To begin His public ministry, Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth and preaches in the synagogue. His homecoming message is so controversial, the townspeople—the people He had known since He was a child—“drove him out of town, and brought him to the edge of the hill… intending to hurl him over the cliff” (Luke 4:29).
The crowd is with Him for the first part of His message, when He quotes the prophet Isaiah, saying He had come to preach the good news and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (vv.18–19). But when He mentions the widow in Sidon whom the prophet Elijah helped, and Naaman, the Syrian whom Elisha healed, the crowd gets upset. These are stories of Gentiles who were shown favor above Israelites.
The crowd would have been familiar with these stories, and they would have known their meaning. This good news Jesus was preaching was for everyone, not just the Israelites but the Gentiles also—not a popular opinion among God’s chosen people, as we can see from their response.
Now, I’ve had some difficult homecomings. I’ve had disagreements with friends and family from time to time, but none of them has ever been so displeased with me that they attempted to hurl me off a cliff.
In this passage and elsewhere in Scripture, we see a common response to Jesus: People wanted His miracles, but not His message.
The crowd is amazed when He casts out a demon in Capernaum. They bring their sick to Him to be healed. They follow Him around, hoping to see Him perform other miracles. But when Jesus preaches the truth in the synagogue? They want to kill Him.
Jesus’s miracles were amazing, yes, but His message was convicting. People like to be amazed. They don’t like to feel convicted.
I know, in my own privilege, I often prefer the turns-water-into-wine Jesus over the seeks-justice-for-all Jesus. If Jesus is just a miracle worker, I can sit back and enjoy the show. But if Jesus is first and foremost a justice-seeker, I have to get in the ring and be about His work.
Jesus’s message in the synagogue proves His priority was not to amaze us with His power, but to redeem us—Jews and Gentiles alike—with His blood.
I can see myself in the Galilean crowd that tried to keep Jesus from leaving so they could witness more healings. I need the reminder Jesus turned and gave them: “It is necessary for me to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose” (v.43).
This is our purpose too. May we seek after Christ because we want to do as He did, not watch from the stands. May we remember that Jesus is our Redeemer, not a performer. And while we can stand in awe of His power to heal and cast out demons, may we be most amazed by His power to save.
Wonderful message!
It’s easy to overlook the temptation Jesus faced on Earth (Luke 4:13). We don’t have all the accounts of how he had to fight off temptation daily, but we do know he experienced it as we do and overcame it. The voice of His Father was stronger than the voice of the world and even his own desires. He used the scripture as his stronghold. There is power in the word of God and in the name of Jesus! Let us as a community not be afraid to step into the ring and proclaim the truth!
What a powerful statement from Andrea Lucado, “People want His miracles, but not His message.” I am so glad that I learned of She Reads Truth, this is my first study.
Praying for your sweet neighbor Mae, that God’s healing would be upon him. No matter the outcome of his injury, he is in the shelter of God’s mighty hand.
I was struck by the people of Nazareth being upset (to the point of wanting to kill Jesus) because he referenced miracles for Gentiles. At first I thought how terrible it was that they would react that way, but then I stopped and thought about it.
I wonder if I am sometimes upset to see someone helped who in my humble opinion doesn’t deserve it? My sense of justice would deem them unworthy. It stopped me cold. Jesus came for ALL, not only people who are like me.
I pray every day to have my Father’s eyes and to see everyone the way He sees them. To see needs and hurts that go unexpressed, but are oh so real. To help those in need regardless of their circumstances.
I loved learning the explanation of why the crowd was so upset through Jesus’ teaching. I didn’t understand it until the context Andrea provided. What an incredible reminder that Jesus didn’t come to perform, He came to redeem. He wants a relationship with us. One that can only be created through genuine love. I LOVE Psalm 91:14-16 “Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him…” It’s out of our love and faithfulness to the Lord that He provides. His love isn’t earned through performance, it’s freely given through His grace. Thank you, Jesus, for your kindness & your unconditional love.
Lord, move me to action by your messages. Amen.
Great reminder today; Jesus was not sent to perform tricks, He came to show us how to be God’s kingdom on earth