11.09.07
Rejection in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30)
Rejection in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30)
Up to this point there had been no problem. Jesus and His ministry had been widely accepted – both His person and His word – in Judea and in Galilee. Here we have Luke recording a response given by Christ that would eventually culminate in His death. The incident took place in the synagogue (imagine that, saying something at church that others would take offense at) of Nazareth that Jesus had attended as a Boy. The same place He listened to the discourses of Rabbis on the OT Scriptures. Luke notes in verse 16 that this was the habit, or ‘custom’ of Christ, to attend and to read / expound on the Word of God.
Look at exactly what happened, and put yourself in Sunday morning church (while remembering, of course, that this was the Jewish Sabbath). Something that is comforting, yet maddening, is the order of service. You probably know it by heart, yet if not adhered to … brings pause, concern, and consternation to some. In verse 16 notice that Jesus “stood up to read”. This may have been an indication of His willingness to take on the role of the Maphtir (reader of the lesson from the prophets).
They had in their synagogues seven readers every sabbath, the first a priest, the second a Levite, and the other five Israelites of that synagogue. We often find Christ preaching in other synagogues, but never reading, except in this synagogue at Nazareth, of which he had been many years a member. Now he offered his service as he had perhaps often done; he read one of the lessons out of the prophets, Acts 13:15. Note, The reading of the scripture is very proper work to be done in religious assemblies; and Christ himself did not think it any disparagement to him to be employed in it.
(from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
It’s not clear if the portion of Scripture Jesus read (Isa. 61:1-2) was prescribed for the day, one chosen at random by Jesus, or how it was otherwise arrived at. I find it hard to fathom that anything Christ did was random, so here I have no argument. Jesus selected exactly what was needed for this crowd at this time so no one left with any doubt that what they were hearing was being fulfilled right then – at that time – by Jesus Christ.
Back to church, once the reading was over, note verse 20. Following tradition and the order of service, Jesus rolls up the scroll, gives it back to the attendant, and sits down – now assuming the role of Rabbi. While we don’t have the entire discourse captured and written for our understanding, Luke did capture the heart of what we needed to know. “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
The response of those in attendance was recorded as well in verse 22. Those that He had grown up with or around had good things to say. Jesus knew the dirt on them all (remember where you grew up, who you went to school and church with?). He could have taken the occasion to blow the lid off some things….instead, He took the opportunity to introduce Himself as the fulfiller of the messianic prophecy found in Isaiah. Which leads to the question – Jesus was eligible to be the Messiah? The son of Joseph, a royal heir? Now there was some reluctance to accept or believe these words. He knew their thoughts, indeed He knew that many in attendance had heard of other ’miracles’ He had done in other towns and, perhaps, expected to see a bit more than talk on this day. Where are the healings that accompany the Messiah? If we could see them, it would make it easier to accept what you are saying…
So this response was different than responses in Jerusalem, Cana, Capernaum. These people, His neighbors, were rejecting His word and demanding further demonstrations through miracles that would prove His person. So, in response Christ reminds His hearers that men have often responded to God’s prophets in unbelief.
Elijah appeared to an apostate nation with God’s message of impending judgment to call the people to repentance. He demonstrated his authority by stopping the rain for 3-1/2 years. No rain, no food. Who benefited from the ministry of Elijah? The widow of Zarephath in Sidon. Since the people of Israel wouldn’t receive the message, they received no benefit from Elijah’s ministry, but Zarephath believed and received.
It was the same with Elisha – a prophet sent from God with a message of hope. There were lots of folks with leprosy during his ministry. Israel didn’t believe the word of the prophet to turn to God for help. Who received help? A Gentile – Naaman (the Syrian).
What Jesus was saying was clearly understood in the synagogue. Because of their unbelief, no blessing could come to them. Only those who turned in faith to Him could receive benefits from His ministry. You know that would go over like a lead zeppelin, and the results are seen in verse 28. The people didn’t want to be included with or compared to apostate Israel. They were in church, they followed the law, they were ‘true believers.’ The crowd wanted to remove this messenger from their midst and drove Him out of town (bum rush) and planned to kill Him by hurling Him over a cliff. The story didn’t end as they had planned, for in verse 30 He walked right through them unharmed.
This was a glimpse of the reception that the nation would give Christ as His ministry progressed and proceeded. They loved the miracles, they listened to His word, but they rejected His claims. And, thinking they could escape His condemnation, they would put Him to death (as they planned to and attempted here) in an effort to escape His condemnation.
What are you doing to escape the truth of Christ and His words? Ignoring them? Explaining them away?
