33.1 Jesus had been ministering for about one year when he returned to his childhood hometown of Nazareth. Heading north from Sychar, Nazareth was the first town in Galilee he would come to. He had been baptized by John in the river Jordan at about the age of 30, and started his ministry right after that. He had been tempted in the wilderness. He had taught in synagogues all over Judea and Galilee. He had turned water into wine, cleansed the temple, talked with Nicodemus, and had made and baptized more disciples than John. His visit to Sychar a few days earlier had been a high point of his first year.
It is possible Jesus' family no longer lived in Nazareth. He had moved them to Capernaum nearly a year earlier. (John 2:12) We do not know if they had moved back. Scholars think Joseph had died because there is no more mention of him. .
33.2 And 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.
Twelve months earlier the people of Nazareth had seen Jesus leave as an ordinary man. Now he was famous all over Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. Also now he had some disciples. Probably at least six of them were with him. The leadership of the synagogue would have expected him to take part in the service. He could indicate his desire to read simply by standing up.
Sabbath morning services were special times. A reader would unroll the scroll of the Talmud and read some verses from one of the five books of the law. Then a second reader would read some verses from one of the books of the prophets. The reader of this second portion of the Bible was allowed to make comments on it if he wanted to.
33.3 And there was (duly) given to him a roll of the prophet Isaiah. And having opened the roll, he found the place where it had been written:
The Lord's Spirit is upon me
Since he did anoint me to preach good news to poor people,
He has sent me to heal the broken hearted.
Has sent me to proclaim release to captives;
And to blind people, return of sight;
To send away such as are broken -- in release
To proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. ( Isaiah 61:1-2a)Luke 4:17-19
33.4 Anointing was a ceremony. It was used for equipping people to do mighty acts. In Hebrew "The Lord's Spirit" is "Ruach Adonai Yahweh", the third person of the trinity. Whoever He anointed for service would be the Christ, "the anointed one." This was common knowledge to the people in the synagogue.
33.5 Jesus claimed this anointing for himself. He had a right to. He was talking about the anointing of the Holy Spirit when he was baptized by John.
33.6 It should have been obvious to them that Jesus had anointing to preach good news to the poor. He was now famous for that. The Hebrew word was "beggarly poor." It meant those who were "poor in spirit." Those who knew there was nothing they could do to help themselves spiritually. These kind of people would receive the good news. They (like the people of Sychar) would know they needed it.
33.7 This kind of "poor" is more than just a condition. It is an attitude toward God that comes from a knowledge of complete helplessness and beggary, as far as any ability of self is concerned. Such beggars bring nothing to God but emptiness. They stoop, and bow, and beg in the dust to God for grace and mercy only. This is the attitude of true sorrow over sin that John the Baptist worked for, and Jesus insisted on. To such people of course, the good news could be preached, and grace and mercy freely -- given.
33.8 Since Jesus had been anointed for this great work -- he had also been sent. He was an apostle. An apostle is one who has been anointed and then sent. The word "apostle" simply means "one who has been sent." The book of Hebrews calls Jesus the "Apostle and High Priest of our profession." (Hebrews 3:1)
33.9 Jesus was anointed and sent to preach the good news to the poor. To preach means to make a public announcement as a herald. Jesus was anointed and sent to preach good news to the poor. What good news would he announce? The release of captives. It is a picture of war. The captives are prisoners of war. They were dragged away and put in chains and held in jail by the conqueror. They have no hope of release. They can not serve their time and then get out because they are prisoners of war - the war of sin! The devil has hauled them away captive. But now comes the official announcement of their release. It is the standard form of the New Testament remission of sins. To remit means to cancel debt, pardon, forgive, and restore to the original condition by a legal action. Jesus was sent to proclaim the announcement of the legal release of the captives.-- in this case to restore to the original condition of Adam before he sinned.
33.10 Jesus would also announce return of sight to blind people. Again it is a figure of war. The people are blind not because they cannot see, but because they are in a dark place, i.e. a prison, or a dungeon. Like the people who are poor, and know they are poor -- because of their sin; and like the people who are captive, and know they are captive -- because of their sin: so also these people are blind, and know they are blind -- because of their sin. Jesus will release them from darkness to light -- the light of his grace. When they are released from their dark prison cells, they will rejoice to see the light.
33.11 The release of the captives from the dungeons would be a legal matter. Their release into the light would be a result.
33.12 Lastly, those who are broken will be sent away -- in release. Once again it is a figure of war. These are people who have been broken by -- the war of sin. Their lives have been totally shattered. Jesus will release them from their misery, and destruction. It is not enough just to release them from their prison camps. Their lives, ruined by war, will be -- restored! God will establish them, and give them peace. This is the effect of their salvation -- the effects of sin will be removed!
33.13 And having closed the roll, having given it to the attendant, he sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were looking intently on him. Luke 4:20
When Jesus sat down the people were expecting him to make some comments.
33.14 Moreover, he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your ears." Luke 4:21
Just as he had done with the Samaritan woman, He was proclaiming himself to be the anointed one! The Messiah!
But he got a different reaction.
Discussion Question: This is Jesus' first recorded sermon in the Bible. But he had preached before in other synagogues. What do you think he preached? Do you think he preached that he himself was the Messiah? On what grounds could he make such a claim?
Memory Verse: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things are become new. II Corinthians 5:17 KJV
Quiz: