The Meaning of Luke 4:26 Explained

Luke 4:26

KJV: But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

YLT: and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but -- to Sarepta of Sidon, unto a woman, a widow;

Darby: and to none of them was Elias sent but to Sarepta of Sidonia, to a woman that was a widow.

ASV: and unto none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  unto  none  of them  was  Elias  sent,  save  unto  Sarepta,  [a city] of Sidon,  unto  a woman  [that was] a widow. 

What does Luke 4:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 4:14-30 - "his Own Received Him Not"
A wide gap occurs here, embracing the important transactions of John 1:29-51; John 2:1-25; John 3:1-36; John 4:1-54.
What a flutter in Mary's heart when she saw her son sitting in the teacher's place of His native synagogue! How gratified at the reception given to the opening sentences! What a sword pierced her heart at the sudden revulsion of feeling! They were jealous that He performed only a few private miracles; but He could not do more because of their unbelief. See Mark 6:5.
Note that our Lord here sounded forth the silver trumpet of jubilee. Seizing on the imagery of the gladdest festival of Hebrew life, He likened Himself to a priest proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord. Not yet the day of vengeance! Compare Luke 4:19 with Isaiah 61:1-2. This is Christ's program for the present age. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 4

1  The fasting and temptation of Jesus
14  He begins to preach
16  The people of Nazareth marvel at words, but seek to kill him
33  He cures one possessed of a demon,
38  Peter's mother-in-law,
40  and various other sick persons
41  The demons acknowledge Jesus, and are reproved for it
42  He preaches through the cities of Galilee

Greek Commentary for Luke 4:26

Unto Zarephath [εις Σαρεπτα]
The modern village Surafend on the coast road between Tyre and Sidon. [source]
Unto a woman that was a widow [προς γυναικα χηραν]
Literally, unto a woman a widow (like our vernacular widow woman). This is an illustration of the proverb from the life of Elijah (1 Kings 17:8, 1 Kings 17:9). This woman was in the land of Sidon or Phoenicia, a heathen, where Jesus himself will go later. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 4:26

Mark 6:1 Into his own country [εις την πατριδα αυτου]
So Matthew 13:54. There is no real reason for identifying this visit to Nazareth with that recorded in Luke 4:26-31 at the beginning of the Galilean Ministry. He was rejected both times, but it is not incongruous that Jesus should give Nazareth a second chance. It was only natural for Jesus to visit his mother, brothers, and sisters again. Neither Mark nor Matthew mention Nazareth here by name, but it is plain that by πατριδα — patrida the region of Nazareth is meant. He had not lived in Bethlehem since his birth. [source]
Galatians 2:16 But by faith [ἐὰν μὴ]
As the Greek stands, it would read, “Is not justified by the works of the law save through faith.” So, unfortunately, Rev. This would mean, as the Romish interpreters, not through works of the law except they be done through faith in Christ, and would ascribe justification to works which grow out of faith. Paul means that justification is by faith alone. The use of ἐὰν μὴ is to be thus explained: A man is not justified by the works of the law: (he is not justified) except by faith in Jesus Christ. Ἑὰν μὴ retains its exceptive force, but the exception refers only to the verb. Comp. εἰ μὴ in Matthew 12:4; Luke 4:26, Luke 4:27; Galatians 1:19; Revelation 21:27. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 4:26 mean?

and to none of them was sent Elijah if not to Zarephath - of Sidon a woman a widow
καὶ πρὸς οὐδεμίαν αὐτῶν ἐπέμφθη Ἠλίας εἰ μὴ εἰς Σάρεπτα τῆς Σιδωνίας γυναῖκα χήραν

οὐδεμίαν  none 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: οὐδείς 
Sense: no one, nothing.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐπέμφθη  was  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πέμπω  
Sense: to send.
Ἠλίας  Elijah 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἠλίας  
Sense: a prophet born at Thisbe, the unflinching champion of the theocracy in the reigns of the idolatrous kings Ahab and Ahaziah.
Σάρεπτα  Zarephath 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: Σάρεπτα  
Sense: the Greek name for Zarephath, a Phoenician town between Tyre and Sidon, but nearer Sidon.
τῆς  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Σιδωνίας  of  Sidon 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Σιδώνιος  
Sense: an inhabitant of Sidon, a Sidonian.
γυναῖκα  a  woman 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
χήραν  a  widow 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χήρα  
Sense: a widow.

What are the major concepts related to Luke 4:26?

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