesson). This delivery was made by the chazan = overseer, or Sheliach tzibbor, angel of the congregation. See Rev 2:1, Rev 2:8, Rev 2:12, Rev 2:18; Rev 3:1, Rev 3:7, Rev 3:14.
Esaias = Isaiah. For the occurance of his name in the N.T. see App-79.
opened = unrolled. This word and “closed” (Luk 4:20) Occurs only here in the N.T. Compare Neh 8:5.
found the place. Isa 61:1, Isa 61:2. Doubtless the Haphtorahtorah or second lesson for the day,
it was written = it stood written. See App-107.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
17.] It is doubtful whether the Rabbinical cycle of Sabbath readings, or lessons from the law and prophets, were as yet in use: but some regular plan was adopted; and according to that plan, after the reading of the law, which always preceded, the portion from the prophets came to be read (see Act 13:15), which, for that sabbath, fell in the prophet Isaiah. The roll containing that book (probably, that alone) was given to the Lord. But it does not appear that He read any part of the lesson for the day; but when He had unrolled the scroll, found (the fortuitous, i.e. providential, finding is the most likely interpretation, not the searching for and finding) the passage which follows.
No inference can be drawn as to the time of the year from this narrative; partly on account of the uncertainty above mentioned, and partly because it is not quite clear whether the roll contained only Isaiah, or other books also.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 4:17. , the book of Isaiah) The Haphtara or publicly-read portion for that Sabbath was from Isaiah: moreover the table which was usually attached to the Hebrew Bibles (Scripture-rolls) of the Jews, connects most of the portions read from Isaiah with those read from Deuteronomy: from which it may be inferred what was the time of year when this Sabbath occurred.-, having unrolled [the scroll on which Isaiahs prophecies were written]) So the form of the books of that age required.-, He found) immediately, and as it were accidentally. The mode of dispensing the Divine word is marvellous: but we ought not to tempt God by casting lots;[45] comp. Act 8:32. The pious use of Biblical sortes or lots, is better than that of Homeric or Virgilian sortes. See E. Neuhus. i. 3, fatid. Sacror., ch. ix, pp. 329, 330. J. C. Pfaff. Diss. de Evang. 25.
[45] i.e. Opening the Bible hap-hazard, in hopes that God would work a miracle by making some passage present itself to solve our difficulties, just as the heathen consulted the oracular sortes.-ED. and TRANSL.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the book: Luk 20:42, Act 7:42, Act 13:15, Act 13:27
he had: [Strong’s G380], “unrolled the book;” the Sacred Writings being anciently – as they are still in the synagogueswritten on skins of parchment, and rolled on two rollers, beginning on each end, so that in reading from right to left, they rolled off with the left hand while they rolled on with the right.
the place: Isa 61:1-3
Reciprocal: Deu 31:11 – shalt read 2Ch 17:9 – the book Neh 8:5 – opened Mat 4:23 – the gospel Mar 1:14 – preaching Mar 1:28 – General Luk 4:20 – and he Act 8:28 – Esaias
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7
Observing the position of Jesus, the ruler of the synagogue handed him the book of Isaiah. Being divinely inspired, Jesus did not need the copy to know what it said, but it was a mark of respect for “the written word” for him to read it, and he had no trouble in locating the place he wished to read which is quoted next verse.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
[And there was delivered unto him the book of Esaias.] I. The minister of the church kept the sacred books in his custody, and brought them out to be read when they met together in the synagogue.
“The high priest came to read [on the day of expiation]; the minister of the synagogue takes the book of the law, and giveth it to the ruler of the synagogue,” etc. Where the Gloss is, The ‘chazan’ of the synagogue; that is, the minister. From him did our Saviour receive the book, and to him he returned it again.
II. If it be asked whether he received the book of the Prophet Isaiah by itself or joined with the other prophets, it is not easy to determine it. We may gather something from what vulgarly obtained amongst them.
“The Rabbins deliver: ‘Let a man frame the Law and the Prophets and the holy writings into one volume’: they are the words of R. Meir. But R. Judah saith, ‘Let the Law be apart by itself; the book of the Prophets by itself; and the book of the holy writings [Hagiographa] by itself.’ And the wise men say, ‘Every book by itself.'”
But we may ask if every prophet was by himself, Isaiah by himself, Jeremiah by himself, etc. It is probable they were: for so they sometimes divided the law into single quintanes [or fifth parts].
All know what title the books of the law do bear in the front of the Hebrew Bibles, viz. The five quintanes of the law. Genesis is the first quintane; Exodus is the second quintane; and so of the rest…
“They fold up the book of the Law in the cloth of the quintanes; and the quintanes in the cloth of the Prophets and Hagiographa: but they do not fold up the Prophets and Hagiographa in the cloth of the quintanes, nor the quintanes in the cloth of the Law.” And a little after; “They lay the Law upon the quintanes; and the quintanes upon the Prophets and Hagiographa; but not the Prophets and Hagiographa upon the quintanes, nor the quintanes upon the Law”: that is, not any one single quintane upon all the quintanes made up into one volume. So the Gloss hath it; “A quintane; that is, a book of the law, in which there is only one quintane.”
Seeing, therefore, that the book of that Law was sometimes divided in this manner, into distinct books, we may judge as well that the greater prophets might be thus divided also, and the twelve lesser made up into one volume. Hence, perhaps, that passage: “The reader of the Prophet might skip from one text to another: but he might not skip from prophet to prophet: but in the twelve prophets it was lawful.” For they were all made up in one volume ready to his hand; and so were not the greater prophets.
Give me leave, therefore, to conjecture that on that sabbath wherein these things were transacted in the synagogue at Nazareth, that section which was to be read in the Prophets was, according to the rubric, in the prophet Isaiah; and upon that account the minister of the synagogue delivered that book to our Saviour when he stood up to read.
[And when he had opened the book, he found the place, etc.] in the Talmudic language I would render it thus, unrolling the book…
The high priest after the reading of the law, rolling; or folding up the book; puts it into his bosom. And yet
It is said…which we must not render they do not fold up; but they do not unfold or unroll the book of the law in the synagogue.
They unroll a prophet in the congregation; but they do not unroll the law in he congregation. That is, as the Gloss hath it, They unroll from one place or passage to another passage in another place. So they were wont to do in the Prophets, but not in the Law. And upon this account was it permitted for the reader to skip in the prophet from one place to another, because it was permitted them to unroll the prophet, either a single prophet, or the twelve lesser in the synagogue; but as to the Law, it was not allowed them so to do.
And they put the question How far may he skip so that he that interprets do not break off? The Gloss is, “Let him not skip from the place he reads, unless that he may unroll the book; and be ready to read the place to which he skips, when the interpreter ceaseth.”
And because it was not lawful for him so to unroll the law in the synagogue, “on the kalends of the month Tebeth, if it proved to be the sabbath day, they brought three books of the law and read in one of them the place for the sabbath, in another, that for the kalends, in the third, that for the feast of dedication.”
The words therefore of our evangelist to me seem not barely to mean that he unfolded or opened the book; but that being opened, he unrolled it from folio to folio, till he had found the place he designed to read and expound. Which though it was not the section appointed by the rubric for the day, yet did not Christ much recede from the custom of the synagogue, which allowed the reader to skip from one place to another.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Luk 4:17. And there was delivered to him, by the attendant of the synagogue.
A roll of the prophet Isaiah, probably containing that book alone. The reading of the Law had already taken place, and that from the Prophets was to begin (comp. Act 13:15). The passage for the day was from Isaiah. But it cannot be proven that the order of Scripture lessons, appointed by the Rabbins, was in use at that time.
Found the place where it was written. When He unrolled the book, His eye fell, accidentally some would say, providentially we say, upon this passage. There is no reference to looking for an appointed or appropriate passage. All calculations as to the time of year, based on the reading of this part of Isaiah, are therefore excluded.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Luk 4:17-19. There was delivered to him the book of Esaias A paragraph of the law having, according to custom, been read before. See on Act 13:15. When he had opened the book , having unrolled the volume of the book. The books of the ancients, as is well known, consisted of one long sheet of paper or parchment, which they rolled up neatly on a round piece of wood. When a book of this kind was to be read, they unrolled it gradually as they read it, and put what was read round another piece of wood of the same sort with the former. He found the place The expression, , seems to imply, that upon unrolling the book, the passage here mentioned immediately met his eye, by the particular providence of God. Many commentators, however, think, that as the Scriptures were read in order, the passage mentioned was that which fell of course to be read in the synagogue that day. And according to the custom of all the synagogues, this passage was to be read with the fiftieth section of the law, appointed for the last sabbath of the sixth, or the first of the seventh month, answering to our August and September. So that if our Lord read this passage as the ordinary lesson for the day, the chronology of this part of the history is thereby determined. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me This was said of the prophets, when they were under an immediate afflatus of the Holy Spirit; but it was here, doubtless, primarily meant of the Messiah: because he hath anointed me That is, hath commissioned me with authority, qualified me with gifts, and set me apart for the important offices here mentioned. The expression is used in allusion to the Jewish prophets, priests, and kings, who were consecrated to their offices by anointing them with oil. The unction of the Messiah was the Holy Spirit, which he had without measure. To preach the gospel to the poor The reason why I, the Messiah, enjoy so great a degree of inspiration, and am endowed with the power of working such astonishing miracles is, because God hath commissioned me to preach the glad tidings of salvation to the poor, and by so doing, to heal the broken-hearted That is, to relieve and comfort all those, without distinction, whose hearts are broken by sharp convictions of sin, and fears of future punishment. The passage of Isaiah here quoted, in our translation stands thus: To preach good tidings to the meek But the word , signifies more properly persons in a low and afflicted condition. It is certainly an unspeakable recommendation of the gospel dispensation, that it offers the pardon of sin, and salvation, to all on the same terms. The rich, here, have no pre- eminence over the poor; as they seem to have had under the law, which prescribed such costly sacrifices for the atonement of sin as were very burdensome to the poor. The Prophet Isaiah, therefore, in describing the happiness of gospel times, very fitly introduces the Messiah mentioning this as one of the many blessings which would accrue to the world from his coming, that the glad tidings of salvation were to be preached by him and his ministers to the poor, and consequently were to be offered to them without money and without price. To preach deliverance to the captives To proclaim to the captives of sin and Satan liberty from the power of their tyrannical masters, on the terms of repentance toward God, and faith in the Messiah, now manifested: and to confer that liberty on such as complied with these terms. And recovering of sight to the blind Not merely to confer bodily sight on a few blind individuals, but to open the eyes of the understanding of millions, and cure their spiritual blindness, by imparting to them the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Thus, Isa 42:6-7, the Messiah is said to be given for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes. And the commission given to Paul, as recorded, Act 26:18, was, I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light: in both which passages spiritual illumination is undoubtedly solely intended. To set at liberty them that are bruised With the heavy load of their fetters and chains; with the guilt and power of their iniquities, and the condemnation and wrath due to them on that account. Here is a beautiful gradation, in comparing the spiritual state of man to the miserable state of those captives who were not only cast into prison, but, like Zedekiah, had their eyes put out, and were laden and bruised with chains of iron. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord To proclaim that happy period of the divine dispensations toward mankind, in which a full and free remission of all their offences was to be offered to them, and which might be fitly represented in prophecy by the Jewish jubilee, wherein debts were forgiven, slaves released, and inheritances restored to their original owners. For a further explanation of this passage, see the notes on Isa 61:1-3; and Isa 42:6-7.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 17
The book. The books in ancient times, as, in fact, they are now in Jewish synagogues, were rolls of parchment or vellum.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had {d} opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
(d) Their books in those days were rolled up as scrolls upon a ruler: and so Christ unrolled or unfolded it, which is here called “opened”.