Luke 4:16–30

AN UNEXPECTED MESSIAH: HONOR HIM
Luke 4:16-30

Sermon (16–21)
After His baptism and temptation Jesus returned to Galilee for ministry (Luke 4:14–15). Jews welcomed Him in their synagogues and “praised” Him for His teaching. The experience in Nazareth served as an example of His ministry of teaching in “their synagogues.”  

Synagogues were places for worship, prayer, teaching, judgment and fellowship. People of similar culture and interests tend to get together. Today in every major city of the world, there is an American community with close ties. It would have worked the same way in the lands of exile. It took a quorum of 10 Jewish men to establish a synagogue. Led by elected laymen, a synagogue service included numerous benedictions, offerings, prayers, songs and readings from the Law and the Prophets followed by someone who spoke on the readings. 

Nazareth was Jesus’ hometown. As a good Jew, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath “as was His custom.” While regular worship should be more than just a habit, it should be at least a habit, as it was for Jesus.

Often visiting rabbis (teachers) led part of the service. On this occasion, the synagogue’s rulers asked Jesus to do the reading from the Prophets. Normally teachers stood up to read Scripture and then sat down to teach. The attendant brought Him the scroll of Isaiah from the “ark,” the closet that held the Hebrew Scriptures. It is not clear whether Isaiah 61:1–2 was the official selection for the day or Jesus chose it Himself. Isaiah pictured Israel’s deliverance from exile in terms of the Year of Jubilee. This was a year when all debts were canceled, slaves were freed and all property reverted to its original owners (Lev. 25). It was a time of “good news” to the poor and captives of all kinds. When He finished reading, Jesus rolled up the scroll, returned it to the attendant who cared for the synagogue properties and then sat down. Every eye was fixed on Him. “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled,” He said. “It is talking about me!” “The Spirit of the Lord is on me” pointed back to the descent of the Spirit on Him at His baptism (Luke 3:21–22). “He has anointed me.” In Hebrew, the word “anointed” is Messiah; in Greek, it is Christ. So “He has made me Messiah/Christ.” And the day of grace has come.

Reaction (22–30)
Jesus made a wonderful impression, and everyone was amazed at His speech. But the congregation quickly objected. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” The question implies the people thought His lineage too common for Him to be the Messiah-King. He stopped neither to answer the question nor to correct their error. Rather Jesus quoted a popular proverb that described their hardheaded attitude. “Physician, heal yourself” means “Prove your claims!” He knew His hearers would logically insist that He perform some of the miracles here in His country that He had performed in Capernaum, the headquarters for His Galilean ministry. But He knew also that no amount of miracles would convince them to accept Him. Even great prophets, mighty men of God, get no respect in their hometowns. Why? Probably because familiarity breeds contempt.

Since His Jewish kinsmen would not receive Him as Messiah, Jesus hinted that God would send Him to “the Gentiles” (literally “the nations”) just as He did Elijah and Elisha. Although there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s day, God sent him to the Gentile widow in Zarephath in Sidon (1 Kings 17:1–16) just up the coast to the north. And although there were many lepers in Israel in Elisha’s day (2 Kings 5:1–4), God sent him to the Syrian Gentile Naaman. The implication is that to the Jews, Jesus would be an unwelcome prophet but the Gentiles would be more responsive. Mention of the Gentiles turned the Nazarenes’ wonder into fury and led to a mob scene in which they tried to throw Jesus down the precipice on which their city stood. Some say it was Jesus’ claim to be Messiah that infuriated the people, but they were looking and longing for their messiah and would have welcomed him. It was His words about going to the Gentiles that stoked their ire. But He (miraculously?) escaped.