Luke 4:16
Καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Ναζαρέτ, οὗ ἦν τεθραμμένος, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων εἰς τὴν συναγωγήν, καὶ ἀνέστη ἀναγνῶναι.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and according to his custom he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.
A Return Home with Purpose
οὗ ἦν τεθραμμένος – “where he had been brought up.” οὗ (relative pronoun, genitive) refers back to Nazareth. τεθραμμένος is a perfect passive participle of τρέφω (“to nourish, raise”), emphasizing Jesus’ long-standing formative connection to the town—used here with durative nuance, showing completed past with ongoing significance.
Sabbath Habit and Synagogue Setting
εἰσῆλθεν κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ – “he entered according to his custom.” The aorist εἰσῆλθεν (from εἰσέρχομαι) shows completed action. The phrase κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς is a neuter accusative articular participle used idiomatically: “according to the (thing) that was customary.” εἰωθὸς is the perfect active participle of ἔθω, “to be accustomed.” The dative αὐτῷ shows it was his personal practice, not merely societal routine.
ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων – “on the day of the Sabbaths.” Plural σαββάτων used idiomatically for the weekly Sabbath (a Semitic influence). The article τῇ + ἡμέρᾳ specifies this as the known, recurring day of worship.
εἰς τὴν συναγωγήν – “into the synagogue.” The destination of the action. Synagogues in first-century Galilee served as places for teaching, Scripture reading, and communal gathering. The definite article makes this the local synagogue in Nazareth.
Public Reading of Scripture
καὶ ἀνέστη ἀναγνῶναι – “and he stood up to read.” ἀνέστη is aorist active indicative of ἀνίστημι, “he stood up,” used frequently for assuming a public role or taking initiative. ἀναγνῶναι is the aorist infinitive of ἀναγινώσκω, “to read aloud.” In Jewish liturgy, standing to read Scripture was customary. The infinitive expresses purpose or result—he stood up with the intention of reading.
Summary Table
| Greek Phrase | Translation | Form | Function / Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| οὗ ἦν τεθραμμένος | where he had been brought up | Perfect passive participle | Describes Jesus’ formative connection to Nazareth |
| κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτῷ | according to his custom | Articular participle phrase | Reflects habitual Sabbath synagogue attendance |
| ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων | on the Sabbath day | Prepositional phrase | Denotes the sacred timing of the action |
| ἀνέστη ἀναγνῶναι | he stood up to read | Aorist verb + infinitive of purpose | Marks the formal beginning of Scripture reading |
Closing Insight
The Greek of Luke 4:16 flows with clarity and structure, grounding a theological moment in liturgical rhythm. Jesus returns to his hometown, not merely as a resident, but as a reader—one whose words will challenge his hearers. The participles and prepositional phrases carefully build the scene: sacred time, familiar place, divine mission.
