Luke 4:16-30  A Prophet's Hometown

This is an interesting passage, which I think in the past I've not thought much of. The more I read it though the more interesting and confusing it gets. After reading what the passage says I keep asking myself the question, "What on earth did Jesus say that would drive his audience (who were Law abiding Jewish folk) to want to throw him off a cliff to his death?" And, "How did they go from awe and amazement after he read the scroll of Isaiah to wanting to kill him after he refers back to a widow and a leper in the times of Elijah and Elisha?"

As best I can determine, Jesus is telling the people of his hometown a) that he is the messiah referred to by Isaiah b) that his message and mission is to the Gentiles as much as them c) that this is happening because they are no better than the Israelites during the times of Elijah and Elisha who rejected their God.

Created over 1 year ago