If you have your Bible with you, you can open it up to the Gospel of Luke.
We're continuing on with that this morning.
Last Sunday we heard about how Jesus was tempted by the devil.
And we heard about how he resisted the devil perfectly, again and again, refusing to give in.
We're in Luke chapter 4, and Luke now moves on to tell us in summary fashion about Jesus' initial ministry.
So he's just come out of this wilderness where he was for 40 days, and this is what Luke has to say.
He says,
If we read these words carefully, we notice that this is covering a period of time.
It would have taken time for the news to spread.
Of course, in those days, news traveled by foot.
But the tense of the verb in the second statement there helps us see that there's a period in view here.
He was teaching in their synagogues, going from town to town.
And overall, Luke tells us that the response was quite positive.
Everyone praised him. Everyone honored him.
What's interesting about this sort of summary of Jesus' early ministry is that Luke puts all the emphasis on Jesus' teaching,
rather than on the miracles of Jesus.
If we compare this carefully with the other gospel accounts,
we'll see that Jesus has been doing miracles in many of these towns at the same time.
And yet Luke doesn't even mention them.
He will talk about them.
He's going to get to it soon enough.
But for now, Luke wants to tell the story with an emphasis on the teaching of Jesus,
on the message of Jesus.
He wants to tell us about how Jesus' words were received.
At first, it was received very well,
very positive.
But then, things begin to take a turn.
Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus,
is the perfect example,
which highlights some of the early opposition
to Jesus' teaching and message.
And that's what Luke wants to tell us about first,
right out of the gate.
So we're going to see this in verses 16 all the way down to 30.
We're going to hear about Jesus' visit home to Nazareth,
where his teaching is utterly challenged and rejected.
One of the challenging questions when we come to this particular passage
is when did this happen?
When did it take place?
Luke has it right after the temptation of Jesus.
And if we're just quickly going through this,
not really digging too deep into it,
we might conclude that this is Jesus' first stop, almost.
Or at least his first visit to Nazareth
after getting back from the wilderness.
But if we look to the other Gospels,
Matthew and Mark,
we notice that the parallel accounts of this event
happen a fair bit later on in Jesus' ministry.
There's already been some things that have happened.
And there's basically, just quickly,
there's three ideas as to why this difference in order.
The first idea is that Jesus made two separate visits to Nazareth,
and that this one here in Luke is his first visit,
and the ones in Matthew and Mark are a second visit.
We'll notice that there's similar reactions and dialogue in both,
but maybe they just said the same sort of things in a second visit.
A second idea is that Luke's actually merging two or more visits to Nazareth
into one account here.
We call it conflation,
and sometimes we do this.
We're giving an account,
and just to keep it all together
and focus on that place or those people,
we tell the whole story of what happened there all at once,
even though there was maybe multiple visits.
A third idea,
and the one that I really lean towards and find most convincing,
is that all of these accounts,
Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
refer to the same visit of Jesus to Nazareth.
Not the first visit,
but a later visit
that Luke intentionally decides to tell us about
right up at the front
in order to illustrate the opposition
that Jesus began to face
after his earlier teaching in the synagogues.
And I think you'll see how it fits together
with the other accounts
as we go along here.
So let's jump into this.
Let's look at it,
starting in verse 16.
Jesus went to Nazareth,
where he had been brought up,
and on the Sabbath day
he went into the synagogue,
as was his custom,
he stood up to read,
and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah
was handed to him.
So Luke says this was the custom of Jesus,
this is what he did in every synagogue,
as he went from town to town.
The synagogue was like the local place for prayer
and for teaching from the scriptures,
where people would gather weekly.
Luke tells us that Jesus stood up to read,
and the scroll of Isaiah,
the prophet,
was handed to him.
And Jesus deliberately
finds a particular passage
in Isaiah.
the scroll of the prophet Isaiah,
the scroll of the prophet Isaiah
was handed to him.
Unrolling it,
he found the place
where it is written.
And then Jesus reads this passage
from Isaiah out loud
to everyone.
And Luke has this passage from Isaiah
quoted right here in his gospel
from verses 18 to 19.
This is the first couple verses
of Isaiah chapter 61.
It says,
The spirit of the Lord is on me
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me
to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year
of the Lord's favor.
Then,
he rolled up the scroll,
gave it back to the attendant,
and sat down.
The eyes of everyone in the synagogue
were fastened on him.
He began by saying to them,
Today,
this scripture is fulfilled
in your hearing.
What's interesting about this passage
spoken by Isaiah
700 years before this,
is that it's unclear
in that passage
just who
it's referring to.
The person talking
in Isaiah
chapter 60
in the verse
right before this one
in Isaiah
is clearly
the Lord himself.
It's clearly God.
But then as you turn
to the next chapter,
it says,
The spirit of the sovereign Lord
is on me.
He has anointed
me
to proclaim
good news
to the poor.
So who's the me
in these words of Isaiah
long ago?
Well, the natural assumption
since Isaiah
is the one
who spoke this
and wrote this
is that it's Isaiah himself.
In fact,
this was the understanding
of many
leading up to the time
of Jesus.
the good news
then would be
this being set free
from captivity
for Israel
who was conquered
by the Babylonians
and went into exile.
And it kind of
seems to fit
because Isaiah
had words of good news
to the people.
Seventy years later,
they were
able to return
in the days of
Zerubbabel
and Nehemiah.
But now
Jesus is here
long after all that
and he's saying
that this passage
is being fulfilled
today
in your hearing
people of Nazareth.
In other words,
Jesus is saying
the spirit
of the Lord
is on
me
because he
has anointed
me
to proclaim
good news
to the poor.
He has sent
me
to proclaim
freedom
for the prisoners
and recovery
of sight
for the blind.
He has sent
me
to proclaim
the year
of the Lord's
favor.
When Jesus
says
today
this scripture
is fulfilled
in your hearing
he's saying
God's causing
these words
of Isaiah
to come
true
today
right now
through me
in your presence
in your hearing.
Maybe we
jumped to
conclusions
long ago
about the
me
of Isaiah
61
being Isaiah
or maybe
there's a
double fulfillment
maybe
the me
was Isaiah
but there's
a sense
in which
God
has caused
us to
come
true
in an
even
greater
way
in the
future
through
Jesus.
Either way
Jesus is
basically
saying
that God
was speaking
ultimately
of him
when he
spoke those
words
through Isaiah
long ago.
It's as if
Jesus is
saying
I am
the one
who God
has specially
chosen
and anointed.
I am
the one
upon whom
he has
put his
spirit.
If we
look back
to the
moment
Jesus
was
baptized
this is
what we
saw
right?
The
spirit
of God
came down
upon
Jesus.
Notice
how Luke
started
this whole
section
back up
in verse
14.
Jesus
returned
to
Galilee
in the
power
of the
spirit.
whether
the
people
of
Nazareth
understood
it
or
not
Jesus
knew
exactly
who
he
was
and
he
knew
exactly
what
he
had
come
to
do
what
he
had
been
sent
by
God
chosen
by
God
to
do.
Let's
look at
these
words
from
Isaiah
just a
bit.
Let's
look at
the
mission
that
God
has
given
or
gave
to
Jesus.
He
has
anointed
me
to
proclaim
good
news
to
the
poor.
He
has
sent
me
to
proclaim
freedom
for
the
prisoners
and
recovery
of
sight
for
the
blind
to
set
the
oppressed
free
to
proclaim
the
year
of the
Lord's
favor.
Notice
how many
times the
word
proclaim
is
used
here.
a
huge
part
of
Jesus
purpose
and
ministry
his
mission
is
preaching
proclamation.
Sometimes
there's a
tendency
to
focus
mainly
on
the
miracles
of
Jesus
those
wonderful
things
that
he
did
but
that's
not
all
that
Jesus
has
come
to
do.
He
has
come
to
proclaim
a
message
and
what
message
is
it
we
can
see
it
highlighted
in
the
different
spots
there
on
the
screen
to
proclaim
a
message
of
good
news
to
the
poor
a
message
of
freedom
for
the
prisoners
and
recovery
of
sight
for
the
blind
a
message
that
the
Lord's
favor
has
come
the
time
the
year
of
the
Lord's
favor
is
here
this
is
what
I've
come
to
proclaim
says
Jesus
the
good
news
of
God's
favor
towards
you
this
is
the
time
of
his
favor
I'm
here
to
tell
you
how
you
can
be
set
free
from
the
prison
that
you
are
all
in
and
already
you
can
begin
to
feel
how
this
declaration
by
Jesus
might
rub
some
people
the
wrong
way
like
what
do
you
mean
set
free
what
do
you
mean
who
are
these
prisoners
which
blind
people
are
you
talking
about
there's
a
similar
exchange
between
Jesus
and
some
of
the
Jews
in
the
gospel
of
John
which
we'll
look
at
quickly
here
John
chapter
8
verse
31
this
happens
later
on
but
Jesus
to the
Jews
who
had
believed
in
him
said
if
you
hold
to
my
teaching
you
are
really
my
disciples
then
you
will
know
the
truth
and
the
truth
will
set
you
free
they
answered
him
we
are
Abraham's
descendants
and have
never been
slaves
of
anyone
how
can
you
say
that
we
shall
be
set
free
Jesus
replied
very
truly
I
tell
you
everyone
who
sins
is a
slave
to
sin
now
a
slave
has
no
permanent
place
in the
family
but a
son
belongs
to it
forever
so if
the
son
sets
you
free
you
will
be
free
indeed
so on
this
other
later
occasion
Jesus
tells
people
that
they
need
to
be
set
free
and
the
people
were
confused
like
what
do
you
mean
we
are
free
and
Jesus
makes
it
clear
that
the
freedom
they
need
is
spiritual
freedom
from
slavery
to
sin
it's
a
similar
kind
of
statement
as we
just
heard
back
here
in
Luke
chapter
four
our
bondage
!
and our
imprisonment
is not
physical
but
spiritual
our
transgressions
against
God
have
locked
us
up
and
put
us
on
death
row
a
prison
of
our
own
making
and
God
is
obligated
because
he
is
just
to
give
us
the
punishment
that
we
deserve
so
we're
in
big
trouble
we
are
prisoners
because
we
have
all
broken
God's
law
spiritually
we're
criminals
but
the
good
news
is
that
God
is
merciful
he
is
full
of
grace
full
of
favor
he
has
sent
his
son
to
proclaim
this
good
news
of
freedom
God's
going
to
provide
a
way
for
us
to
be
set
free
from
the
chains
!
of
our
sin
and
guilt
in
fact
this
is
the
same
lesson
that
the
Israelites
of
Isaiah's
day
I
think
were
meant
to
take
from
these
words
back
then
it
was
physical
imprisonment
and
physically
being
set
free
but
why
were
they
imprisoned
in
the
first
place
was
it
not
because
of
their
sins
God
gave
them
over
to
the
Babylonians
to
be
conquered
and
led
away
as
prisoners
into
exile
and
was
it
not
because
of
God's
mercy
and
favor
that
he
later
made
a way
for
them
to
be
released
from
that
and
to
return
to
Jerusalem
our
relationship
with
God
has
always
been
the
central
issue
our
sins
against
God
have
always
been
the
thing
which
entrap
us
and
destine
us
for
God's
punishment
and
the
undeserved
mercy
and
favor
of
God
has
always
been
the
thing
that
sets
us
free
and
saves
us
how
much
of
this
did
the
people
clue
into
that
day
as
Jesus
was
making
this
declaration
in
the
synagogue
as
he
declared
today
this
scripture
is
fulfilled
in
your
hearing
listen
to the
response
of the
people
in
verse
22
all
spoke
well
of him
and
were
amazed
at
the
gracious
words
that
came
from
his
lips
so
at
first
there
was
a
buzz
of
excitement
this
sounds
like
good
news
God's
favor
is
coming
to
us
God
wants
to
alleviate
our
hardship
and
our
suffering
but
then
all
of
a
sudden
out
of
nowhere
in
the
same
verse
the
conversation
takes
a turn
in the
complete
opposite
direction
isn't
this
Joseph's
son
they
asked
we
might
be
tempted
to
take
this
as
an
honest
sincere
question
maybe
even
a
question
of
surprise
and
delight
how
is
it
that
such
good
words
could
be
coming
from
Joseph's
son
that
guy
that
we
all
know
is
the
carpenter
but
this
question
is
actually
a
rhetorical
statement
it's
actually
an
objection
and
this
is
where
the
parallel
accounts
of
Matthew
and
Mark
are
invaluable
let's
look
at
this
moment
in
Matthew
chapter
13
verse
54
coming
to his
hometown
he began
teaching
the
in
their
synagogue
this
is
Matthew's
account
and
they
were
amazed
where
did
this
man
get
this
wisdom
and
these
miraculous
powers
they
asked
isn't
this
the
carpenter's
son
isn't
his
mother's
name
Mary
and
aren't
his
brothers
James
Joseph
Simon
and
Judas
aren't
all
his
sisters
with
us
where
then
did
this
man
get
all
these
things
and
they
took
offense
at
him
so
Matthew
makes
it
clear
that
the
familiarity
they
had
with
Jesus
being
a
relative
of
people
that
they
knew
in
their
town
was
actually
a
barrier
to
them
they
took
offense
at
him
!
like
who
are
you
to
stand
up
there
in
front
of
us
and
say
these
things
you're
just
the
son
of
the
carpenter
you
grew
up
here
we
know
you
who
do
you
think
you
are
a
great
teacher
a
prophet
how
can
he
be
he's
the
son
of
Joseph
the
carpenter
notice
the
question
that
the
people
ask
!
Jesus
in
Mark's
!
account
of
all
this
from
Mark
chapter
6
verse
2
when
the
Sabbath
came
Jesus
began
to
teach
in
the
synagogue
and
many
who
heard
him
were
amazed
where
did
this
man
get
these
things
they
asked
what's
this
wisdom
that's
been
given
him
what
are
these
remarkable
miracles
he's
performing
isn't
this
the
carpenter
isn't
this
Mary's
son
and
the
brother
of
James
Joseph
Judas
and
Simon
aren't
his
sisters
here
with
us
and
they
took
offense
at
him
so
at
first
the
tone
of
these
questions
seems
like
it
could
be
sincere
but
by
the
time
we
get
to
the
end
of
them
we
see
the
people
asked
these
because
they
took
offense
at
Jesus
it
wasn't
sincerity
it
was
suspicion
we've
known
you
all
your
life
your
family
still
lives
here
with
us
and
now
suddenly
you're
claiming
to
know
things
to
be
a
rabbi
to
be
a
teacher
where's
all
this
stuff
coming
from
what
are
these
remarkable
miracles
that
we've
heard
that
you're
performing
so
the
people
here
in
Nazareth
they've
heard
about
the
miracles
that
Jesus
has
been
doing
in
all
these
places
in
Galilee
they've
likely
heard
about
the
miraculous
catch
of
fish
no
doubt
about
the
many
healings
and
even
the
casting
out
of
demons
now
when we
look back
at
Luke's
account
things
start
to
make
more
sense
this
question
isn't
this
Joseph's
son
was
an
objection
and
look at
how
Jesus
responds
he
can
see
he
on
the
defensive
in
a
sense
Jesus
said
to
them
surely
you
will
quote
this
proverb
!
to
me
physician
heal
yourself
and
you
will
tell
me
do
here
in
your
own
hometown
what
we
have
heard
that
you
did
in
Capernaum
so the
people
know
about
the
miracles
that
Jesus
has
been
doing
they
heard
about
the
miracles
he
did
in
Capernaum
and
Jesus
just
tackles
the
doubt
and
the
skepticism
head
on
he
says
I
know
what
you're
thinking
you're
thinking
that
if I
truly
did
remarkable
things
miracles
in
Capernaum
then
why
not
do
the
same
here
and
now
right
now
you're
thinking
if you
really
have
the
power
to
do
these
things
prove
it
heal
so
and
so
over
there
who
you
know
has
been
suffering
from
whatever
all
these
years
or
do
your
powers
only
work
when
you
are
away
from
the
people
who
know
you
best
what
kind
of
trickery
and
deception
have
you
been
up
to
it's
at this
point
that
Jesus
makes
the
famous
statement
truly
I
tell
you
he
continued
no
prophet
is
accepted
in
his
hometown
no
prophet
is
accepted
in
his
hometown
Matthew
and
Mark
have
probably
the
more
literal
version
a
prophet
is
not
without
honor
except
in
his
own
town
among
his
relatives
and
in
his
own
home
we
have
a
modern
day
English
saying
that
kind
of
gets
at
some
of
the
meaning
of
this
familiarity
breeds
contempt
!
We
have
a
tendency
to
overlook
what is
truly
great
and
commendable
if it
comes
from a
source
that
is
all
too
familiar
to
us
we
can
easily
take
a
person
for
granted
or
minimize
what's
exceptional
about
them
because
after
all
they're
just
one
of
us
right
and
that
gets
that
part
of
the
meaning
but
I
think
there's
a
little
more
here
in
Jesus
statement
this
saying
is
specifically
about
a
prophet
and
how
a
prophet
is
without
honor
in
his
hometown
so
a
true
prophet
is
someone
who
speaks
on
God's
behalf
someone
whom
God
has
chosen
to
speak
through
all
throughout
the
history
in
the
Old
Testament
we
see
that
prophets
were
honored
greatly
by
the
people
they
were
often
hated
by
the
people
too
but
even
the
prophet
haters
of
old
occasionally
summoned
the
prophets
when
they
were
desperate
because
they
recognized
that
the
prophets
words
came
true
and
they
knew
deep
down
that
they
really
did
speak
for
God
even
if
it
wasn't
the
words
that
they
wanted
to
hear
Jesus
says
it
was
always
a
stumbling
block
for the
relatives
and the
neighbors
of the
prophets
in their
towns
long ago
people
whom
the
prophets
grew up
with
struggled
to
accept
that
God
had
specially
chosen
them
to
they
looked at
those
prophets
and what
they saw
was
ordinary
men
like
Isaiah
or a
young
boy
like
Jeremiah
and therefore
you can't
be a
prophet
you're
just
the
local
so and
so
you must
be
delusional
you must
be
egotistical
you must
be
arrogant
to think
that
God
has
specially
chosen
you
to
speak
to us
on his
behalf
Jesus
is saying
the way
you guys
are treating
me
is par
for the
course
just like
the way
our
ancestors
treated
the
prophets
in their
days
but
we also
notice
that
Jesus
is
subtly
stating
that
he is
in fact
a
prophet
this
saying
would not
even apply
to
Jesus
unless
he was
a
prophet
he's
saying
I
have
been
chosen
by
God
to
speak
to
you
on
his
behalf
and
it's
here
that
Luke
includes
a
few
extra
details
from
the
conversation
that
the
other
gospel
writers
chose
to
leave
out
what
else
did
Jesus
say
to
them
in
that
moment
no
prophet
is
accepted
in
his
hometown
I
assure
you
that
there
were
many
widows
in
Israel
in
Elijah's
time
when
the
sky
was
shut
for
three
and
a
half
years
and
there
was
a
severe
famine
throughout
the
land
yet
Elijah
was
not
sent
to
any
of
them
to
a
widow
in
Zarephath
in
the
region
of
Sidon
and
there
were
many
in
Israel
with
leprosy
in
the
time
of
Elisha
the
prophet
yet
not
one
of
them
was
cleansed
only
Naaman
the
Syrian
these
words
of
Jesus
are
loaded
in
fact
there's
so
much
in
these
words
that
it's
difficult
to
get
at
precisely
what
Jesus
means
to
say
here
the
first
thing
he
does
is
he
points
people
back
to
the
days
of
the
prophets
Elijah
and
Elisha
he
seems
to put
these
men
forward
as
examples
of
prophets
who
were
rejected
in
their
hometowns
too
in
fact
if we
look
back
at
the
Old
Testament
scriptures
it
wasn't
just
their
hometowns
that
rejected
them
but
the
whole
northern
kingdom
of
Israel
rejected
them
one
of
the
kings
who
reigned
during
the
ministry
of
Elijah
was
the
wicked
king
Ahab
he
ignored
Elijah
he
led
the
nation
in
doing
all
kinds
of
terrible
things
and
as
punishment
upon
Ahab
and the
people
of
the
land
God
withheld
rain
for
three
and a
half
years
causing
a
severe
famine
and
Elijah
was the
one
who
announced
God's
decree
that
there
would
be
no
more
rain
so
you
can
imagine
how
popular
Elijah
was
in
his
day
rather
than
seeing
it
as
a
punishment
from
God
for
their
sins
or
as
discipline
that
was
intended
to
turn
them
back
to
him
the
people
blamed
!
King
Ahab
and his
evil
wife
Jezebel
wanted
to
kill
Elijah
they
hunted
him
they
searched
for
him
talk
about
rejection
in
one's
own
place
in
first
king
17
we
read
about
how
this
lack
of
rain
and
the
famine
that
resulted
caused
a
great
shortage
of
food
which
was
felt
deeply
by
a
poor
widow
living
in
the
territory
just
north
of
Israel
in
the
region
of
Sidon
she
was
a
foreigner
She
was
outside
Israel
and
she
was
at
the
end
of
her
rope
so
to
speak
yet
God
had
compassion
on
her
and
he
sent
the
prophet
Elijah
to
her
you
think
about
it
Elijah
couldn't
hardly
go
anywhere
!
without
getting
attention
on
him
without
feeling
like
the
pressure
was
on
so
he
goes
to
this
widow
in
the
region
of
Sidon
and
God
does
an
amazing
miracle
for
her
he
causes
her
flower
jar
and
her
oil
jar
never
to
run
out
until
the
time
of
the
famine
is
over
and
sustain
both
Elijah
and
the
widow
and
the
widow's
son
later
on
we
hear
about
Elisha
Elijah's
successor
also
a prophet
of the
Lord
and
on
the
whole
the
nation
of
Israel
was
a little
bit
less
hostile
towards
him
than
toward
Elijah
but
it
still
seems
as though
they
were
quite
content
just
to
ignore
Elisha
and
marginalize
him
unless
they
were
in
trouble
Elisha
was
not
very
often
sought
after
or
they
didn't
ask
for
his
counsel
very
often
especially
by the
king
of
Israel
sometimes
Elisha
would
send
word
to warn
the
king
of
Israel
about
things
in
2nd
Kings
chapter 5
we read
of one
instance
where God
used
Elisha
to heal
the
commander
of the
Aramean
army
of his
leprosy
and this
is surprising
because the
Arameans
were the
enemies
of Israel
it seems
God did
this to
remind
anyone
willing
to listen
that there
was a
man
of his
choosing
in
Israel
and if
Israel
wasn't
willing
to
listen
then he
would
reveal
himself
even
to
the
enemies
so
what's
Jesus
point
in
all
this
it's
a little
difficult
to pin
down
is
Jesus
saying
you
guys
are
just
like
the
wicked
prophet
rejecting
people
of
Elijah's
day
that's
one
way
they
could
have
taken
these
words
and
there
seems
a
measure
of
truth
to
it
since
they're
unwilling
to
honor
and
accept
the
one
God
has
sent
Jesus
or
is
Jesus
saying
the
Gentiles
the
foreigners
are
more
worthy
of
seeing
God's
miraculous
signs
than
you
are
because
of
your
stubborn
hearts
and
unbelief
it
makes
sense
doesn't
it
if
the
local
people
will
not
accept
God's
message
from
the
prophet
it
makes
sense
that
God
would
send
his
prophet
to
those
who
will
accept
him
Jesus
seems
to raise
the
point
that
there
were
many
widows
and
many
sick
people
in
Israel
in the
days
of
Elijah
and
Elisha
!
people
maybe
it's
a
statement
that
he's
not
obligated
to
perform
miracles
in
Nazareth
just
like
he did
in
Capernaum
and
that
he
will
not
tolerate
being
tested
just
to
prove
himself
or
to
prove
his
son
maybe
it's
a
combination
of
all
of
these
whatever
the
case
the
response
of
the
people
is
overwhelmingly
clear
verse
28
all
the
people
in
the
synagogue
were
furious
when
they
heard
this
they
got
up
drove
him
out
of
the
town
and
took
him
to
the
brow
of
the
hill
on
which
the
town
was
built
in
order
to
throw
him
off
the
cliff
so
the
people
did
not
take
kindly
to
Jesus
words
at
all
they
were
enraged
notice
the
language
here
they
drove
him
out
of
the
town
and
took
him
to
the
brow
of
the
hill
in
order
to
throw
him
off
the
cliff
these
are
pretty
forceful
words
now
it
doesn't
say
that
they
arrested
him
or
whether
or
not
they
laid
hands
on
him
or
dragged
him
or
pushed
him
or
shoved
him
but
the
picture
we
get
is
of
this
angry
mob
that's
just
ready
to
execute
Jesus
like
how
dare
you
speak
to
us
that
way
who
do
you
think
you
are
we'll
show
you
what
happens
to
wicked
and
rebellious
children
like
you
so
they
take
him
to
the
brow
of
the
hill
in order
to
throw
him
off
the
cliff
but
verse
30
he
walked
right
through
the
crowd
and
went
on
his
way
so
Jesus
escapes
but
we're
kind of
left
to
wonder
how
did
he
escape
what
do
you
mean
he
walked
right
through
the
crowd
right
through
the
midst
of
them
and
went
on
his
way
many
Christians
conclude
that
this
was
a
miraculous
escape
and
it's
kind
of
a
sensible
idea
because
it
really
seems
like
they're
intent
on
killing
him
how
else
did
he
get
through
them
and
get
away
some
suggest
God
paralyzed
those
who
would
lay
a
hand
on
him
in
that
moment
allowing
Jesus
to
simply
walk
by
others
suggest
that
maybe
there
was
angelic
intervention
here
and
that
the
angels
were
like
offensive
linebackers
making
an
opening
and
Jesus
just
walked
right
on
by
others
proposed
that this
was a
miracle
of
invisibility
that
Jesus
suddenly
became
invisible
and
then
simply
walked
through
like
Frodo
in
Lord
of
the
Rings
I'm
not
joking
here
this
is
true
others
suggest
that
Jesus
shifted
into
some
sort
of
a
spiritual
form
and
just
walked
right
through
their
bodies
maybe
something
like
the
flash
going
out
of
phase
and
walking
through
walls
at
least
one
person
has
suggested
that
they
did
try to
throw
him
off
the
cliff
but
that
Jesus
simply
stood
there
in
mid
air
to
their
amazement
and
then
walked
right
through
them
while
they
were
busy
picking
up
their
jaws
from
the
ground
others
suggest
that
Jesus
may
have
wielded
his
divine
authority
in
this
moment
and
just
sort
of
set
his
gaze
on
walking
through
them
and
it
forced
them
all
to
comply
and
make
a
path
for
him
others
insist
that we
refrain
from going
beyond
what is
stated in
the
Bible
it
doesn't
say
that this
was a
miracle
or how
he just
walked
through the
midst of
them
maybe they
had second
thoughts
at the top
of the
hill
or maybe
Jesus said
something to
them that
caused
them to
hesitate
and then
just
resolutely
walk past
them
we know
that on
other
occasions
Jesus
managed to
diffuse some
pretty tense
situations
with simply
a few
words
the woman
caught in
adultery
in John
8 comes
to mind
let any
of you
who is
without
sin
be the
first
to throw
a stone
at her
and one
by one
they all
left
we don't
know how
but just
that Jesus
managed to
walk through
the midst
of them
and go
on his
way
all of
this
highlights
very early
on in
Luke's
gospel
that Jesus
message
and even
his very
identity
was met
with great
opposition
the initial
response to
his teaching
at first
was wonderful
it was
great
everybody
was amazed
at his
gracious
words
but then
some people
spoke up
and let
them know
let people
know what
they were
really thinking
things began
to get
tense
and even
almost
violent
what kind
of a
response
does
Jesus
stir up
in you
what do
you think
of his
words
when he
says
the spirit
of the
Lord
is on
me
because
he has
anointed
me
to proclaim
good news
to the
poor
does
that
make
your
heart
happy
do
you
see
yourself
as
spiritually
poor
blind
oppressed
a
prisoner
in need
of God's
liberating
power
which
Jesus
has come
to
proclaim
do
you
believe
that
Jesus
is
the
one
who
to set
you
free
from
your
guilt
and
your
sin
do
you
believe
that
Jesus
speaks
for
God
that
he's
not
just
a
prophet
but
the
ultimate
prophet
or
does
he
make
you
angry
what's
your
response
to
Jesus
let's
pray
let's
pray
father in
heaven
this is
it
this is
what
matters
most
had we
been there
what would
we have
done
you know
lord
and
I pray
that you
would
bring that
to the
surface
in our
hearts
now
I
pray that
you
would
lay it
on the
table
before us
and help
us see
have we
really
accepted
and honored
your son
the one
you sent
as we
ought
or have
we been
pushing
him
away
driving
him
out
even
angry
do that
work in
our hearts
convict
us
help us
to see
the truth
may we
all accept
and honor
your son
as he
deserves
in your
name
amen