Luke 4:13-30

Luke 4:13-30

Luke opens the public ministry of Jesus with the teaching in the synagogue of Nazareth. Jesus had apparently done some things in Capernaum. (v.23) But for the first time we see Jesus’ teaching ministry. The passage from Isaiah is often discussed, but less often do we notice the reaction to Jesus. In the course of six verses a radical change occurs in Jesus’ audience. In verses 22-23 “all were speaking well of Him”. The word “speaking well” is most common in Johns’ Gospel and generally means to “testify positively”. This was a moment when a lot of people who knew Jesus were all delighted to say, “I know Him and we go way back.” In this moment, Jesus was the hometown hero who had done some great things and who was destined to do more great things and everyone was happy to be associated with Jesus. But by verse 28 things had changed. Now they are ready to commit homicide and throw Jesus over the cliff. They, the listeners, the ones who in verse 22 were offering their personal support and proud of their connection, are now “filled with rage.” They have a passionate outburst of fury.

Jesus goes from hometown hero to a person to kill in the span of one teaching session. Jesus passes through their midst and “He went His way.” More than just walking out on them Jesus stayed true to His way, teaching, ministry and calling, and left his hometown behind. In Luke, we never see Jesus going back to Nazareth.

There are two points of application. First, it is complete folly to use popularity as the measurement of our discipleship or ministry. While this is one of, if not the most common measurement we use for churches, it is perhaps the least stable. If we are driven by our commitment to God and His message then human approval will always be fickle.

Second, most religious groups don’t want outsiders. What apparently offended the crowd was not the reading of the Scriptures, but Jesus reminding His hearers that the two great miracle-working prophets of old were sent to Gentiles, not Jews. The hearers did not want to hear about “accepting Gentiles”. One saying of the Jews was that, “God created Gentiles as fuel for the fires of Hell.” In many, perhaps we should say most, churches the fastest way to move from local hero to hated pariah is to invite undesirable outsiders to be part of the congregation.

“Lord, help to have Your heart, to fear no loss except of the loss of You, and to deeply desire seeing outsiders become insiders. AMEN”