Tuesday: Sabbath Healings at Capernaum
Rejection at Nazareth sent Jesus back to Capernaum, where He had already ministered before (Matt. 4:13). This important city became the base for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
Image © Jeff Preston from GoodSalt.com
In this city was a synagogue, possibly built by a Roman officer (Luke 7:5), and Jesus, as per His custom, went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
On this single Sabbath, Jesus’ ministry covered a wide range of activities-teaching, healing, preaching. Nothing is said as to what Jesus preached, but the reaction of the people was one of astonishment: for His word was with authority
(Luke 4:32, NKJV). His teaching stood in contrast to that of the rabbis. No simple palliatives. Here was preaching with authority, rooted in the Scriptures, delivered with the power of the Holy Spirit, calling sin by its right name, and urging repentance.
Read Luke 4:31-37. What powerful truths are revealed in these verses about (1) the great controversy, (2) the reality of demons, (3) the purpose of the Sabbath, and (4) the power of God over evil? What else can you find there?
In Luke 4:31-41 we have the first of five healings on the Sabbath that Luke records (see Luke 4:38-39; Luke Luke 6:6-11; Luke 13:10-16; Luke 14:1-6). In the Nazareth sermon, Jesus announced that it is His mission to relieve, to heal, and to restore those who are brokenhearted and oppressed. Here in Capernaum, on a Sabbath day, when the synagogue was full of worshipers, a demon-possessed man confronted Jesus with a confession: Let us alone! . . . You, Jesus of Nazareth. . . . I know who You are-the Holy One of God!
(Luke 4:34, NKJV). The demon, being one of the satanic host, and as such a supernatural being, was quick to recognize the Incarnate Savior. In this account, the veil between the seen and unseen world has been pulled aside.
Think of how openly the great controversy was manifested here. Often it’s not that obvious. How, though, are you seeing it played out in your own life? What is your only hope of victory in this battle? See also 1 Cor. 15:2.
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Truly the words of Jesus Christ, with His infinite knowledge, will fill me up and make me want more.
God's words are ever filling.
The truth spoken by the son of man, Jesus of Nazareth touched the hearer more significantly unclean demons realized that He is the Holy One.
If our faith is not rooted in the founder of truth our faith would be useless.
Sabbath marks the line of contraversy between those who will stand for God's word or for humany manipulated truth.
Jesus taught with authority not as like pharisees and rabbis: this makes all difference for us today as well. This present world are in need of people who speak with authority and confidence given by Holy Spirit.
Jesus found himself regularly in the Synagogue on the sabbath.
It appears that both the people and Satan watched to see if He would
Relieve some struggleing soul of their infirmities to accuse Him.
The question to us is, how does we react to needs on sabbath?
Jesus is awesome.
I think the four questions the lesson author asks are good questions. The purpose of the Sabbath gets a bit muddied though with the third because Jesus healed every day of the week so there is nothing special about that but we do see the great controversy being played out as far as authority goes.
What I do find interesting about Jesus' encounter with the demons is their reaction to His presence, "Did You come to destroy us?" (Lk. 4:34 NKJV). Even though we could view that as part of the controversy to me it says much more about how they viewed the character of God. To the demons God is nothing more than a destroying enemy rather than a sustaining creator with love and compassion. That is the concept of God they have been preaching since they got kicked out of Heaven and they have done that in a wide variety of subtle little ways. Ever heard of "righteous indignation" which we all too frequently use to justify our explosive anger, "act of God" which is a legal term for a "natural" destructive force, "eternal burning hell" that paints a horrible picture of God or even where we go when we die or what about our concept of God's wrath? All those things are attacks on God's character and they are proffered to us because that is how the devil views God.
Good extrapolation of implied meaning of the demons question directed towards Christ. It opens up a whole new understanding into how Lucifer operates.
How is that the people who witnessed Jesus commanding the unclean spirits to leave only focused on the power of Jesus and not on what the demons said,"And he cried out with a loud voice,saying,...I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” Luke 4:33.
Could it be one of the reasons so many are going into the ministry, for power, prestige, job security?
what does it mean that sabbath was made for man..
God knew we would get so busy, in are daily life , so he sat aside a day for man , which is the sabbath.
To just focus on him only .
God's word is stronger and powerful. It is more powerfull that even demons obeys. The reality of demons is to decieve all God's people from knowing the truth.
Jesus is love