Luke 4:22-30
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 home town 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 home town. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for 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.
It’s hard to know just what sets Jesus off. Everything is going fine, when all of a sudden he seems determined to antagonize the crowd for no apparent reason.
So what happened? Some have speculated that he was offended that they marveled at him. In this case, their remark “Is not this Joseph’s son?” is meant to be scoffing, scornful amazement that a carpenter’s son could say such nice things. Maybe. But I’m not so sure.
The clue, for me, comes in what he says to them. First he anticipates that they will ask him to perform the same miracles here that he has elsewhere. Then he essentially denies this anticipated request by reminding them of times in Israel’s history when the prophets cared for foreigners rather than Israelites.
Foreigners. I wonder if that’s the issue. We – the folks in Nazareth then and most of us today – are so quick to distinguish between who’s in and who’s out. But perhaps in the kingdom of God that just doesn’t happen anymore. Can’t happen any more. I mean, who is a “foreigner” to God.
So while the folks greet Jesus’ words from Isaiah well, perhaps he decides it’s time to press the issue, to invite them to wake up to the fact that the “year of the Lord’s favor” has come to all; that it would not be the Lord’s favor if it weren’t open to all.
And perhaps they get it, really and truly get it, and then want to get him. Because they – and we – find great comfort in naming each other, in defining each other, in knowing – and even more determining – who’s in and who’s out. And when Jesus threatens that comfort, that way of thinking, by opening up the Lord’s favor to all, they decide it’s time for him to go…in the most permanent of ways.
They don’t succeed this time. But as long as he’s determined to declare God’s blessing for all, he will continue to face opposition and, eventually…. Well, you know how the story goes.
Prayer: Dear God, remind us that you are the God of all people, love all people, seek all people, and are determined to bless, favor, and redeem all people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Post image: Zaki Baboun,
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