Luke 4
Luke records the wilderness temptations of Jesus in a moral order, the order in which they have their strongest effect on men naturally (1 John-2:16):
The flesh for youth;
The world for the middle-aged;
The devil for the aged.
All of us may be affected by any of these temptations at any age. But man is most readily tempted by the lust of the flesh in his youth. It would be a rare thing for a young man to be deeply affected by doctrine to the point of being tempted away from the Lord. His temptation would rather be the world or the flesh, or following the exercise of another. As man grows older, the devil has more opportunity to attack with doctrine through the pride of life.
Jesus, being full of the Holy Spirit, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where He was tempted by Satan. After being tempted for forty days without food, Jesus was hungry. What an opportunity for Satan to try to cause Christ to sin. But Jesus could not sin. His whole trust was in the Father. Satan said that if Jesus was the Son of God, He should command the stone to be made bread. But the Father had not told Jesus to make bread, so He would not do it. Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."
Jesus is shown all the kingdoms of the world in a moment. Satan said that he would give all to Jesus if Jesus would worship him. Jesus answered, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve."
Next, Jesus was led to Jerusalem and set on a pinnacle of the temple where Satan said to Him, "If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down from hence: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep Thee [Satan omitted 'in all thy ways'): and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone." And Jesus answering said to him, "It is again written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (See Psa. 91:11-1211For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:11‑12); Deut. 6:1616Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. (Deuteronomy 6:16).) Having completed every temptation, Satan left Him for a season.
Jesus vanquished Satan with three scriptures from the book of Deuteronomy, showing that any believer, young or old, well-read or just saved, can meet Satan with just one scripture from the Word of God for each temptation. Returning in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, He went into the synagogue and taught.
The Acceptable Year of the Lord
Coming to Nazareth, Jesus went into the synagogue on the sabbath day and began reading Isa. 61. When He had read the words, "to preach the acceptable year of the Lord," He closed the book and said, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears."
It was the acceptable year of the Lord when Israel should have repented and received their Messiah, but they rejected Him. So Judaism was set aside and the new order, which included all men, was brought in. Later the Church was formed at Pentecost, and Jesus gathers: "And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." After the judgments of the tribulation, all Israel will repent and receive their Messiah (Ezek. 36:25-3825Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. 28And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. 30And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. 31Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. 32Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. 33Thus saith the Lord God; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. 34And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. 35And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. 36Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it. 37Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. 38As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 36:25‑38)).
Two Gentiles
Jesus spoke of many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, but only to Sidon (a city of Gentiles) was the prophet sent, to a widow in the days of famine that she might have food. As for lepers, though many were in Israel, only the Gentile, Naaman the Syrian, was cleansed. When they heard this, those in the synagogue were filled with rage and sought to destroy Jesus, but He passed on to Capernaum.
A man with a demon was delivered. The demon knew who He was, but Jesus rebuked him; Jesus would not take a testimony from a demon (Acts 16:16-1816And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. 18And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. (Acts 16:16‑18)). It is interesting how those in the unseen world are cognizant of things that we do not know. The casting out of the demon was the first miracle that Jesus did as recorded by Luke.
Simon’s Wife’s Mother Healed
Peter's mother-in-law was stricken with a great fever. But no matter how great the fever was, the great physician was able for it. Peter and the rest prayed that Jesus would heal his mother-in-law. How fitting was this prayer, and for a special reason. How could Peter, who was called to the ministry, leave his wife with a sick mother-in-law? Again the compassion of Jesus is shown out. If the fever was great, so was the healing. She immediately arose and ministered to them.
The word great is used over and over again in this gospel. The rejection and sufferings of Christ were great, and so will be the glory that follows, which we shall share with Him, because we are His bride and will be in His home. Everything will be great in that day.
As the sun set on the first day of Christ's ministry, Jesus continued to heal and cast out demons as He taught, not stopping for rest. Then, the following day, He went into Galilee to preach in other cities.