What does Luke 4:13 mean?
ESV: And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
NIV: When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
NASB: And so when the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.
CSB: After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
NLT: When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.
KJV: And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
NKJV: Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Verse Commentary:
Scripture notes that Jesus experienced temptations: the enticement and draw of sin. Most of those would have been normal human experiences brought about by living in a fallen world. Beyond those, Luke has detailed intense, direct pressure from Satan, who tried to lure Jesus away from God's will (Luke 4:1–12). Scripture also indicates that Jesus did not give in to temptations; further, it teaches that temptations, themselves, are not sin (Hebrews 4:15).
Christ's faithful devotion to God and proper use of Scripture cause Satan to leave, apparently only directly challenging Jesus in the hours before His crucifixion (John 14:30; Luke 22:52–53). Parallel passages indicate Jesus recuperates from His ordeal with the help of angels (Matthew 4:11; Mark 1:13).
When Jesus returns from this wilderness experience, He will begin His public ministry. This starts with teaching in synagogues (Luke 4:14–15), and soon includes miraculous healings (Luke 4:40) and calling His first disciples (Luke 5:1–11).
Verse Context:
Luke 4:1–13 describes Jesus' temptation by Satan. During forty days of fasting, the Devil entices Him using offers of comfort, power, and prestige. In each case, Jesus responds with Scripture and a commitment to God's will. This series of events is also recorded in Matthew 4:1–11 and Mark 1:12–13. While Matthew's account implies an explicit order for these temptations, Luke's does not.
Chapter Summary:
Jesus is taken into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. While fasting there, He is tempted by Satan. These temptations share an element of ignoring God in favor of what seems easier or quicker. Jesus resists all of these, citing Scripture as He does. When Jesus returns, He preaches and heals to great publicity in Judea and Galilee. While His hometown responds with stubborn skepticism, others are eager to hear His teaching and experience His miraculous power.
Chapter Context:
Chapter 3 explained how John the Baptist preached to prepare others to receive Jesus Christ. Luke then provided Jesus' earthly ancestry. Chapter 4 begins with Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. He returns to preach and perform healing miracles in Judea and Galilee. Chapter 5 shows Him calling disciples and demonstrating further proofs of His authority.
Book Summary:
Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.
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