Luke 4:15

Luke 4:15, in plain English

He taught in the local synagogues and everyone spoke highly of Him. He was the talk of the town everywhere He went.

Why it's here

At first, everyone loved Jesus' teaching. But as we are about to see in Nazareth, popularity can vanish quickly when the truth gets personal.

Who's speaking

Luke gives a summary of Jesus' early, well-received teaching ministry.

Where it sits in the story

Imagine a traveling teacher so compelling that every synagogue buzzes with excitement. Jesus is the most popular rabbi in Galilee—but that is about to change in His own hometown.

The scholarly reading

Jesus teaches in their synagogues (synagōgais) and is glorified (edoxazeto) by everyone. The imperfect tense indicates ongoing, repeated teaching activity and widespread acclaim.

Language and setting

Synagogue teaching was open to qualified Jewish men. Jesus' early ministry was entirely within established Jewish worship structures, earning universal praise before opposition developed.

Voice

Luke summarizes Jesus' initial synagogue teaching ministry.

Significance

Jesus begins a circuit of synagogue teaching throughout Galilee, and His reception is universally positive. Everyone praises Him—a reception that will dramatically change when He returns to Nazareth.

13When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.

14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region.

15He taught in their synagogues and was glorified by everyone.

16Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,

17the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it was written:

Read all of Luke 4 — Jesus reads from Isaiah in his hometown synagogue and claims the prophecy is fulfilled in himself. The congregation tries to throw him off a cliff.