NO PROPHET IS ACCEPTED AT HOME

Passage: Luke 4:14-30

Key verse: 18,19

NIV

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

14 Jesus returned to Galilee(A) in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.(B) 15 He was teaching in their synagogues,(C) and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth,(D) where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue,(E) as was his custom. He stood up to read,(F) 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,(G)
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news(H) 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,
19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a](I)

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.(J) The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled(K) in your hearing.”

22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.(L)

23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown(M) what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”(N)

24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.(O) 25 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.(P) 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.(Q) 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy[b] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”(R)

28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town,(S) and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.(T)

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 4:19 Isaiah 61:1,2 (see Septuagint); Isaiah 58:6
  2. Luke 4:27 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Begins His Ministry

14 (A)And Jesus returned (B)in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and (C)a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And (D)he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

16 (E)And he came to (F)Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And (G)as was his custom, (H)he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up (I)to read. 17 And (J)the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 (K)“The Spirit of the Lord (L)is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to (M)proclaim good news to the poor.
(N)He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and (O)recovering of sight to the blind,
    (P)to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 (Q)to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and (R)sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were (S)fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today (T)this Scripture (U)has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at (V)the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, (W)“Is not this (X)Joseph's son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, (Y)‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did (Z)at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, (AA)no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when (AB)the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them (AC)but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And (AD)there were many lepers[a] in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, (AE)but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and (AF)drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But (AG)passing through their midst, he went away.

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 4:27 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. "The Spirit of the Lord is on me" (14-21) Jesus taught in Galilee and was praised. In his hometown of Nazareth, he read in the synagogue on a Sabbath. He quoted Isaiah 61 about the Spirit of the Lord anointing him to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed, and the year of the Lord's favor. Jesus fulfilled this on that day. People were impressed and amazed at his gracious words. But then they saw him merely as Joseph's son. 2. "Physician, heal yourself!" (22-3 ) His hometown wanted to see miracles, like a doctor healing locals. Jesus told two stories of Israel's prophets sent to help Gentiles: Elijah to a widow in Sidon, and Elisha to Naaman the Syrian. Jesus knew his hometown would not accept or honor him. They got furious and tried to throw him off a cliff. But Jesus walked right through them.

Prayer: Lord, help me to follow you humbly and not demand anything from you.

One Word: Accept Jesus as he is