READ SCRIPTURE (Read Luke 4:21-30)
Then he began to say to them, “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.
REFLECT ON THE READING
At first, all speak well of Jesus, impressed by his gracious words; but then the implication of his words is grasped. The proclamation by Jesus of fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy today is an outrageously bold statement. Jesus does not seem to be surprised or dismayed by their Sometimes that word of God comforted and consoled, but at other times it was a hard word to hear as the prophet called people to repent and turn back to God. Jesus seems to be aware that there is some discontent about his ministry in Capernaum. His hometown neighbors want Jesus to do likewise in their town. Jesus reminds those in the synagogue of familiar Old Testament prophets who extended God’s goodness to non-Jews.
How could Jesus make such claims?
What is at the heart of the reaction of the crowd?
How might Jesus have felt to be rejected by his hometown synagogue?
PRAY
Source of all power, open our spirits, hearts, and minds to your grace. Amen.
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