Luke's New Wine & Other Notes in Chapters 4 & 5

Luke 4:2 - "Being forty days tempted of the devil...."

Jesus was tempted by Satan the entire forty days, not just at the end. See also Mark 1:13.

Luke 4:14 - "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit..."

One way to be filled with the Spirit and operate in His power is to successfully resist temptation.

Luke 4:23 - And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

Luke did not record these miracles of Capernaum, but they are given in Matthew 4 after the temptation in the wilderness. This is a testament to the unity and agreement of the four Gospels.

Luke 4:25-27 - Mention of two Gentiles converted while O.T. Israel remained in unbelief. A hint of Christ's ministry and the reason for their indignation and wrath toward Him, vv. 28-30.

Luke 5:1 - The Lake of Gennesaret is another name for the Sea of Galilee.

Luke 5:8 - When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Same as Isaiah's response to God in Isaiah 6:3, 5. Points to deity of Christ, sinlessness, holiness, etc.

Luke 5:16-17 - And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed.... And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

Not coincidence, but connection. Prayer brings power.

Luke 5:24 - "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins..."

"But that ye may know..." Miracles are always confirmatory signs of the message and the messenger. Same note at Matthew 11:2-5; Mark 2:10-11.

Luke 5:32 - I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Of course there is none righteous, Romans 3:10. Jesus' words indicate the resistance and inability of the self-righteous to trusting Christ.

Luke 5:36-39 - See notes at Matthew 9:16-17.

Luke 5:39 - No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

This verse unique to Luke. Old wine being fermented, deadens taste buds and kills desire for fresh juice. The ruler of the marriage feast in Cana desired the new wine Jesus made, proving that the former was not old wine - no alcohol involved at feast, John 2:9-10. In these parables, old wine is the Law and the new wine is the Grace of Jesus Christ. Enslavement to the Law deadens the taste for Grace.

VM