Bible Strands
Luke 4:22
All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to the synagogue congregation in His hometown immediately after declaring that Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in their hearing. The listeners respond to His claim before He confronts their demand that He replicate Capernaum’s miracles locally.
The words — The Greek ἐμαρτύρουν (emarturoun) means “were bearing witness,” describing the crowd’s initial favorable reaction to His speech. The verb ἐθαυμάζον (ethaumazon) translates to “they were marveling,” indicating their astonishment at the grace of His utterance.
The thread — This reaction parallels the hometown astonishment recorded in Matthew 13:54 and echoes the skeptical question about Jesus’s earthly parentage in John 6:42. The description of His lips also corresponds to the anointing and grace noted in Psalms 45:2.
Why it lands — The text requires a reader to observe how immediate praise quickly shifts to skeptical familiarity when divine claims meet known human origins. It demands recognition that spiritual authority is routinely questioned when it emerges from ordinary, documented backgrounds.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
Cross-references
- Matthew 13:54 Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked.
- Psalms 45:2 You are the most handsome of men; grace has anointed your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.
- John 6:42 They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
- Acts 6:10 but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
- Mark 6:2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles?
- Ecclesiastes 12:10 The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
- John 7:46 “Never has anyone spoken like this man!” the officers answered.
- Psalms 45:4 In your splendor ride forth in victory on behalf of truth and humility and justice; may your right hand show your awesome deeds.
- Proverbs 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.
- Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant speech promotes instruction.