A. The sermon at Nazareth (4:14–30)
A. The sermon at Nazareth (4:14–30)
Luke appears to be referring to an incident put later by Matthew and Mark. He does not regard it as the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, for he knows of earlier work (14–15), though he does not choose to describe it. But right at the outset Luke shows that Jesus fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah. This was the kind of ministry that Jesus would exercise. These are the themes that would recur.1
14–15. It is not quite clear why a report about Jesus began to circulate, for he has not yet been described as doing anything. But he came back from Jordan in the power of the Spirit (notice Luke’s interest in the Spirit). Evidently it could be seen that Jesus was filled with the Spirit and this caused comment. Jesus proceeded to add to his reputation by teaching in the synagogues and Luke tells us that he was glorified by all. The plural, synagogues, points to a preaching tour. For Galilee as the starting-point of Jesus’ mission cf. 23:5; Acts 10:37.
16. Jesus had been brought up at Nazareth and, being there again, he went to worship on the sabbath as his custom was. There are many references to Jesus’ attendance at worship, but this is the only one that tells us that it was his habit. Many commentators tell us how synagogue services were conducted and point out where Luke agrees. But we should bear in mind that this is the earliest description of a synagogue service we have, so this passage is of critical importance for the study of the synagogue. We may assume that some customs, which we know from later times, were as old as this, but we should be clear that this is assumption. Luke is our only authority for what was done at this time. If later custom was as early as this, the service would have commenced with prayer and there would have been a reading from the Law (the books from Genesis to Deuteronomy) before Jesus read from the prophets. There were no ministers as we understand the term, but the local synagogue authorities would invite people to read and to preach. Scripture seems always to have been read in the original Hebrew, though a translation into Aramaic would have been made by the reader or someone else. From Acts it is plain that it was not uncommon for distinguished visitors to be invited to preach. The synagogue was used for instruction as well as for worship; indeed, teaching may be held to be its primary function (cf. 13:10). The synagogue was of uncertain antiquity, but in Palestine it was not highly developed before the destruction of the temple. There appear to be no certain ruins of synagogues in Palestine from pre-Christian times.2 Jesus stood up to read, a mark of respect for the Word of God. Preaching seems to have been done sitting down (20; cf. Matt. 26:55; so SB). Paul, however, stood on at least one occasion (Acts 13:16) and Philo speaks of this custom (De specialibus legibus ii.62).
17. Apparently Jesus did not select the book from which he read, for the Isaiah scroll was given to him. But this does not mean, as some think, that he read from a fixed lectionary. We cannot authenticate a lectionary as early as this. The passage may have been selected by the ruler of the synagogue or Jesus may have picked it himself. This would fit in with Luke’s words, He opened the book and found the place where it was written …
18–19. He read from Isaiah 61:1f. followed by 58:6. The words prophesy of the Messiah’s ministry to people in distress, the poor, the captives (‘prisoners of war’, Marshall), the blind, and the oppressed. Jesus’ application of the words to himself shows that the sense of vocation that came with the heavenly voice at his baptism remained strong (for the Spirit’s anointing, cf. Acts 10:38). Jesus saw himself as coming with good news for the world’s troubled people. The acceptable year of the Lord does not, of course, represent any calendar year, but is a way of referring to the era of salvation.
20. Jesus rolled up the scroll (closed the book) and returned it to the attendant. He sat down, thus taking the posture for preaching. With everyone now looking at him expectantly all was ready for the sermon.
21–22. Jesus began by saying that the prophecy he had just read was being fulfilled. The words of Isaiah applied to the ministry he was beginning (cf. 7:22). Today is important.3 Jesus’ contemporaries did not doubt that God’s kingdom would come some day. Jesus’ teaching was different, in that he saw God as acting in the present, in his own work. ‘Not in a future age but now is the captive power of sin to be broken, communion with God to be established, and the will of God to be done’ (Manson). All spoke well of him is more literally ‘all witnessed to him’. Rieu’s ‘they soon began to recognize his power’ is a paraphrase, but it tells us what happened. As he spoke the villagers came to see that what they had heard about him was true and they said so. They were impressed by his gracious words, i.e. his attractive way of speaking. They were astonished that someone from their own town, one whom they could call Joseph’s son, could speak like this. Notice that Luke speaks of astonishment, not admiration or appreciation. They wondered at his preaching, but they did not take it to heart.
23. Jesus knew that his reputation had spread to Nazareth and that those among whom he had grown up would want him to live up to that reputation. He cited a proverb (otherwise unknown, though similar proverbs are found) whose point is clear. The immediate application, however, is not so plain, for there was no question of Jesus healing himself. Perhaps the thought is that the working of miracles would benefit him by saving his reputation. Or Nazareth may be regarded as an extension of the Man from Nazareth (though ‘Heal your fellow-townsmen’ is not the same as ‘Heal yourself ’). Notice that they say what we have heard you did at Capernaum, not ‘what you did …’. They do not believe. Mark gives this as the reason that Jesus did not work miracles at Nazareth (Mark 6:5). Luke does not say as much but he probably implies it.
24. They wanted proof. But instead (de should be rendered ‘But’ not And ) Jesus took a line of his own. His rejoinder begins with amēn, truly. This word is used only six times in Luke (he prefers to translate the Aramaic term), but in Matthew and John it is frequently on Jesus’ lips. It gives emphasis and marks the following words as specially significant. Jesus goes on to affirm that prophets are not accepted in their own locality. People are always more ready to see greatness in strangers than in those they know well.
25–26. Jesus illustrates his point with reference to two great prophets. Elijah was succoured, not by one of the many Israelite widows of his day, but by a woman of Zarephath of Sidon (cf. 1 Kgs 17:8ff.). The addition, who was a widow, is not strictly necessary (it is implied in the reference to widows in the previous verse), but it brings out the comparative unimportance of this foreigner. Yet it was to her that Elijah was sent. The length of the famine is given as three years and six months (as in Jas 5:17), which is a trifle longer than ‘in the third year’ (1 Kgs 18:1). The ‘third year’ may, of course, refer to the length of Elijah’s time in Zarephath (1 Kgs 17:8) rather than to that of the famine. Or, as Tasker thinks, the three and a half years may be a deduction from the passage in Kings.4 Or Jesus may have had some other source of information. And in any case the famine would have continued for some time after the drought broke.
27. The example of Elijah is reinforced with that of Elisha, who healed, not one of the many lepers in Israel, but Naaman the Syrian (2 Kgs 5:1–14).
28–30. This was too much for them. It was bad enough when one of their own showed that he did not belong in the ruck with them. Now that he appealed to God’s dealing with Gentiles, that was too much. Anger swept over the whole congregation (‘God for the Jews’!) and they set out to lynch Jesus. The attempt to throw him down from the brow of the hill looks like an endeavour to cast him over a precipice (though it may be simply a prelude to stoning). The identification of the spot is not easy, but the general meaning is plain enough. So is the majesty of the presence of Jesus. He simply passed through the midst of them and went away. He spoke no angry word, nor did he work any spectacular miracle. He simply walked through the mob. Some have felt that this was itself a miracle – though not the kind of miracle the Nazarenes wanted! As far as is known Jesus never returned to Nazareth. Rejection can be final.
In all this we have a commentary on the third temptation. The people tried to put Jesus into the position Satan had suggested. But he did not let them.