In
Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
This popular Christian song, In Christ Alone, was written in 2002 by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.
Source: Rinaldi, A. “In Christ Alone” https:// www.godtube.com/popular-hymns/in_christ-alonelyrics-story-behind-hymn/
Scripture: Luke 3-4
Publisher’s Comments:
In our second edition of the Bible Insight Newsletter, we continue our readings in the book of Luke. Here we gain greater insight into John the Baptist, who came before Jesus but knew his place was to pave the way for Him - the Messiah. We read about John baptizing Jesus followed by God’s affirmation of His Son! Temptation by the devil was soon to follow. Defeating Satan, Jesus set forth on His ministry! Our prophet focus is on Daniel. We hope you enjoy the quick read and then either reading the entire chapters in your Bible or listening to audios of the chapters below! God Bless!
Don’t have a Bible? Here are audios of Luke 3 and 4
Luke 3:1-22 (John the Baptist Prepares the Way)
Luke 3:23-38 (The Genealogy of Jesus Christ)
Luke 4:1-13 (The Temptation of Jesus)
Luke 4:14-44 (Jesus Begins His Ministry)
Bible Insights Newsletter (1st Quarter 2023)
Preparing the Way
“You
Most of us have had someone prepare the way for our earlier years. Someone who has invested time and energy in our development and our future. Normally, it begins with our parents at a young age. Along the way, guidance may also have included teachers, coaches, and other mentors who have interceded in our life.
The first part of this lesson introduces us to someone who paved the way for Jesus! A little older than Jesus, he is considered by some theologians as the last prophet of the Old Testament. His name? John the Baptist! Let’s continue to read Luke’s account of John the Baptist’s role at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
Luke 3:1-20
The Value of John the Baptist
We read about John the Baptist in all four of the Gospels. His role as the predecessor of Jesus was significant!
We know that Jesus fulfilled at least 300 prophecies. John the Baptist fulfilled several prophecies. Are you aware that the great prophet Isaiah told of the coming of John the Baptist several hundred years BEFORE John’s birth:
“The voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22
“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” John 1:23
(Isaiah 40:3) To whom could we apply the voice that cried out in the wilderness? It was John the Baptist who so desired that the hearts of those around him would be inclined to accept the Gospel of Christ.
Over four hundred years before the births of John and Jesus, the prophet Malachi proclaimed the following words of God:
“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.
In this proclamation, the first “messenger” was fulfilled in John the Baptist who did prepare the way for Christ. The second messenger“Messenger of the covenant” - refers to Jesus Christ.
Who was Elijah? We have to go back to the Old Testament (1 Kings 17-19 and 2 Kings 1-2) to learn about Elijah. Considered to be one of the greatest prophets of the Lord, Elijah (which comes from a Hebrew expression “Jehovah is my God”) ministers to the northern kingdom of Israel. As God’s prophet, the words he spoke caused the kings to quiver, the rains to come to a halt, a container of oil that never ran out, the widow’s son to rise from the dead, fire to come down from the sky, a revival for the Lord to erupt, and the execution of “idolatrous prophets.”
Source: Sanford, D. “Who Was Elijah in the Bible?” (February 9, 2021) https:// www.christianity.com/wiki/ people/who-was-elijah-inthe-bible.html. Accessed January 22, 2023.
Malachi later prophesied in chapter 4, verse 5:
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.”
This aligns with what the angel of the Lord, Gabriel, said to Zacharias in Luke 1:16-17 about his son:
He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through Him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, “and he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
John 1:7
The Ministry of John the Baptist
In chapter 3, Luke introduces us to the role of a now adult John the Baptist. He lives in the wilderness of Judea. A burly man at that, John dressed in a “garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist.” (See Matthew 3:4) It is believed to be around AD 28 which makes John in his early thirties.
He spent his time in the region “around the Jordan” declaring “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As we read further into Luke 3, we see that he fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah (see bottom of page 1 of this newsletter). John was the “voice of one crying in the wilderness.”
John was a humble righteous man who knew his purpose was to pave the way for the Messiah. He was not in it for the spotlight. When asked if he might be the Christ, he declared “I baptize you with water, but He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
In verses 21 and 22, we read of John’s baptism of Jesus Christ. Jesus, Himself, was perfect. His baptism was, therefore, not for repentance but to “identify with sinners so that they might identify with Him.”
Luke 4 - The Temptation and Subsequent Ministry of Jesus
Why the mention of the prophet Elijah? We see what he did Because Elijah brought many back to the Lord, as John the Baptist did, getting the people to see their corrupt ways and, thereby, turning their faith to God. John the Baptist was, as some put it, the “bridge between the Old and New Testaments.”
Moses tells the Israelites “And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”
Deuteronomy 8:2
We find at the beginning of Luke 4, Jesus is on the move. Having just been baptized in the Jordan River , He now goes “in the wilderness for forty days.” Where else in the Bible have we read about others being in the wilderness? If you said the trek the Israelites made on their journey to the Promised Land, you would be temptations that Jesus faced were in the same order as those faced by the Israelites when they were in the wilderness?
Of course, the Israelites did not do well.
Did you know that Jesus did not eat during those forty days He was in the wilderness? Wow! That’s a long time! Can you imagine how hungry He must have been. The devil used that to tempt Jesus to turn a stone into bread. What did Jesus come back with?
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” Moses spoke those words in Deuteronomy 8:3. Moses goes on to say “but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” What is the word? Jesus is the (continued on page 3)
(Continued from page 2)
Word of God. John 1:14 tells us “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
God: 1 Devil: 0
The devil wasn’t ready to concede to Jesus. He then tempts Jesus with all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus will worship him!
Jesus surely looked dismayed. He tells Satan:
Joshua tells the people:
“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:14
“It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.’”
God: 2 Devil: 0
The devil continued with temptation. Taking Jesus to Jerusalem, he sat Him down on the very peak of the temple. “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.” Jesus responds “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
God: 3 Devil: 0
The devil departed.
Jesus Begins His Ministry
Jesus returns to Galilee, totally dependent on the power of God by way of the Holy Spirit. He preached in synagogues in the surrounding countryside. It must have been truly amazing to hear Him preach. Though most weren’t aware of who He was.
The Rejection in Nazareth
Have you ever gone back to your hometown - a place where you grew up? People knew you. They knew your
parents and, maybe, your grandparents. Well, Jesus has decided to go to Nazareth, the town He grew up in. Up until now, to those living in Nazareth, He was considered the son of Joseph, the carpenter. He went to the synagogue, as was custom for Him to do. But this day would be different. Jesus knew it. Those in the synagogue didn’t.
After He stood up to read, Jesus was handed a scroll with the words of the prophet Isaiah. Now here is what Jesus read (from Isaiah 61:1-2):
1“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 2to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
This is not some casual reading. The prophet Isaiah was foretelling about the Messiah - the word “Me” was, in fact, Jesus. He is declaring that He is the Messiah, our Savior! Jesus says in verse 21 “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Can’t you just feel the enthusiasm rising up among those in the synagogue! Here He is - the One who has been healing people! The people had heard what He did in Capernaum (see verse 15). As Matthew Henry states in his commentary, Jesus, in essence, healed those of their unbelief, their faithlessness. Now comes the Nazarenes who thought they were entitled to the miracles of Jesus. After all, they are His hometown people. But Jesus said Nazareth will not be His center of operations.
Jesus gives reason for His decision, using examples of the prophets Elijah and Elisha who helped those considered to be enemies of the people. Paul, in Ephesians 2:4, says that God is abundant in mercy to all, even the Gentiles. Unfortunately, instead of realizing the love God has for everyone, the people in the synagogue “were filled with wrath.” Facing an angry crowd - in His own hometown - He was able to slip away from their grasp! His time hadn’t yet come!
Jesus’ Ministry Continues
The healing continues……Jesus goes to Capernaum. He continues teaching and does so on the Sabbath. And, oh, the impact He had on the people.
(continued on page 4)
Jesus’ Ministry Continues (cont. from page 3)
In verse 31, we’re told that Jesus makes a stop in Capernaum. This means He is in one of the three provinces of ancient PalestineGalilee.
On the Sabbath day, Jesus taught. When He spoke, He did so with “authority.” How does someone speak with authority? Some say the tone of one’s voice indicates authority. In this case, Jesus spoke with directness and forcefulness. The formulation of one’s words is another example of speaking with authority. When Jesus spoke, how and
Galilee - a province located in today’s Northern Israel. The area included the town of Nazareth, the town where Jesus grew up. Its name means “wheel” or “revolution.” Perhaps that it is what was seen in Galilee, a revolution, as more learned of the works of Jesus. Rome wanted a peaceful territory, but such peace was in jeopardy as large crowds followed Him. Galilee is mentioned 67 times in the Bible, much more so in the New Testament. It is the place where Jesus “first called His disciples.” The Sermon on the Mount and the Transfiguration also occurred in Galilee.
Take note that the demon was well aware of the presence of Jesus. “I know who you are - the Holy One of God.” Demons knew who they were talking to - the Son of God. In Matthew 8:29, demons cried out “What have you to do with us, O Son of God?” In Mark 3:11, a similar response was recorded: ‘You are the Son of God” stated by “unclean spirits” [who saw Him]. In the case of the man in the synagogue, Jesus commands the demon to “be silent and come out of him!” The demon did so. The man was not harmed.
The crowd witnessing this was astonished! Many were amazed that “for with authority and power, he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out?” Reports about Jesus began to spread across the countryside.
A Sick Mother-in-Law
Imagine what everyone was feeling when Jesus left the synagogue. Amazement no doubt! He was now going to Peter’s home where his mother-in-law was ill. She had a “high fever,” which would indicate a rather serious
Dr. John MacArthur points out in his book, One Perfect Life, that Luke was the only one who stated that Peter’s mother-in-law had a “high” fever, perhaps because Luke was, in fact, a physician.
Verse 39 tells us that Jesus “stood over her and rebuked the fever.” Does this mean that she may have been demon-possessed? It is suggested by some. Regardless, the fever “left her,” allowing her to “immediately” rise and serve those in the house.
Many brought those who were sick to Jesus afterwards. We are told that “He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.” Even those possessed with demons. Dr. David Jeremiah comments in The Jeremiah Study Bible that “the laying on of hands demonstrates where the healing originated and also shows the personal nature of Jesus’ compassionate touch."
Remarkable……….
Jesus Preaches in Synagogues
what He said was contrary to the ways of the rabbis who would quote other rabbis, advancing themselves in doing so. Jesus was personal in His teachings. Jesus spoke the Word of God, not quoting other rabbis. Eighty-two times in the books of the Gospel, He began to speak by saying “Truly, I say to you.” The people were not accustomed to such.
Enter a Miracle
While in the synagogue in Capernaum, there was a man who was possessed by a demon. Remember, Jesus tells us that “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
(See John 10:10) This demon was destroying this man’s life!
Jesus left when it was morning. The crowds followed Him. He told them “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”
Jesus was not going to do anything that would imperil the mission that His Father had Him on.
Gain greater insight into the book of Daniel and his prophecies on the next couple of pages.
Daniel, a prophet of God, was a smart young man taken into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon around 606-605 BC. As like Joseph, his faith in, love for, and commitment to God were on trial many times, but he never wavered, successfully coming through each and every test.
Source: Bucher, M. “What is the History of Galilee and Why Was It Important to Jesus?.” Bible Study Tools. https:// www.biblestudytools.com Accessed February 9, 2023.
