“The Scripture You Have Just Heard
Has Been Fulfilled Today”
“He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:20–21).
As I meditate on this passage, I wish to receive the lesson it imparts.
(1) The “book” that Jesus “rolled up and gave back to the attendant” (Lk. 4:20) was the scroll containing the words of the prophet Isaiah (v.17).
(a) After Jesus read Isaiah 61:1–2 from that scroll, He returned it to “the attendant”—the person in charge of maintaining the scrolls, cleaning the synagogue, blowing the silver trumpet to announce the Sabbath, and teaching the Law to children during the week. Then He sat down (Lk. 4:20; Modern Korean Bible; Hochma).
(2) The Bible says that all those gathered in the synagogue “were gazing intently at Him” (v.20). The Modern Korean Bible translates this as “all the people gathered there fixed their eyes on Jesus.” The Greek word translated “gazing intently” is ἀτενίζοντες (atenizontes). Luke, the author of both the Gospel of Luke and Acts, uses this word 13 times (Lk. 4:20; 22:56; Acts 1:10; 3:4,12; 6:15; 7:55; 10:4; 11:6; 13:9; 14:9; 23:1).
(a) The reason Luke uses this word here (Lk. 4:20) is to prepare for Jesus’ Messianic declaration (Internet). In other words, after Jesus stood up in the synagogue (v.16), read Isaiah 61:1–2 (vv.17–19), and then sat down (v.20), He began to give a sermon explaining the meaning of that Scripture (Hochma). The people’s eyes were fixed on Him in anticipation.
(i) That Messianic declaration is found in Jesus’ words: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (v.21) (Modern Korean Bible: “The Scripture you have just read has been fulfilled today”).
· This means that the prophecy Jesus read—Isaiah 61:1–2—was now being fulfilled. According to Isaiah’s prophecy, the Messiah, the Christ, had come, and those in the synagogue were hearing the very words of that Messiah from His own lips (Hochma).
- In other words, Jesus’ Messianic declaration was that the words of Isaiah 61:1–2 had been fulfilled that very day (Lk. 4:21).
n The phrase “today” refers to “the year of the Lord’s favor” (v.19), that is, the time when the Messiah, the Christ, would come and proclaim “the gospel of God”, saying: “The time has come. The kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe the gospel” (Mk. 1:14–15; Hochma)
(b) While meditating on this passage, I was reminded of the second half of 2 Corinthians 6:2: “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
(i) This means that right now is the most favorable time to receive God’s grace—the day when salvation is available. Therefore, we must not miss this moment in our relationship with God, nor receive His grace in vain (Internet).
· When I think of someone who did not miss that moment and received the grace of salvation, I recall the jailer mentioned in Acts 16. When Paul cast out a spirit from a slave girl in the name of Jesus Christ, her owners, realizing that their source of profit was gone, seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities (v.19). The magistrates ordered that Paul and Silas be stripped, beaten severely, and thrown into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely (vv.22–23).
- Around midnight, despite the threat of execution the next day, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God (v.25). Suddenly there was a violent earthquake—the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose (v.26). The jailer awoke, saw the doors open, and, thinking the prisoners had escaped, was about to kill himself (v.27). But Paul stopped him (v.28). Trembling with fear, the jailer fell before Paul and Silas (v.29), brought them out, and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (v.30)
n Paul answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (v.31). Then Paul spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer and to everyone in his house (v.32). As a result, “… he and his entire household believed in God” (v.34). Great joy came to that home. May such grace of salvation and great joy also be with all of us.