Luke 4:21
in Luke 4and He began by saying, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.
KJV
And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
⋯
This verse in Luke 4
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThese words having been read to the assembled people, all eyes focused on Jesus, wondering perhaps how he could read without having been taught. The Israelites used to say that the prophecies concerning Christ were fulfilled, either in the persons of some of their more glorious kings or at least in the holy prophets. They did not correctly understand what was written about him, so they missed the true direction and traveled down another path. He carefully guards against error by saying, "This day is this prophecy fulfilled in your ears," that they might not again misinterpret the present prophecy.
This site's exposition
closed the book
on Luke 4:20-21
He closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down, the posture of a rabbi about to teach rather than merely read, and Luke's small detail, the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him, catches the whole room leaning in before he speaks a word. This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears, the shortest and most direct messianic claim Luke records, present tense, in this room, in this reading, not someday but today. The commentators mark today as one of Luke's signature words, the same today that will meet the penitent thief at the cross, salvation arriving in the present rather than only in a promised future.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But then He turned the eyes of all men upon Him, wondering how He knew the writing which He had never learnt. But since it was the custom of the Jews to say that the prophecies spoken of Christ are completed either in certain of their chiefs, i. e. their kings, or in some of their holy prophets, the Lord made this announcement; as it follows, But he began to say unto them that this Scripture is fulfilled.
Our Savior, after reading this prophecy through in the synagogue one day to a multitude of Jews, shut the book and said, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." He began his own teaching from that point. He began to preach the gospel to the poor, putting in the forefront of his blessings: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Yes, he proclaimed forgiveness to those who were hampered by evil spirits and bound for a long time like slaves by demons. He invited all to be free and to escape from the bonds of sin, when he said, "Come to me, all you that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you."9To the blind he gave sight, giving the power of seeing to those whose bodily vision was destroyed. He showered those in ancient times who were blind in their minds to the truth with the vision of the light of true religion. The prophecy before us shows it to be essential that Christ himself should be the originator and leader of the gospel activity. The same prophet foretells that after him his own disciples should be ministers of the same system: "How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good tidings of good things, and of those that bring good tidings of peace." Here he says very particularly that it is the feet of those who publish the good news of Christ that are beautiful. For how could they not be beautiful, which in so small, so short a time have run over the whole earth and filled every place with the holy teaching about the Savior of the world?
The Medieval Church2 voices
Because, in fact, as that Scripture had foretold, the Lord was both doing great things, and preaching greater.
To intimate the truth or firmness of the doctrine, there is added: And he began to say to them: Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. Therefore that Scripture is said to have been fulfilled then, because, since those words pertained to Christ, no …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
This was enough to introduce a great deal: This day is this scripture fulfilled. Note, [1.] All the scriptures of the Old Testament that were to be fulfilled in the Messiah had their full accomplishment in the Lord Jesus, which abundantly proves that this was he that should come. [2.] In the providences of God, it is fit to observe the fulfilling of the scriptures.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he began to say unto them,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
This scripture - This writing, or this part of the Scriptures. Fulfilled - It is coming to pass; the thing originally intended by it is about to be accomplished. In your ears - In your “hearing;” or you hear, in my preaching, the fulfillment of this prophecy. It is probable that he said much “more” than is here recorded, but Luke has preserved only the “substance” of his discourse. This was the “amount” or “sum”” of his sermon, or his explanation of the passage, that it was now receiving its accomplishment.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
These verses relate events which are only recorded in the Gospel of Luke. They describe the first visit which our Lord paid — after entering on His public ministry — to the city of Nazareth, where He had been brought up. Taken together with the two verses which immediately follow, they furnish an solemnly striking proof that "the carnal mind is enmity against God." (Romans 8:7.) We should observe, in these verses — what marked honor our Lord Jesus Christ gave to public means of grace. We are told that "He went into the synagogue of Nazareth on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read" the Scriptures. In the days when our Lord was on earth, the Scribes and Pharisees were the chief teachers of the Jews. We can hardly suppose that a Jewish synagogue enjoyed much of the Spirit's presence and blessing under such teaching. Yet even then we find our Lord visiting a synagogue, and reading and preaching in it. It was the place where His Father's day and word were publicly recognized — and, as such, He thought it good to do it honor. We need not doubt that there is a practical lesson for us in this part of our Lord's conduct. He would have us know that we are not lightly to forsake any assembly of worshipers which professes to respect the name, the day, and the book of God. There may be many things in such an assembly which might be done better. There may be a deficiency of fullness, clearness, and distinctness in the doctrine preached. There may be a lack of unction and devoutness in the manner in which the worship is conducted. But so long as no positive error is taught, and there is no choice between worshiping with such an assembly, and having no public worship at all — it befits a Christian to think much before he stays away. If there are but two or three in the congregation who meet in the name of Jesus — there is a special blessing promised.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
These verses relate events which are only recorded in the Gospel of Luke. They describe the first visit which our Lord paid — after entering on His public ministry — to the city of Nazareth, where He had been brought up. Taken together with the two verses which immediately follow, they furnish an solemnly striking proof that "the carnal mind is enmity against God." (Romans 8:7.) We should observe, in these verses — what marked honor our Lord Jesus Christ gave to public means of grace.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἤρξατο | erxato | He began | G757 → | 85 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| λέγειν | legein | to say | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| σήμερον | semeron | Today | G4594 → | 41 times |
| πεπλήρωται | peplerotai | has been fulfilled | G4137 → | 86 times |
| ἡ | he | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γραφὴ | graphe | Scripture | G1124 → | 49 times |
| αὕτη | haute | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὠσὶν | osin | hearing | G3775 → | 36 times |
| ὑμῶν. | humon | of you. | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ἤρξατοHe began
erxatoG757 →85 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
λέγεινto say
legeinG3004 →1325 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
σήμερονToday
semeronG4594 →41 times
πεπλήρωταιhas been fulfilled
peplerotaiG4137 →86 times
ἡ<the>
heG3588 →19766 times
γραφὴScripture
grapheG1124 →49 times
αὕτηthis
hauteG3778 →1381 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
ὠσὶνhearing
osinG3775 →36 times
ὑμῶν.of you.
humonG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 13:14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
it leads to
- Isaiah 6:9–10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
- Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.
- 2 Corinthians 3:14
But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.
- Luke 8:10
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing,…
- Acts 28:25–27
They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
- Isaiah 6:9–10
Through
Acts 3:18But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
it leads to
- Isaiah 53:1–12
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
- Acts 26:22–23
But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:
- Acts 2:23
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
- Isaiah 53:1–12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About Luke
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 4; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 12; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Eusebius of Caesarea, PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.1.88C-89A; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.