25 October

Bible In 365 Days

Luke 4

As man Jesus was tempted. All the words with which He rebutted the attacks of Satan were quotations from the divine law for the government of human life. The exhaustive nature of the temptation is revealed in Luke's words, "When the devil had completed every temptation." Evil had nothing more to suggest. The thoroughness of the temptation was the completeness of the victory.

The perfect and victorious Man now found His way back to Nazareth, and there, reading from the prophecy of Isaiah, claimed Messiahship definitely.

The account of this induction is followed by a group of pictures revealing different aspects in the work of our Lord. He is seen teaching in the synagogue while the people listened in astonishment. The quietness is disturbed by the cries of a demon-possessed man, and the Lord is seen-as Master of the underworld of evil. Next He is revealed as Master of disease, this revelation following that of His authority over evil. He who is able to exorcise demons has no difficulty in dealing with the result of evil in any form.

Then an evening scene, when it was light indeed, and the Lord's unlimited resources were revealed. Finally, His need to be away from the pressing crowds, when He passed to the desert.

Luke 5

Four of Jesus' disciples, already called into the relation of discipleship, are here called more definitely to service. Taking command of their vessel, to which in all probability they had returned without warrant, they found Him able to direct them in an earthly calling, and by so doing lifting them to the position from where henceforth, they would catch men.

The coming of the leper revealed an advance beyond the common crowd in his attitude toward Jesus. The leper believed in Jesus' power to heal. Luke the physician gives a vivid picture of his condition, "full of leprosy." Nevertheless, the man himself believed in the power of the Lord, but was not sure of His willingness. Quickly and graciously, by touch and word, the Master settled that question.

A picture follows which is a contrast, namely, the doctors of the law critically listening to Jesus while guarding themselves against any new idea. It was then that the strong faith of a few disturbed the assembly when the man who was palsied came on the scene. Jesus spoke the word of the forgiveness of sins to him, whereon Jesus was immediately charged with blasphemy. He demonstrated His authority by healing the man.

Nothing puzzled the religionists of the Lord's time more than His eating and drinking on terms of familiarity with publicans and sinners. Here He revealed the reason for doing so. He was among men as the great Physician.