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1richardbsmith
Luke 4:21-30
In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read from the book of the prophet Isaiah, and began to say, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'"
And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon."
"There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."
When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read from the book of the prophet Isaiah, and began to say, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" He said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' And you will say, 'Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.'"
And he said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon."
"There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."
When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
2Lori_OGara
I love this part....the truth caused much anger....truth hurts when you have to deal with it, throwing it off a cliff seems like a better idea than dealing with it head on.
3richardbsmith
The truth here, as presented in Luke, is that God's revelation is as much for the Gentiles as it is for Israel. From the OT references in Jesus' prodding words the revelatory miracles were only for the Gentiles.
The message is perhaps that the word is given to more than just those who would see themselves as its deserving recipients.
The message is perhaps that the word is given to more than just those who would see themselves as its deserving recipients.
4richardbsmith
One of the first things to note about the Lukan version of the rejection in Nazareth is that Luke has placed the account much earlier in his narrative.
Mark has the disciples called, healing of an unclean spirit, numerous other healings, the leper, the paralytic, numerous disputes with religious leaders, the calming of the storm, the Gerasene demoniac, and Jairus' daugher, all occur before the rejection in Nazareth. Luke has all these events after the rejection.
Matthew similarly has the disciples call, the entire Sermon on the Mount (much of which is in Luke), the centurion's son, the leper and numerous other healings, the demoniac, the paralytic, the ruler's daughter, the full commissioning of the disciples, and religious disputes, all before the rejection in Nazareth. Again in Luke these come after the rejection.
In Luke this rejection is soon after the baptism and temptation, although Luke explains that Jesus is already widely known because of his teachings. There have not as yet been any report of healings in Luke. Though verse 23 suggests some activity in Capernaum. Jesus is not shown in Capernaum until after the Nazareth rejection.
Mark has the disciples called, healing of an unclean spirit, numerous other healings, the leper, the paralytic, numerous disputes with religious leaders, the calming of the storm, the Gerasene demoniac, and Jairus' daugher, all occur before the rejection in Nazareth. Luke has all these events after the rejection.
Matthew similarly has the disciples call, the entire Sermon on the Mount (much of which is in Luke), the centurion's son, the leper and numerous other healings, the demoniac, the paralytic, the ruler's daughter, the full commissioning of the disciples, and religious disputes, all before the rejection in Nazareth. Again in Luke these come after the rejection.
In Luke this rejection is soon after the baptism and temptation, although Luke explains that Jesus is already widely known because of his teachings. There have not as yet been any report of healings in Luke. Though verse 23 suggests some activity in Capernaum. Jesus is not shown in Capernaum until after the Nazareth rejection.
5richardbsmith
Luke adds the Isaiah reading, the saying "physician heal thyself." the OT references to Elijah and Elisha, and he changes the reason for the actual rejection.
With these changes and the movement forward in the narrative, it seems likely that Luke views his treatment of this account to be important for the development of his themes and his understanding of Jesus.
With these changes and the movement forward in the narrative, it seems likely that Luke views his treatment of this account to be important for the development of his themes and his understanding of Jesus.
6richardbsmith
The Luke themes that seem well introduced at the beginning of Jesus' ministry with these changes to the rejection in Nazareth include:
God's heart for the poor and lost
Jesus as the fulfillment of scripture
rightness of God's revelation to Gentiles
Jewish rejection of the Gospel message
The themes are continued from the birth narratives, but Luke makes use of the Nazareth episode to set these ideas at the very start of the ministry, and expressed by the words and actions of Jesus.
God's heart for the poor and lost
Jesus as the fulfillment of scripture
rightness of God's revelation to Gentiles
Jewish rejection of the Gospel message
The themes are continued from the birth narratives, but Luke makes use of the Nazareth episode to set these ideas at the very start of the ministry, and expressed by the words and actions of Jesus.
