*Luke 4:16-30
Jesus returns to Nazareth and is rejected by his hometown synagogue, but escapes unharmed.
- Jesus’ Custom of Synagogue Attendance:
- Jesus, following his custom, goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
- Reading from the Prophet Isaiah:
- He is given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and selects a passage to read aloud.
- The passage he reads speaks of the Spirit of the Lord being upon him to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, sight for the blind, and liberty for the oppressed.
- Claiming Fulfillment:
- After reading the passage, Jesus declares that the scripture has been fulfilled in their hearing, indicating that he is the fulfillment of the prophecy.
- Initial Favorable Reception:
- Initially, the people speak well of him and marvel at his gracious words.
- Doubts and Challenges:
- However, they begin to question Jesus’ identity, recognizing him as Joseph’s son.
- Jesus anticipates their skepticism and challenges their lack of faith by referencing examples of prophets being rejected in their hometowns.
- Escaping Rejection:
- Jesus highlights instances where God worked outside the boundaries of Israel, indicating that God’s blessings are not exclusive to any particular group.
- This angers the people, and they attempt to drive him out of the town and off a cliff, but Jesus escapes unharmed.
4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
4:22 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? 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,