Luke 4:44 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

NIV: And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

NASB: So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

CSB: And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

NLT: So he continued to travel around, preaching in synagogues throughout Judea.

KJV: And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

NKJV: And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

In the prior verse, Jesus explained why He could not stay in the area near Simon Peter's home (Luke 4:38–42). His godly mission was to visit other places and other people. This meant traveling to different towns and synagogues to deliver the good news of God (Luke 4:14–15; Matthew 4:17).

The exact region in which Jesus preached, at this phase of His ministry, is not clear from this verse. Some manuscripts say "Judea," implying the areas relatively close to Jerusalem. This same term might refer to the entire territory of Israel at that time. A few manuscripts indicate "Galilee," north of Judea proper, and closer to the Sea of Galilee. In any case, Jesus is moving from place to place while healing and teaching.

Luke 4:31–44 contains examples of Jesus healing as He teaches in Capernaum. These events include exorcising demons and curing diseases. Jesus' work is so popular that He finds it hard to be alone; the people demand He stay and continue. However, His mission includes other cities and towns. Jesus leaves to preach elsewhere, and the next passages record His calling of the disciples.

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 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.

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.

Accessed 4/27/2024 5:40:39 PM