Luk 4:22, 32, Joh 7:15, 46 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 22. All bare him witness . All were witnesses of the power and truth of what he said. Their reason and conscience approved of it, and they were constrained to admit the force and propriety of it, and on this account they wondered. They wondered . They were struck with the truth and force of his words; and especially when they remembered that he was a native of their own place, and that they had been long acquainted with him, and that he should now claim to be the Messiah, and give so much evidence that he was the Christ. The gracious (r) words . The words of grace or favour; the kind, affectionate, and tender exposition of the words, and explanation of the design of his coming, and the nature of the plan of redemption. It was so different from the harsh and unfeeling mode of the Pharisees; so different from all their expectations respecting the Messiah, who they supposed to be a prince and a bloody conqueror, that they were filled with astonishment and awe. (r) (s) "Is not this Joseph's son"

Luke 4:22

Verse 22. All bare him witness. All were witnesses of the power and truth of what he said. Their reason and conscience approved of it, and they were constrained to admit the force and propriety of it, and on this account they wondered.

They wondered. They were struck with the truth and force of his words; and especially when they remembered that he was a native of their own place, and that they had been long acquainted with him, and that he should now claim to be the Messiah, and give so much evidence that he was the Christ.

The gracious (r) words. The words of grace or favour; the kind, affectionate, and tender exposition of the words, and explanation of the design of his coming, and the nature of the plan of redemption. It was so different from the harsh and unfeeling mode of the Pharisees; so different from all their expectations respecting the Messiah, who they supposed to be a prince and a bloody conqueror, that they were filled with astonishment and awe.

(r) Ps 45:2, Isa 50:4, Mt 13:54, Mk 6:2, Lk 2:47 (s) "Is not this Joseph's son" Jn 6:42

Luke 4:32

Verse 32. No entry from BARNES for this verse.

(a) "for his word" Jer 23:29, Mt 7:28,29, Tit 2:15, Heb 4:1,2

John 7:15

Verse 15. Knoweth this man letters. The Jewish letters or science consisted in the knowledge of their Scriptures and traditions. Jesus exhibited in his discourses such a profound acquaintance with the Old Testament as to excite their amazement and admiration.

Having never learned. The Jews taught their law and tradition in celebrated schools. As Jesus had not been instructed in those schools, they were amazed at his learning. What early human teaching the Saviour had we have no means of ascertaining, farther than that it was customary for the Jews to teach their children to read the Scriptures. 2Ti 3:15: "From a child thou (Timothy) hast known the holy scriptures."

(1) "letters" or, "learning"

John 7:46

Verse 46.

(q) "Never man spake like this man" Lk 4:22.