Luke 4:24

4:14-30 Christ taught in their synagogues, their places of public worship, where they met to read, expound, and apply the word, to pray and praise. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit were upon him and on him, without measure. By Christ, sinners may be loosed from the bonds of guilt, and by his Spirit and grace from the bondage of corruption. He came by the word of his gospel, to bring light to those that sat in the dark, and by the power of his grace, to give sight to those that were blind. And he preached the acceptable year of the Lord. Let sinners attend to the Saviour's invitation when liberty is thus proclaimed. Christ's name was Wonderful; in nothing was he more so than in the word of his grace, and the power that went along with it. We may well wonder that he should speak such words of grace to such graceless wretches as mankind. Some prejudice often furnishes an objection against the humbling doctrine of the cross; and while it is the word of God that stirs up men's enmity, they will blame the conduct or manner of the speaker. The doctrine of God's sovereignty, his right to do his will, provokes proud men. They will not seek his favour in his own way; and are angry when others have the favours they neglect. Still is Jesus rejected by multitudes who hear the same message from his words. While they crucify him afresh by their sins, may we honour him as the Son of God, the Saviour of men, and seek to show we do so by our obedience.

Luke 4:24 . Εἶπε δὲ , and He said moreover ) This formula of the sacred writers, occurring in the writings of Moses, when he says, ודבר , and in the New Testament, frequently in Luke, indicates that an interval was allowed by the speaker to elapse: ch. Luke 6:39 , Luke 12:16 , Luke 13:20 , Luke 15:11 .— ἀμὴν , verily) Presently after occurs the parallel, ἐπʼ ἀληθείας , of a truth, Luke 4:25 .— δεκτὸς , accepted) earnestly looked for, dear.— πατρίδι , country) In antithesis to Sidon, Luke 4:26 , and the Syrian, Luke 4:27 . It is on this account that the δὲ , but, is employed in verse 25. It is your own fault, saith the Lord to them, that the Physician pays less attention to you, than to those more remote.

(24) No prophet is accepted. —The proverb is remarkable as having been quoted by our Lord certainly twice, possibly oftener: (1) on this His first visit after His baptism to Nazareth; (2) on His second visit ( Matthew 13:57 ; Mark 6:4 ). St. John’s reference to it ( John 4:44 ) may have risen out of one or other of these two occasions, but it rather conveys the impression of the saying having been often on the lips of Jesus.

Verse 24. - And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country . But instead of gratifying their curiosity and supplying them with some more empty arguments why they should not listen to his words, the Lord quietly quotes a proverb well known to all people - Farrar calls it a curious psychological fact - the quoting prefaced by the solemn "verily." The Master was evidently looking far beyond the little prejudices of Nazareth. "His own country" meant far more than the narrow circuit bounded by the Nazareth hills. The Speaker was thinking of all the chosen people - of the Jews, who as a nation he knew too well would not accept him. But if Israel would have none of him, he would reign in the hearts of that unnumbered multitude who peopled the isles of the Gentiles. Luke 4:24

24–30. Rejection by the Nazarenes 24 . is accepted in his own country ] St Matthew adds ( Matthew 13:57 ) “and in his own house,” implying that “neither did His brethren believe on Him.” This curious psychological fact, which has its analogy in the worldly proverb that ‘No man is a hero to his valet,’ or, ‘Familiarity breeds contempt,’ was more than once referred to by our Lord; John 4:44 . (“Vile habetur quod domi est.” Sen. De Benef , iii. 2.)

24. And he said, &c.—He replies to the one proverb by another, equally familiar, which we express in a rougher form—"Too much familiarity breeds contempt." Our Lord's long residence in Nazareth merely as a townsman had made Him too common, incapacitating them for appreciating Him as others did who were less familiar with His everyday demeanor in private life. A most important principle, to which the wise will pay due regard. (See also Mt 7:6, on which our Lord Himself ever acted.)

It is very strange that none of the evangelists give us any account of this sermon! There was certainly more of it than is related in Luke 4:21. To-day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears; which seems to have been no more than the first sentence he spoke on the occasion. Had it been necessary for our salvation, it would have been recorded. It was a demonstration to those Jews, that Jesus, who preached to them, was the person of whom the prophet there spoke: it was not designed for general edification. Let us make a good use of what we have got, and we shalt not regret that this sermon is lost. The ear is never satisfied with hearing: we wish for another and another revelation, while sadly unacquainted with the nature and design of that which God's mercy has already given us. LUKE 4: 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this parable, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’” Verse 23 Physician, heal thyself - That is, heal the broken-hearted in thy own country, as the latter clause of the verse explains it; but they were far from being in a proper spirit to receive the salvation which he was ready to communicate; and therefore they were not healed. LUKE 4: 24 He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. Verse 24 No prophet is accepted - See on Matthew 13:55-57 (note).