King James Version

What Does Luke 4:17 Mean?

Luke 4:17 in the King James Version says “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place whe...” — study this verse from Luke chapter 4 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

“And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,”

Luke 4:17 · KJV

Salvation

Context

15

And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

16

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted , to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written. The formal liturgical action unfolds: epedothē autō biblion (ἐπεδόθη αὐτῷ βιβλίον, there was delivered to him the scroll) indicates the hazzan (attendant/minister) handed Jesus the Isaiah scroll. The term biblion (βιβλίον, scroll/book) refers to a rolled parchment containing Isaiah's prophecy. When he had opened (anaptuxas, ἀναπτύξας, unrolling) describes the physical action of unrolling the scroll to the desired passage.

The phrase he found the place where it was written (heuren ton topon hou ēn gegrammenon, εὗρεν τὸν τόπον οὗ ἦν γεγραμμένον) may indicate either divine providence directing Him to Isaiah 61:1-2 or His intentional selection of this messianic text. Given Jesus' perfect knowledge of Scripture and His deliberate self-revelation, this was likely purposeful choice, not coincidence. He selects the passage that most clearly defines His messianic mission, preparing to make the stunning claim: 'This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears' (v. 21).

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Historical & Cultural Context

First-century synagogue worship followed established liturgy: Shema recitation, prayers, Torah reading (fixed lectionary), prophetic reading (Haftarah, often selected by reader), exposition, and benediction. Visiting teachers or honored members were invited to read and comment on the prophetic portion. Jesus' literacy enabled Him to read the Hebrew text—many first-century Jews, especially in Galilee, spoke Aramaic but couldn't read Hebrew. The Isaiah scroll would have been expensive and carefully preserved. That Nazareth's small synagogue possessed a complete Isaiah scroll indicates the community's commitment to Scripture. Jesus' selection of Isaiah 61:1-2 was profoundly significant—this passage was recognized as messianic, describing the Spirit-anointed deliverer who would bring good news to the poor and liberty to captives.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does Jesus' deliberate selection of Isaiah 61:1-2 teach about His self-understanding and mission?
  2. How does the careful preservation and reverent handling of Scripture in synagogue worship model proper attitude toward God's Word?
  3. Why is it significant that Jesus reads from Isaiah, the most explicitly messianic prophetic book?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 17 words
καὶ1 of 17

“And”

G2532

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

ἐπεδόθη2 of 17

“there was delivered”

G1929

to give over (by hand or surrender)

αὐτῷ3 of 17

“unto him”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

βιβλίον4 of 17

“the book”

G975

a roll

Ἠσαΐου5 of 17

“Esaias”

G2268

hesaias (i.e., jeshajah), an israelite

τοῦ6 of 17
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

προφήτου7 of 17

“of the prophet”

G4396

a foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet

καὶ8 of 17

“And”

G2532

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

ἀναπτύξας9 of 17

“when he had opened”

G380

to unroll (a scroll or volume)

τὸ10 of 17
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

βιβλίον11 of 17

“the book”

G975

a roll

εὗρεν12 of 17

“he found”

G2147

to find (literally or figuratively)

τὸν13 of 17
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

τόπον14 of 17

“the place”

G5117

a spot (general in space, but limited by occupancy; whereas g5561 is a large but participle locality), i.e., location (as a position, home, tract, etc

οὗ15 of 17

“where”

G3757

at which place, i.e., where

ἦν16 of 17

“it was”

G2258

i (thou, etc.) was (wast or were)

γεγραμμένον17 of 17

“written”

G1125

to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Luke. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Luke 4:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Luke 4:17 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 61:1-3Acts 13:15Acts 7:42Luke 20:42Acts 13:27

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