f) Other Healings (Lk 4:40-44)

Translation from the book:

Στεργίου Ν. Σάκκου, ρμηνεία στό κατά Λουκν Εαγγέλιο, τόμ. Α΄, 

ἐκδ. «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ, Θεσ/νίκη 2008, σσ. 200-204

(Stergios N. Sakkos [Read CV]A Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Lukevol. A', pp. 200-204)

 

4,40. Δύνοντος δὲ τοῦ ἡλίου πάντες ὅσοι εἶχον ἀσθενοῦντας νόσοις ποικίλαις ἤγαγον αὐτοὺς πρὸς αὐτόν· ὁ δὲ ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ αὐτῶν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιτιθεὶς ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς.
4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.

  The news of the healing of the demon-possessed man and Peter's mother-in-law spread like lightning. Mark notes that the whole city gathered outside Peter's house (see 1:33). After the sun had begun to set “when the sun was setting”, those who had sick eagerly approached the amazing physician who visited them. Since it was the Sabbath, in order not to violate the established holiday, they waited for the sunset, which meant the beginning of the new day.
 therapeia tyflou Usual diseases are characterized as “diseases” by Luke and are distinguished from the morbid manifestations due to demonic possession and are mentioned in the following verse. The same clear distinction between "those who were diseased” and those who were "possessed with devils" is made by the other two synoptic evangelists (see Mt 8:16; Mk 1:32).
  Why did Jesus lay his hand on the sick, “he laid his hands on every one of them”, when he could heal them from afar with a word? He seeks personal contact for the following reasons;
a) To show his special interest and affection.
b) To enable the patient's faith to contribute in the healing.
c) To show with this symbolic gesture the transmission of the divine healing power. He did not raise his hands to heaven to pray for the sick or to ask for help, but he put them on them, showing that he had the authority by his own power to give healing.

4,41. Ἐξήρχετο δὲ καὶ δαιμόνια ἀπὸ πολλῶν κραυγάζοντα καὶ λέγοντα ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἐπιτιμῶν οὐκ εἴα αὐτὰ λαλεῖν, ὅτι ᾔδεισαν τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι.
4:41 And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are Christ the Son of God!” But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

  The “demons” experienced the Lord's power both from his confrontation with Satan in the wilderness (see vv. 3-13) and from the healing of the demon-possessed man in the synagogue of Capernaum (see vv. 33-35). They also knew the prophecies of the Old Testament. So, seeing them fulfilled in Jesus, they concluded that he would be the prophesied Christ. This explains their confession and Luke’s word; “they knew that he was the Christ”. This does not mean, of course, that they understood his divine nature and his mission (see comments on 4:3).
  For “he rebuked them” see comments on 4:35.

4,42. Γενομένης δὲ ἡμέρας ἐξελθὼν ἐπορεύθη εἰς ἔρημον τόπον· καὶ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐπεζήτουν αὐτόν, καὶ ἦλθον ἕως αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεῖχον αὐτὸν τοῦ μὴ πορεύεσθαι ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν.
4:42 And at daybreak he departed and went into a desert place. And the people sought him and came to him, and detained him that He might not leave them;

  When the next day dawned, "at daybreak" according to Mark the evangelist (1:35), the Lord withdrew into the wilderness. He wanted to avoid the crowds, because he wished to make use of this day, the "one of the Sabbaths", in isolation, silence and prayer (see Mk 1:35). Thus, he both taught his disciples to avoid the ostentation and glory of the world and not to irritate his enemies’ envy.
  But the people “sought him”, they sought him persistently, until they found him. And then they “detained him”, made a living wall around him and tried to hinder him so that he could not depart from them. St. Chrysostom asks: Who would not want, to see his face? The Lord was not only admirable when he worked miracles; his face was so extraordinarily graceful that he attracted people. It was prophesied, moreover, that he would be "fairer than the children of men" Ps 45:2(44:3). The unique beauty of his face will also be seen by those who will be worthy to meet him in heaven (see 1 Jn 3:2).

4,43-44. Ὁ δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὅτι καὶ ταῖς ἑτέραις πόλεσιν εὐαγγελίσασθαί με δεῖ τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ· ὅτι εἰς τοῦτο ἀπέσταλμαι. Καὶ ἦν κηρύσσων εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς τῆς Γαλιλαίας.
4:43-44 But he said to them, “I must preach the gospel of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

  To the disciples, who were the first to find the Lord in his place of prayer and informed him of the persistent search of the multitude (see Mk 1:37) and to the inhabitants of Capernaum, who then surrounded him and begged him to stay in their city, he replied that he should preach the kingdom of God in other cities as well. The verb “must” indicates that his work had been predetermined and planned according to the divine will, according to which he would voluntarily live throughout his earthly life (cf. Lk 9:22; 13:33; 17:25; 19:5; 22:37; 24:7; 26; 44; 46).
  In the synagogues of Galilee, Jesus preached the joyful news that God's promises of the coming of His kingdom, which the Jews had been eagerly waiting for centuries, were now being fulfilled. His preaching was confirmed and validated by the miraculous signs he was performing (see Mt 4:23; Mk 1:39).

 

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