1. Ministry in Nazareth

Jesus started his ministry in Galilee. Then, after touring surrounding cities, he came back to his home town Nazareth. News about Jesus’ preachings and healing acts had spread throughout regions, including Nazareth. So numerous persons had come to the Synagogue of Nazareth. Jesus gave a lecture there. When Jesus entered into it , the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. In that era, it was custom of Jewish people to go synagogue the Sabbath day. They read Hebrew Bible, or Five books of Moses, listened to teachings and prayed together there.

Luke reported that Jesus read the following portion ; - “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."(Luke 4:18-19, cf. Isaiah 61:1-2)

After the reading, Jesus took the seat again. All audience were filled with keen expectation and focused their attention on him. Jewish people of the time was longing for fulfillment of God’s promise, the arrival of the Savior. Because they were suffering from harsh living conditions under Roman rule. Double taxation-system was imposed on them. They must pay tax not only to Rome but also to Jewish rulers nominated by Rome. When they could not afford, they often sold their wife or children to get enough money to pay off. If not they should be imprisoned.

The majority of them were tenant farmers, the status which made them very weak before landowners. Landowners were nobles and priests and they abused that social power to exploit the weak. Very often, reward of tenant farmers was less than a half of all products which the harvested. Even if climate was favorable and yield was good they could have merely necessities for living. Bad weather or sickness could cause death easily to them. Many of them died from shoratage of food or lack of medicine. So much so they aspired to the arrival of the Messiah, their savior, who must emancipate them from such a miserable life.

In such an environment Jesus declared the achievement of God’s promise ; - “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."(Luke4:20)
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2. Divinity of Jesus rejected in Nazareth

Jesus had compassion for poor people of Nazareth and gave the words, which was also the declaration of his authentic identity of the Messiah. “The year of the Lord’s favor” in the verse 19 came from Leviticus 25:8-17. It indicates ‘the Day of Atonement,’ also called ‘The year of Jubilee.’ Jewish people of the era observed the very year every fifty years. The day of celebration of the year was announced with sounds of trumpet. Then slaves and debtors were freed from their yokes. The term ‘Jubilee’ is translated from Hebrew word ‘yōbēl’ which means ‘ram’s-horn trumpet’, the instrument used for the purpose.

The year was established in order to to give thanks to and to praise God who had set their ancestors free from slavish life in Egypt.

Jesus revealed present arrival of the Savior, Jesus himself. The message was alluded to the law of the Year of Jubilee which makes people free from painful burdens, taxes or debts. Jesus started the lecture this way, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And, hearing Jesus’ teaching, the audience were amazed at the gracious words. But, soon after, they murmured ; - “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

They did not think that a son of Joseph, a poor carpenter without social status and authority like them, could accord such a great promise. They saw only Jesus’ human facet by ignoring his divinity. Their ordinary relationship as neighbors with Joseph’s family blinded them. Their ears were also closed. They neglected the most important thing for the faith, the heart. Therefor Jesus said to them ; - “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum,’ ” “I tell you the truth,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown."(Luke 4:23-24)

Jesus gat insight into their mind which rejected what their earthy eyes could not see. Luke teaches us, through Jesus’ words above, that we would never grasp the truth as long as our spiritual eyes are closed.

£³ Prophets will be never accepted in hometown

The similar fact to ‘no prophet is accepted in his hometown’ is also seen in today’s societies. Christians are in charge of presenting a new vision of a better world in staying inside. Such a commitment might be one of reasons that we are always very few in the Japan. However we should not give up the hope of spreading the Good News further than ever before. I think that we must recognize the significance of being few. Changing power should be given rather to social minority than to others.

Though people of Nazareth luckily received Jesus in the synagogue, they rejected him and his teaching. Todays’ christians know that they thrown away a huge opportunity to reach for the faith. However if we had been among them we also might consider Jesus merely to be a son of Joseph, a country carpenter. It seems that People of Nazareth required social and economical help from Jesus and we might do the same. It is not yet easy for us, today’s humans, to surrender and trust our entity to Jesus in order to live faithfully.

Jesus left the town without fulfilling their requirement. Because what Jesus was about to give them was bread of life, not material one. I conclude now this lecture with today’s invocation verses, John 6:35-36 ; - Then Jesus declared, ” I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.

Thus I invite you to live by believing in Jesus’ words.