Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 4:17

"And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written," — Luke 4:17 (ASV)

Luke emphasizes that Jesus was in the town in which he grew up and stresses Jesus’ Jewish piety by referring to his custom of synagogue attendance. This strengthens the contrast with his rejection. Jesus stood up to read the Scriptures; the passage chosen for that particular Sabbath was Isa 61:1–2, with the words “to release the oppressed” taken from Isa 58:6. The variation from the usual wording may simply reflect the interpretive translation in use at that time.