A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
1. ANd Jeſus being full of the Holy Ghoſt, returned from Jordan, and was led by the ſpirit into the wilderneſs, 2. Being forty dayes tempted of the devil, and in thoſe dayes he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterwards hungred. 3. And the devil ſaid unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this ſtone that it be made bread. 4. And Jeſus anſwered him, ſaying, It is written, that man ſhall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 5. And the devil taking him up into an high mountain, ſhewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6. And the devil ſaid unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them; for that is delivered unto me, and to whomſoever I will, I give it. 7. If thou therefore wilt worſhip me, all ſhall be thine. 8. And Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 8. See on Matth. 4. ſtrongly inſpired by the Holy-Ghoſt, was led by him, &c.
6. Though Satan lyed in part, yet he hath great power over the Kingdoms and Glory of the World, partly as a Templer, and partly as Gods executioner, but all under Gods abſolute will: The ſucceſs ſheweth that too many receive them from him, that they may ſerve him by them, as enemies to the Church of Chriſt.
Note, Blaſphemous temptations muſt be anſwered with rejecting hatred.
9. And he brought him to Jeruſalem and ſet him on a pinacle of the temple, and ſaid unto him. If thou be the Son of God, caſt thy ſelf down from hence. 10. For it is written, He ſhall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 11. And in their hands they ſhall bear thee up, leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone. 12. And Jeſus anſwering ſaid unto him, It is ſaid, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
9, 10, 11, 12. Note, Satan uſeth to tempt by perverted Scripture, yet it is by right expounded Scripture, that he muſt be repelled.
Q. How did the writers know theſe ſecret things▪ Anſ. Chriſt told them his Diſciples (though that be not written.)
13. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a ſeaſon.
13. Luke reciteth them not in the ſame order with Matthew, but the ſame things.
Note; Chriſt's Victory over the Tempter was part of his ſaving work, and to prepare for our Victory.
14. And Jeſus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and there went out a fame of him thorow all the region round about.
14. Note; Though the Conſtitution of Chriſt's Perſon was by the Divine Nature of the ſecond in the Trinity, yet the Scripture uſually aſcribeth his works to the operation of the Holy Ghoſt in him.
15. And he taught in their ſynagogues, being glorified of all. 16. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and as his cuſtom was, he went into the ſynagogue on the ſabbath-day, and ſtood up for to read.
15, 16. Note; Chriſt ſeparated not from the Jews corrupt Church.
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, 18. The ſpirit of the Lord is upon me, becauſe he hath anointed me to preach the Goſpel to the poor, he hath ſent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of ſight to the blind, to ſet at liberty them that are bruiſed, 19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
17, 18, 19. Note; He choſe a Text that deſcribed his own Office, and applied it.
20. And he cloſed the book, and he gave it again to the miniſter, and ſat down: and the eyes of all them that were in the ſynagogues were faſtened on him. 21. And he began to ſay unto them, This day is this ſcripture fulfilled in your ears.
20, 21. Note, This Inſtance proveth it not neceſſary to ſit in Preaching; but lawful, where cuſtom or circumſtances forbid it not.
22. And all bare him witneſs, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they ſaid, Is not this Joſeph's ſon?
22. They applauded his Preaching, but undervalued him for being known to be their Neighbours Son.
23. And he ſaid unto them, Ye will ſurely ſay unto me this proverb, Phyſician, heal thy ſelf: whatſoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do alſo here in thy countrey.
23. As a Phyſician muſt firſt heal himſelf, ſo do thou do thy Miracles here among thy Kindred and Neighbours.
24. And he ſaid, Verily I ſay unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own countrey.
24. God can cauſe him to be accepted; but as he worketh ordinarily by means: familiarity breeds contempt.
25. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Iſrael in the days of Elias, when the heaven was ſhut up three years and ſix months, when great famine was thoroughout all the land: 26. But unto none of them was Elias ſent, ſave unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 27. And many lepers were in Iſrael in the time of Elizeus the prophet; and none of them was cleanſed, ſaving Naaman the Syrian.
25, 26, 27. Prophets cure not all that are diſeaſed: You ſhall not ſee Miracles, nor be ſaved, for being my Neighbours, if you be not Believers: And familiarity and prejudice maketh fewer of you believe, than of others.
28. And all they in the ſynagogue, when they heard theſe things, were filled with wrath. 29. And roſe up, and thruſt him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill (whereon their city was built) that they might caſt him down headlong:
28, 29. Note; They that applauded his Preaching, when the Application grated on them would have killed him; even the Nazarite Neighbours that hated him not heretofore.
30. But he paſſing thorow the mids of them, went his way; 31. And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the ſabbath-days. 32. And they were aſtoniſhed at his doctrine; for his word was with power.
30, 31, 32. By Miracle unhurt.
33. And in the ſynagogue there was a man which had a ſpirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice; 34. Saying, Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, thou Jeſus of Nazareth? art thou come to deſtroy us? I know thee who thou art, the holy One of God.
33, 34. Chriſt's Power over Devils forced this confeſſion.
35. And Jeſus rebuked him, ſaying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the mids, he came out of him, and hurt him not. 36. And they were all amazed, and ſpake among themſelves, ſaying, What a word is this? for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean ſpirits, and they come out; 37. And the ſame of him went out into every place of the countrey round about.
35, 36, 37 Chriſt ſpecially cured the diſeaſes, that the Devils cauſed, to ſhew that he came to conquer Satan, and ſave men from his power.
38. And he aroſe out of the ſynagogue, and entred into Simons houſe; and Simons wives mother was taken with a great fever, and they beſought him for her. 39. And he ſtood over her, and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately ſhe aroſe, and miniſtred unto them.
38, 39. Note, We have ſtill the ſame Phyſician.
40. Now when the ſun was ſetting, all they that had any ſick with divers diſeaſes, brought them unto him: and he laid his hands on every one of them, & healed them. 41. And devils alſo came out of many, crying out, and ſaying, Thou art Chriſt the Son of God. And he rebuking them, ſuffered them not to ſpeak; for they knew that he was Chriſt.
40, 41. Experience made them believe that he could heal them.
42. And when it was day, he departed, and went into a deſert place▪ and the people ſought him, and came unto him, and ſtayed him, that he ſhould not depart from them. 43. And he ſaid unto them, I muſt preach the kingdom of God to other cities alſo: for therefore am I ſent.
42, 43. Note; Preaching the Goſpel was his great buſineſs▪ to the belief of which, his Miracles were but means ſubſervient.