Jesus Rejection at Nazareth. Luke 4:14-30

Introduction:

The account we will study together today from the book of Luke takes place in Luke 4:14-30 and picks up after Jesus temptation in the wilderness had ended, but not immediately after.

Jesus, following his baptism was led, by the Spirit into the wilderness for a period of temptation in which he triumphed marvelously. Leaving behind a path for us to follow in our own struggles with temptation.

Following His temptation he is then led by the Spirit into Galilee where his public ministry begins. This is a time period that theologians call Jesus’ “Galilean Springtime.”

Luke covers this time period in v.14-15 by simply saying:

Luke 4:14–15 NKJV

14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

These two verses cover roughly the first year to year and a half of Jesus public ministry. You see, while Luke is the most detailed account of the life of Christ of the four Gospels, there are some items that he seems to strategically gloss over. To fill in those gaps, that Luke glosses over, one must turn to the book of John where we see during this time is when Jesus:

Called his first four disciples: Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathaniel. (John 1:35-51)

Jesus first miracle where he turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana. (John 2:1-11)

Jesus clearing the temple in Jerusalem of the merchants for the first time. (John 2:14-22) Something he would do again in the final week of his life.

Jesus famous interaction with Nicodemus. (John 3:1-21)

Jesus discussion with the Samaritan woman at the well. (John 4:5-42)

Then back to Cana in Galilee where He healed a noble mans son. (John 4:46-54)

It was during this time period in v.14-15 of Luke that Jesus became a sort of celebrity. News of his miracles and teaching have spread to his little hometown of Nazareth, so, when he arrives the people are initially excited to see the hometown boy done good; but their acceptance of him very quickly turns to murderous intent.

Luke includes this dramatic experience of Christ in Nazareth so that his original audience can truly see what the gospel is and what it demands, why people reject it and why some receive it.

This text, if we allow it, can be a spiritual eye opener for many.

1.) Reading. (v.16-19)

When Jesus arrived back in Nazareth he did what he had always done on the Sabath, he went to the Synagogue to worship the Lord, the same synagogue he grew up going to every Sabbath.

Luke 4:16 NKJV

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

We need to understand somethings about how the synagogue functioned and what purpose it served .

The synagogue was the most important institution in the life of a Jew. It was the center of worship, learning and education for the Jew. Services and discussions were conducted daily in most synagogues. Wherever Jews were scattered over the world, every colony, no matter how small, had its synagogue or multiple synagogues.

Each synagogue was overseen by a president who was in charge of leading and structuring the time of worship. Which generally went like this:

*The people would sing Psalms 145-150.

*They would recite the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) “Here O Israel, the Lord our God is one God...”

*Then the “Tefilah” would take place. This was the recitation of 18 different prayers and responses.

*Then the reading of Holy Scripture would take place. The president would prearrange who would do these readings. It started with the reading of the Torah (Law),which would be read in Hebrew then translated into Aramaic. Then another person would read the Haftarah (the Prophets) and similar translation would take place. The reading was always done while the reader was standing.

*Then the sermon would take place. Often visiting priests, pharisees, or distinguished locals or strangers passing through would be invited to speak. In the synagogue, the sermon was always given while the speaker was sitting. It was often more of a discussion, not an address.

The sermon was then closed with a benediction given by the speaker or the synagogue president, which was the quotation of Numbers 6:24-26

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’

To which the people would reply “Amen” and the service would be dismissed.

It is highly likely that Jesus was invited to read the Haftarah that day and speak. It’s also very likely that he requested to read the scroll of Isaiah.

Luke 4:17–19 NKJV

17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

This reading was of Isaiah 61:1-2 with a couple of lines left out, that declare the vengeance of God.

That’s the part that made people take notice, sit up and pay close attention.

Luke 4:20 NKJV

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

2.) Revelation. (v.21-27)

Following the reading, Jesus would have taken his seated position in the front and began teaching the people

Luke 4:21 NKJV

21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

By saying this, Jesus was saying that the consolation of Israel, the Messiah had come. It was the time of the Lord’s favor.

What an introduction to a sermon.

In preaching, I’ve been taught, in your introduction you tell the congregation what your going to tell them, then you tell them, then you close by telling them what you just told them.

That’s exactly what Jesus does here:

He then begins to explain his text (exegete) by describing the four classes of people mentioned and how he would help them: the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed.

The Poor and brokenhearted.

The poor are those who are in poverty of every kind. In particular moral or spiritual poverty, which are often those who are in financial poverty as well. The poor are often those who are faster to recognize their need of a savior. Those who are rich seldom see their need of Jesus because they have it all. It is the poor who are most often open to Jesus because they realize their helpless state and how desperate they are for the good news of the gospel.

If you find yourself in that position this morning, hear the words of Jesus, he came for you.

The Prisoners

There doesn't seem to be any actual prisoners present at the Nazareth Synagogue, so this means those who are in bondage spiritually.

To Money

To Satan

To guilt

To sensuality

To hatred

Etc.

Here Jesus is proclaiming that he has come to rescue all those who are bound by sin, he alone can set you free.

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,

He sets the prisoner free;

His blood can make the foulest clean;

His blood availed for me.

—Charles Wesley (1739)

The Blind.

Those who are in darkness and searching for the light. Jesus is the light of the world.

The Oppressed

Literally those who have been broken in pieces or crushed. Jesus has come for those who have been run over by the circumstances of life.

Needless to say the people were impressed by Jesus marvelous use of metaphor in his sermon and his speaking ability.

Luke 4:22 (NKJV)

So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth....

But, that’s as far as it went.

Luke 4:22 (NKJV)

... And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

They didn't realize that they fit into Jesus metaphors. They couldn't accept Him as a prophet. He was no Isaiah. Jesus was the hometown kid, the carpenters son. While they were impressed with his speaking ability, this was Josephs kid. If he was really a prophet, he’d do some sort of miracle as a sign to them.

So, Jesus calls them out for their prideful attitude and says all they wanted to see was a sign.

Luke 4:23–24 NKJV

23 He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ” 24 Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

He gives two Biblical examples as illustrations to help them see their pride and arrogance:

A.) Elijah and the widow at Zaraphath

Luke 4:24–26 NKJV

24 Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; 26 but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

This event takes place in 1 Kings 17:7-16 and tell how the prophet Elijah came across a gentile woman gathering sticks to make a fire in order that she could bake the last little bit of meal she had into a cake for her and her son, that they may eat it and die. Elijah responds to the starving woman, by telling her to go home and make her and her son the cakes, but to make him one first. Because God had told him to tell her that her jar of flour and jug of oil would never run dry until the Lord gave the land rain. The lady listened, and God came through. She had just enough until the rain came and the famine ended. This gentile widow trusted Elijah, the prophet of God, without any evidence or guarantee that God would come through.

Why? She realized her absolute poverty and desperation. She had nothing and was going to die anyway. So why not believe in the promise of God.

Had she had been like the people of Nazareth, she’d have asked for a barrel of flour and oil before she’d listen. Her faith would have been in the resources and not in the God of the resources.

They understood the application. They wanted miracles. They wanted evidence that Jesus claims were true, then they would believe.

Yet Jesus was telling them to trust him as Lord, then there would be plenty of evidence to follow.

The problem was the people of Nazareth didn't see themselves as poor, brokenhearted, in prison and oppressed. They were good religious people. (Just like many see themselves today)

Jesus saying the faith of a gentile woman in Elijah’s day was greater than theirs, would have been a massive insult.

B.) Elisha and Naaman

Luke 4:27 NKJV

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

This event takes place in 2 Kings 5:1-19. Naaman was the commander of the Assyrian Army and was sent by the King of Syria to Elijah in Israel to have his leprosy cured. When Naaman arrived at the prophets house, Elisha sent out a messenger telling him to go wash seven times in the Jordan River and his leprosy would be cured. This angered Naaman, who expected the prophet to just wave his hand of the spot of leprosy. And, Besides that, Syria had much cleaner rivers than the muddy Jordan. He left in a rage. Naaman only changed his mind because one of his servants (a little Jewish girl) convinced him that if Elisha had asked him to do some daring fete he would have. S, why not do the humiliating thing and be cured?

Naaman humbled himself before God because he had no where else to turn. He saw his desperate need of salvation.

Again, this landed hard, now Jesus was telling them not only did they lack the faith of a Gentile, but they were also less wise than a gentile.

3.) Rejection. (v.28-30)

Luke 4:28–30 NKJV

28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Jesus basically saying that Gentiles were better then them was enough to make the people enraged.

How dare the kid who grew up with us say such things. It was bad enough he called them poor, blind, captive and oppressed. But now they were less wise and spiritual than a bunch of Gentiles.

They didn't wait for the benediction to end the service they jumped up, grabbed hold of Jesus and drug him out of town to the side of a cliff and was going to murder him…on the Sabbath.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Three: This Is the Son of God! (Luke 3–4)

St. Augustine said, “They love truth when it enlightens them, but hate truth when it accuses them.”

The unbelief and rejection of Christ didn't change the fact that He is the Son of God and the Messiah who they had longed for.

They intended to throw Jesus over the side of the mountain, but instead he was super naturally protected and simply walked away through the crowd.

Conclusion:

As we mentioned at the outset, Luke had a reason why he included this event in the life of Christ for his reader, Theophilus and the future audiences who would read his gospel narrative.

This event shows us what the Gospel is, who it comes to, and the different ways in which people receive it.

Sometimes the Gospel is preached and it’s met with great reception, like Jesus beginning ministry in Galilee.

Like the first and second great awakenings

Other times, it’s angrily rejected like Jesus was in his hometown of Nazareth.

Like it is being rejected today.

Listen to the Gospel from the lips of Jesus himself from our passage again:

Luke 4:18–19 NKJV

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

The widow woman and Naaman the leper were only saved because they came to realize there was no hope for them apart from the grace of God. They trusted God at His word.

Friend, you too can be saved the same way. Believe the Gospel, take God at his word.

If you are here without Christ then you are poor, blind, in prison and oppressed by your sinful condition. Jesus came for you.

Don’t be like the people in that synagogue that day at Nazareth and miss Jesus.

Perhaps you’ve been raised in church like these people were raised in the synagogue. You know the culture and rituals. You know the routine, but you don’t know Jesus.

Today is the day of salvation.

Jesus is calling you to accept him or reject him. Which will it be?

If you are a believer this morning, I want you to notice something as well.

The message of Christ angered the people that day, but they couldn't stop Jesus from preaching.

They couldn't stop him from going to those who would accept him.

Friend, the world around us might hate Jesus, but they can’t stop him.

They might reject his message, but they can’t stop it from going to those who will hear.

Go in faith, sharing the gospel today.