son, the people of Nazareth expect him to privilege them over others, especially their neighbors in Capernaum.112 Is this too much to ask? Isn’t Nazareth a poor village that needs relief from oppression? Shouldn’t Jesus’ relatives and friends be first in line to receive God’s blessings? If the people interpret Jesus as casting his sights on unclean and lowly outsiders instead of on them, no wonder they are deeply offended. Their self-serving mindset sees Jesus bypassing his in-group and giving the benefits to undeserving outsiders. What a reprehensible way to repay one’s kin! The dynamics quickly shift from goodwill to anger, and the earlier acclaim deteriorates into murderous fury, so that “all in the synagogue were filled with rage” (4:28). Their attempt to throw Jesus off the cliff (4:29), if successful, would have been followed by hurling stones down the steep drop to finish him off. Although some may justify the mob action as the stoning of a false prophet (Deut 13:1–11), it is not a legal execution, and certainly not on the Sabbath! Jesus cuts through the crowd and leaves the scene of rejection (4:30). Manipulation and hostility will not distract Jesus from his central mission, and he will continue to do what he is commissioned to do.113
Early Ministry in Galilee (4:31–44)
This section parallels more or less the narrative framework of Mark 1:21–39. While Mark has Jesus calling his first four disciples before relating his ministry at Capernaum (Mark 1:16–20), Luke recounts the call story in greater detail (5:1–11) after this series of vignettes. This rearrangement makes better narrative sense by explaining the fishermen’s knowledge of Jesus prior to their decision to follow him. An exorcism is followed by a healing (4:31–39), showing how Jesus brings “release to the captives . . . [and] let the oppressed go free” (4:18). These two miracles lead to many other similar actions that Luke simply notes in summary (4:40–41). The section closes with Jesus’ declaration that his mission is to go to all the cities and proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom (4:42–44).
The cosmic battle between God and evil is played out on the human stage, with Jesus as God’s agent and the demon as Satan’s minion holding a man hostage. The first of Jesus’ many miracles that Luke presents is an exorcism on the Sabbath at a synagogue in Capernaum (4:31–37). Although more populated and prosperous than Nazareth, Capernaum was still a poor fishing village at the time of Jesus. Excavations uncovered little sign of wealth in the form of fine pottery and expensive frescoes.114 From Matthew and Mark we learn that Jesus made his home in Capernaum at some point (Matt 4:13; Mark 2:1). Luke never alludes to this fact, even though he locates Jesus in Capernaum on multiple occasions in his narrative (4:23, 31; 7:1).
Many in Capernaum are drawn to Jesus even though they are not fully aware of his identity and mission. His authority is already widely acknowledged among the populace (4:32). On this occasion, a man with an unclean spirit115 disrupts the service at the synagogue (4:33). The demon is no match against Jesus, but he puts up a loud and rambling protest (4:34). The Greek interjection, ea, is more than an exclamation of surprise. It implies resistance, which some English translations express as “Let us alone!” (NRSV, NKJV) or “Go away!” (NLT).116 The question that follows, ti hēmin kai soi (literally, “What to us and to you?”), is idiomatic, connoting suspicion and rejection: “What have you to do with us?” or “What have we to do with you?” (cf. Judg 11:12; 2 Sam 16:10). According to ancient magical practices, calling an enemy by name in an incantation was a power play.117 This demon not only recognizes Jesus as “Jesus of Nazareth” but “the Holy One of God” as well (cf. 1:35). In vain he tries to claim superiority by naming Jesus, yet his pretense is futile. In the end, his question, “Have you come to destroy us?” becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Jesus does not need any lengthy incantation, for his word is authoritative enough to drive out the demon: “Be silent and come out of him!” (4:35). Even though the unclean spirit knows who Jesus is, this must not be proclaimed by an enemy of God. Immediately the demon’s power is subdued and it departs with a whimper, throwing the man down on the floor without doing him further harm. The eyewitnesses are now impressed by Jesus’ exorcising power in addition to his teachings (4:36–37). The news spreads like wildfire, but the people have yet to figure out what this is all about.
Moving from the public to the private sphere, Jesus leaves the synagogue and enters the house of Simon, whose mother-in-law is suffering from a high fever (4:38). Consistent with Luke’s penchant to pair a story of a man with that of a woman,118 the recipient of Jesus’ saving act also moves from a demon-possessed man to a sick woman. There are interesting similarities in the description of the exorcism and this healing. Jesus “rebuked (epetimēsen) the fever” (4:39) just as he “rebuked (epetimēsen) [the demon]” (4:35; cf. 4:41). Then the fever “left her” (4:39) just as the demon “came out of him” (4:37). Just as the man was released from the bondage of an evil spirit, Simon’s mother-in-law is now freed from the oppression of grave sickness. That she is able to get up and wait upon Jesus and his companions further proves the efficacy of Jesus’ healing power and her response of gratitude.
The summary statement of 4:40–41 gives the readers an idea of Jesus’ impact thus far. By the end of the Sabbath, crowds flock to Jesus, bringing with them many who are afflicted by disease and demons, and all are cured. More demons are cast out and silenced by Jesus because they know his true identity as Son of God and Messiah. The battle line is drawn, but with whom the people of Capernaum will align themselves is yet to be seen.
The next morning Jesus withdraws to a deserted place, presumably to pray (4:42a; cf. Mark 1:35), but the crowd catches up with him soon enough. Like the villagers of Nazareth, the people of Capernaum also want to keep Jesus for themselves, but are again told that his mission includes other cities as well (4:42b–43). The verb apestalēn (“I was sent”) is passive, which denotes agency. Jesus is sent by God, not only to Nazareth or Capernaum, but throughout the region and beyond. Implicit in the verb dei119 (“it is necessary;” “I must”) is a divine necessity; Jesus is under God’s compulsion to proclaim the good news, which is spread through Jesus’ words as well as his actions.
The final verse of this section, “so [Jesus] continued proclaiming the message in the synagogues of Judea” (4:44), hearkens back to 4:14–15, reminding the readers that while Jesus’ acts of wonder are impressive and effective, teaching remains central to his mission. Teaching and healing go hand in hand in Jesus’ encounters with “the poor” everywhere. The reference to Judea here should be understood as “the land of the Jews,” a general term for the whole of Palestine, including Galilee, and not only the region surrounding Jerusalem.120
Different responses to Jesus are emerging; the crowds are awestruck, and the demons are defiant. Neither exhibits a model response. Only Simon’s mother-in-law is shown to express her gratitude in the form of service. In her we catch a glimpse of what constitutes a proper response to Jesus. In the next chapter, we trace Simon’s movement from observer to follower as Luke returns to the account of Jesus calling his first disciples.
107. E.g., Exod 32:1–8; Judg 2:11–13; 2 Chr 28:1–4; Jer 9:13–14; Hos 11:1–2.
108. 4:33–37; 8:28–30; 9:38–42; 10:17–19; 11:14–23; 13:11–16.
109. Walker 2006: 31–33; Garland
