Luke 4:42

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(42-44) And when it was . . .—Again we have a narrative omitted by St. Matthew, but common to St. Luke and St. Mark. See Notes on Mark 1:35-39.

The people sought him.—The Greek tense implies continued seeking.

And stayed him.—Better, tried to stay Him. Their wish was that He should remain at Capernaum, heal their sick, teach them, and perhaps also that they and their fellow-townsmen might thus share in the fame of the new Prophet.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:31-44 Christ's preaching much affected the people; and a working power went with it to the consciences of men. These miracles showed Christ to be a controller and conqueror of Satan, a healer of diseases. Where Christ gives a new life, in recovery from sickness, it should be a new life, spent more than ever in his service, to his glory. Our business should be to spread abroad Christ's fame in every place, to beseech him in behalf of those diseased in body or mind, and to use our influence in bringing sinners to him, that his hands may be laid upon them for their healing. He cast the devils out of many who were possessed. We were not sent into this world to live to ourselves only, but to glorify God, and to do good in our generation. The people sought him, and came unto him. A desert is no desert, if we are with Christ there. He will continue with us, by his word and Spirit, and extend the same blessings to other nations, till, throughout the earth, the servants and worshippers of Satan are brought to acknowledge him as the Christ, the Son of God, and to find redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this explained in the notes at Mark 1:21-39.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Lu 4:42-44. Jesus Sought Out at Morning Prayer, and Entreated to Stay, Declines from the Urgency of His Work.

See on [1570]Mr 1:35-39, where we learn how early He retired, and how He was engaged in solitude when they came seeking Him.

42. stayed him—"were staying Him," or sought to do it. What a contrast to the Gadarenes! The nature of His mission required Him to keep moving, that all might hear the glad tidings (Mt 8:34).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 42-44. See Poole on "Mark 1:35", and following to Mark 1:39, where that evangelist reports the same things that this evangelist mentions, only with more circumstances. Mark saith, he went out a great while before day into a solitary place to pray. He saith also that Simon and others followed him, and found him, and told him that all men sought him. Luke addeth that the others desired him not to depart from thence. They desired his stay, in order to his miracles, the healing of their sick, dispossessing demoniacs, &c. Christ replied, (as Mark saith), Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for therefore came I forth. Luke saith he told them, he must preach the gospel of the kingdom to other cities also; for therefore he was sent. Accordingly, (saith Luke), he did preach in the synagogues of Galilee. Mark adds also that he cast out devils. How can any think that preaching the gospel is not the great work of the minister of Christ, but prayers are to be preferred before it, or administering the sacraments greater, when it is expressly said, that Christ baptized none, but his disciples, John 4:2; and Paul saith, Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach the gospel; and Christ omitted opportunities of working miracles that he might preach to other cities, and only wrought miracles to confirm the doctrine he preached; and we so often read of his going about preaching and teaching, never of his praying, but alone with his disciples, or in a mountain or solitary place; (though doubtless he, or some others, did pray at their worship in the synagogues); unless any will be so mad as to think, that the sole end of preaching was to convert men from Judaism, or paganism, to an outward owning and professing of Christ, though under that profession, by reason of their sottish ignorance and debauched lives, they remain twice more the children of the devil than many Jews and pagans are? What was Christ’s great work is certainly his ministers’, viz. to preach the gospel of the kingdom.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when it was day,.... The "day after", as the Persic version renders it;

at the dawning, or "break of day", as the Syriac. He rose a great while before it was day, as Mark says, Mark 1:35 but did not go out till it was day, or till day was coming on, when

he departed from Peter's house, and from Capernaum:

and went into a desert place; for the sake of solitude, that he might be retired from company, and have an opportunity of privately praying to God:

and the people sought, and came unto him: they first went to Simon's house, and not finding him there, sought for him elsewhere: and when they understood where he was, they came to him,

and stayed him that he should not depart from them; they laid hold on him, and held him, and did all they could to persuade him, to abide with them constantly, and not think of removing from them: though perhaps this was not so much from love to Christ's person and presence, or any regard to his ministry, and the good and welfare of their immortal souls, as on account of the miracles he wrought, and the corporal benefits he bestowed on them.

Geneva Study Bible

{9} And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

(9) No zealous response on the part of the people ought to hinder us in the race that God has appointed unto us.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 4:42-44. See on Mark 1:35-39, who is more precise and more vivid.

The bringing of so many sick folks to Him, Luke 4:40, is to be explained, not by this hasty departure, the appointment of which had been known (Schleiermacher), but, in accordance with the text (Luke 4:37), by the fame which the public healing of the demoniac in the synagogue had brought Him.

ἕως αὐτοῦ] not simply: to Him, but: even up to Him, they came in their search, which therefore they did not discontinue until they found Him. Comp. 1Ma 3:26; Acts 9:38; Acts 23:23.

εἰς τοῦτο] namely, to announce not only here, but everywhere throughout the land, the kingdom of God.

ἀπέσταλμαι] It is otherwise in Mark 1:36, whose expression is original, but had already acquired in the tradition that Luke here follows a doctrinal development with a higher meaning.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 4:42-44. Withdrawal from Capernaum (Mark 1:35-39).—γενομένης ἡμέρας, when it was day, i.e., when people were up and could see Jesus’ movements, and accordingly followed Him. In Mk. Jesus departed very early before dawn, when all would be in bed; a kind of flight.—οἱ ὄχλοι: in Mk. Simon and those with him, other disciples. But of disciples Lk. as yet knows nothing.—ἕως αὐτοῦ, to the place where He was. From the direction in which they had seen Him depart they had no difficulty in finding Him.—κατεῖχον, they held Him back, from doing what He seemed inclined to do, i.e., from leaving them, with some of their sick still unhealed.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

42. when it was day] St Mark (Mark 1:35) uses the expression “rising up exceedingly early in the morning, while it was yet dark.” It was His object to escape into silence, and solitude, and prayer, without being observed by the multitudes.

into a desert place] Densely as the district was populated, such a place might be found in such hill ravines as the Vale of Doves at no great distance.

the people sought him] Rather, were earnestly seeking for Him. It is characteristic of the eager impetuosity of St Peter, that (as St Mark tells us, Luke 1:36) he, with his friends, on this occasion (literally) “hunted Him down” (katedioxan).

stayed him] Rather, tried or wished to detain Him. It is the tentative imperfect.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 4:42. Ἕως, even to, [as far as to]) They did not give over seeking before that they found Him.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 42. - And when it was day, he parted and went into a desert place. For solitude, meditation, and prayer. The night, or at least most of it, must have been spent in these blessed works of mercy. It was very early in the deep, dark dawn that the Redeemer was up again seeking fresh strength from his Father. St. Mark tells us when he left the house "it was still very dark."



Luke 4:42

Vincent's Word Studies

Sought after (ἐπεζήτουν)

Imperfect tense: were seeking.

Came unto him (ἦλθον ἕως αὐτοῦ)

Stronger than came to; for ἕως is even up to, showing that they did not discontinue their search until they found him. Mark's narrative here is fuller and more graphic.