Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region. (Luke 4:31–37)
Those whom argument cannot bring to the sure knowledge of Him Who by nature and in truth is God and Lord, may perhaps be won by miracles unto a docile obedience. And therefore usefully, or rather necessarily, He oftentimes completes His lessons by proceeding to the performance of some mighty work. For the inhabitants of Judea were unready to believe, and slighted the words of those who called them to salvation, and especially the people of Capernaum had this character: for which reason the Savior reproved them, saying, “And you Capernaum, who are exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down unto hell.” But although He knows them to be both disobedient, and hard of heart, nevertheless He visits them as a most excellent physician would those who were suffering under a very dangerous disease, and endeavors to rid them of their malady. For He says Himself, that “those who are in health have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” He taught therefore in their synagogues with great freedom of speech: for this He had foretold by the voice of Isaiah, saying, “I have not spoken in secret, nor in a dark place of the earth.”…
The evil demons therefore were cast out, and made moreover to feel how invincible is His might: and being unable to bear the conflict with Deity, they exclaimed in imperious and crafty terms, “Let us alone: what is there between us and You?” meaning thereby, Why dost Thou not permit us to keep our place, while You are destroying the error of impiety? But they further put on the false appearance of well-sounding words, and call Him the Holy One of God. For they supposed that by this specious kind of language they could excite the desire of vainglory, and thereby prevent His rebuking them, returning as it were one kindness for another. But though he be crafty, he will fail of his prey: for “God is not mocked;” and so the Lord stops their impure tongues, and commands them to depart from those possessed by them. And the bystanders being made witnesses of so great deeds, were astonished at the power of His word. For He worked His miracles, offering up no prayer, to ask of any one else at all the power of accomplishing them, but being Himself the living and active Word of God the Father, by Whom all things exist, and in Whom all things are, in His own person He crushed Satan, and closed the profane mouth of impure demons.
So 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 to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:16–22)
So we should consider what those things are that he spoke through the prophet and later proclaims about himself in a synagogue. He says, “He sent me to preach the Gospel to the poor.” The “poor” stand for the Gentiles, for they are indeed poor. They possess nothing at all: neither God, nor the law, nor the prophets, nor justice and the rest of the virtues. For what reason did God send him to preach to the poor? “To preach release to captives.” We were the captives. For many years Satan had bound us and held us captive, and subject to himself. Jesus has come “to proclaim release to captives, and sight to the blind.” By his word and the proclamation of his teaching the blind see. Therefore, his “proclamation” should be understood not only of the “captives” but also of the “blind.”
“To send broken men forth into freedom.…” What being was so broken and crushed as man, whom Jesus healed and sent away? “To preach an acceptable year to the Lord.…” But all of this has been proclaimed so that we may come to “the acceptable year of the Lord,” when we see after blindness, when we are free from our chains, and when we have been healed of our wounds.
Origen, Homilies on Luke 32.4–5
These words having been read to the assembled people, He drew upon Himself the eyes of all, wondering perhaps how He knew letters Who had not learned. For it was the wont of the Israelites to say, that the prophecies concerning Christ were fulfilled, either in the persons of some of their more glorious kings, or, at all events, in the holy prophets. For not correctly understanding what was written of Him, they missed the true direction, and traveled on another path. But that they might not again thus misinterpret the present prophecy, He carefully guards against error by saying, “This day is this prophecy fulfilled in your ears,” expressly setting Himself before them in these words, as the person spoken of in the prophecy. For it was He Who preached the kingdom of heaven to the heathen, who were poor, having nothing, neither God, nor law, nor prophets; or rather, He preached it unto all who were destitute of spiritual riches: the captives He set free, having overthrown the apostate tyrant Satan, and Himself shed the divine and spiritual light on those whose heart was darkened; for which reason He said, “I am come a light into this world:” it was He Who unbound the chains of sin from those whose heart was crushed thereby: Who clearly showed that there is a life to come, and denounced the just judgment. Finally, it was He Who preached the acceptable year of the Lord, even that in which the Savior’s proclamation was made: for by the acceptable year I think is meant His first coming; and by the day of restitution the day of judgment.
Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke, “Sermon 12”
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. (John 2:1–11)
Let us inquire, then, what sign He performed in order to manifest His divinity to the people. This is said to have been His first miracle—that He changed water into wine. Clearly this is a great sign and one sufficient for believing the majesty of God, for who would not be amazed at elements transformed into something other than they were? For no one can change nature except the one who is Lord of nature. From this one must believe that a mortal human being can be transformed into immortality, when a base substance has been transformed into a precious substance. For, listener, I do not want you to notice only the names of wine and water, but if you wish to ascertain the power look at the virtue of the things, for by this deed something very lofty is pointed out. When the Lord converts water into wine, He does this not so that drunkenness may not be wanting to the banqueters but so that eternity may be the lot of believers. For, since Christ came into the world not that He might provide supplies for feasters but that He might obtain salvation for human beings, neither did He do so in order to fill water jars with a pleasant-smelling substance but in order to water souls with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when from that base water He wished the feasters to savor the taste of an excellent wine, He wished rather for believers to savor from this base flesh the taste of a heavenly resurrection. In this sign, in fact, the whole mystery of the resurrection is contained, for the turning of water that is base, lackluster, and cold into wine that is precious, red, and fiery, signifies that the substance of the human person—base in its condition, lackluster in its weakness, and cold in its dying—is to be changed into the glory of the resurrection, which is precious in its eternity, bright-hued in its grace, and fiery with the Spirit of deathlessness.
It is proper to believe, therefore, that the Lord wished to do this so that through this earthly sign the future heavenly mystery would already be seen then by the wise. For if it is truly marvelous that what was lacking to those at table was made up for by the wine, how much more marvelous it is that life which has been drained dry has been restored to human beings! And if it is a glorious thing to change water into wine, how much more glorious it is to change sins into righteousness and to temper behavior rather than goblets! I dare say that those water jars serve that precious substance not only to that banquet but to the whole world; indeed, they serve us better. For it is well known that they drew drunkenness from those vessels, but we draw righteousness; that they received a goblet of wine, but we take the cup of salvation; and, if it is permitted to speak thus, that what they drank was passing, but that what we have received abides.
Maximus of Turin, Sermon 101: “A Sequel on the Same Holy Day” 3
In 1972, musician Billy Preston released an album that included “Will It Go Round in Circles?” that rose to number one on the US charts with three paradoxical concoctions: a song without a melody, a story without a moral, and a dance without steps. The chorus then asks two important questions of each: “Will it go round in circles? Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?” I do not know Preston’s original thoughts about the song, but it appears that he has no idea whether people will catch on to what he offers so that each will either fly high to be popular or just spin around but go nowhere. Either way he doesn’t care: all that matters is that something is produced.
While Preston’s lyrical intentions were likely whimsical to draw listeners and increase record sales, they do express an ethos of self-pursuing individual desire and fulfillment as the ultimate goal. These are those who go round in circles with eyes focused solely on this world with its limited vision for those things under the sun. Attitudes and actions are put forth with the sole purpose of pleasing and building up self. People are helped or hurt for the purpose of satisfying the individual. Conversely, others fly high because of their acceptance of what the Lord offers or desires, living in the light of Christ. Their perspective is not in what is gained but what is given: self is mortified for the benefit of family and community.
David, in Psalm 11 LXX (12 MT), presents the contrast between these groups.
The truthful are diminished from among the sons of men.
3(2)
Each one speaks useless things to his neighbor;
Deceptive lips speak with a double heart.
4(3)
May the Lord destroy all deceptive lips
And the tongue that speaks boastful things,
5(4)
Saying, “We will make our tongue powerful;
Our lips are our own;
Who is lord over us?”
David sees this world oppressing souls in many ways and asks the Lord to be saved. Only He can provide true healing when no godly man can be found in such a crowd of evil. One might ask why this evil is so prevalent or in other words, “Where has the good man gone?” Holy men come to an end when truth (i.e., God’s Word) is diminished, when the perversity of sin stains the benefits of His good gifts. How is this manifest? Two different, but similar, ways are shown to undercut truth. First, the ungodly speak useless or vain words, which are fleeting. They please the ears with that which lacks substance having the intent of misleading or falsifying. The story is passed from one associate to another so that it becomes normative. We now see what David describes: they are duplicitous at heart and as a whole speak with forked tongue, saying what is needed for the moment, even if it alters or contradicts what had been stated previously, in order to push the narrative.
The ungodly spew forth evil as if the outcome of events was entirely in their control rather than providentially directed by a divine hand. Being caught up in the greatness of their rhetoric, they become swollen with pride and fail to understand that their own ability is supplied by the Creator. They fail to take in good sense and rush to their own destruction. In response to this deception, David calls for a general judgment by the Lord according to His Word (Deut 19:15–21), meting out the just penalty for their pride and self-glorification.
6(5)
“Because of the suffering of the needy,
And because of the groaning of the poor,
Now I will arise,” says the Lord;
“I will establish them in salvation;
I will declare it boldly.”
7(6)
The words of the Lord are pure words,
Like silver fired in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
8(7)
You shall guard us, O Lord;
You shall preserve us from this generation forever.
9(8)
The ungodly walk in a circle;
In Your exaltation, You highly exalted the sons of men.
As the oppressed journey through this world, they pray for deliverance from the ungodliness around them, and because of their prayers and groaning, the Lord responds. He establishes the godly in salvation by arising to their circumstance to deliver them from tribulation. While the promise of salvation is given, there is no indication whence or when the rescue will come. We rely on the certainty of a God who cannot relent: He will rescue and vindicate with just judgment and punishment on the evil-doers. This promise is consummated in the Lord Jesus as He gains the ultimate victory over sin and death in His resurrection, exercising administration in the ascension, awaiting the final judgment wherein all is made right.
As opposed to the earlier boastful and deceptive human words, David praises the divine, which are not tainted or tarnished with inconsistency but are flawlessly pure more so than the finest precious metal. Accordingly, he promises that the Lord will preserve those who have believed His utterances with a pure heart. We cannot be guarded by our own strength, but we rest in His consolation both in this life and in the one to come supplying everlasting freedom from anxiety. He helps us here, and glorifies and crowns us there; He preserves us in this world lest we perish, and blesses us in the next so that we can be wholly free.
The psalmist ends with the reason for his request and, thus, the purpose for the opening video: the wicked continue to prowl or strut about. Their circuitous routes are always invested with evil deeds so that they never reach the right path, but when they are exalted in their deeds, vileness reigns among men. Their end is utter destruction on the last day. Conversely, those who believe the pure words of the Lord are exalted to heavenly places (Eph 2:6-7), not according to their merit but according to His immeasurable grace in Christ Jesus.
Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison. When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:15–22)
Today, then, is another kind of birth of the Savior. We see Him born with the same sort of signs, the same sort of wonders, but with greater mystery. And the Holy Spirit, who was present to Him then in the womb, now pours out upon Him in the torrent. He who then purified Mary for Him now sanctifies the running waters for Him. The Father who then overshadowed in power now cries out with His voice. And He who then, as if choosing the more prudent course, manifested Himself as a cloud at the nativity now bears witness to the truth; for God says: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him. Clearly the second birth is more excellent than the first. For the one brought forth Christ in silence and without a witness, but the other baptized the Lord gloriously with a profession of divinity; from the one Joseph, thought to be the father, absents himself, but at the other God the Father, not believed in, manifests Himself; in the one the mother labors under suspicion because in her condition she lacked a father, but in the other she is honored because God attests to His Son.…
Today, then, He is baptized in the Jordan. What sort of baptism is this, when the one who is dipped is purer than the font, and where the water that soaks the one whom it has received is not dirtied but honored with blessings? What sort of baptism is this of the Savior, I ask, in which the streams are made pure more than they purify? For by a new kind of consecration the water does not so much wash Christ as submit to being washed. Since the Savior plunged into the waters, He sanctified the outpouring of every flood and the course of every stream by the mystery of His baptism, so that when someone wishes to be baptized in the name of the Lord it is not so much the waters of this world that cover him but the waters of Christ that purify him. Yet the Savior willed to be baptized for this reason—not that He might cleanse Himself but that He might cleanse the waters for our sake.
Maximus of Turin, Sermon 13a: “On Holy Epiphany” 2–3
Shine, shine, O Jerusalem, for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Behold, darkness and gloom shall cover the earth upon the nations, but the Lord will shine on you; and His glory shall be seen upon you. Kings shall come to your light, and the Gentiles to your brightness. Lift up your eyes all around, and see your children gathered together. Behold, all your sons come from afar, and your daughters shall be lifted upon their shoulders. Then you will see, fear and be amazed in your heart, because the wealth of the sea and of nations and peoples shall change their course and turn to you. Herds of camels shall come to you, and the camels of Midian and Ephah shall cover you. All those from Sheba shall come bearing gold, and they shall bring frankincense and proclaim the good news of the Lord’s salvation. (Isa 60:1–6 LXX)
Hail, city of the Great King, in which the mysteries of our salvation are consummated. Hail, heaven upon earth, Zion, the city that is forever faithful unto the Lord. Hail, and shine Jerusalem, for your light is come, the Light Eternal, the Light forever enduring, the Light Supreme, the Light Immaterial, the Light of one substance with God and the Father, the Light which is in the Spirit, and in which is the Father; the Light which illumines the ages; the Light which gives light to mundane and transcendent things, Christ our very God. Hail, city sacred and elect of the Lord. Joyfully keep your festal days, for they will not multiply so as to wax old and pass away. Hail, city most happy, for glorious things are spoken of you; your priest shall be clothed with righteousness, and your saints shall shout for joy, and your poor shall be satisfied with bread. Hail! rejoice, O Jerusalem, for the Lord reigns in the midst of you. That Lord, I say, who in His simple and immaterial Deity, entered our nature, and of the virgin’s womb became ineffably incarnate; that Lord, who was partaker of nothing else save the lump of Adam, who was by the serpent tripped up. For the Lord laid not hold of the seed of angels—those, I say, who fell not away from that beauteous order and rank that was assigned to them from the beginning. To us He condescended, that Word who was always with the Father co-existent God.
