Week 4 – Monday 28 March

“Jesus stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him … ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’”

Reading

Luke 4.16-29

The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
        to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
    and recovery of sight to the blind,
        to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 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 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.

Reflection

This is good news, right? Freedom, release and God’s favour: what more can we possibly want? Jesus’ listeners agree – to start with. They agree with the good stuff, and they imagine themselves receiving the good stuff. They thought of themselves as oppressed by the Romans, being promised release.

But Jesus starts his ministry by confounding expectations. To start with, he omits the final line from Isaiah, the one promising vengeance. Then, he talks of Elijah and Elisha’s miracles – miracles of healing for Gentiles! These people’s world is set upside down: vengeance denied, and blessing extended to those they despise. The promise of justice and restoration is one that suffers no barriers: it is extended to all, and the barriers that try and hoard blessings are shattered.

What barriers do you think you put around your views of who should be blessed?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you came and brought down barriers that divide humanity: help us seek justice together and for one another today, regardless of our human differences. Amen.

Today’s family challenge

Pray for people who really need good news

Jesus brought good news to those who were struggling.

Pray for all who are hungry, sick, lonely or suffering.