Luke 4:16-30

Luke 4:16-30

[16] And  he came  to  Nazareth,  where  brought up:  and,  his  custom  was,  he went  into  the synagogue  on  the sabbath  day,  and  stood up  for to read.  [17] And  there was delivered  unto him  the book  of the prophet  Esaias.  And  when he had opened  the book,  he found  the place  written,  [18] The Spirit  of the Lord  is upon  because  he hath anointed  to preach the gospel  to the poor;  he hath sent  to heal  the brokenhearted,  to preach  deliverance  to the captives,  and  recovering of sight  to the blind,  to set  at  liberty  them that are bruised,  [19] To preach  the acceptable  year  of the Lord.  [20] And  he closed  the book,  and he gave it again  to the minister,  and sat down.  And  the eyes  of all them  in  the synagogue  were fastened  on him.  [21] And  he began  to say  unto  them,  This  day  this  scripture  fulfilled  in  ears.  [22] And  all  him  witness,  and  wondered  at  the gracious  words  which  proceeded  out of  his  mouth.  And  this  Joseph's  son?  [23] And  he said  unto  them,  surely  say  proverb,  Physician,  heal  thyself:  whatsoever  we have heard  done  in  Capernaum,  do  also  here  in  country.  [24] And  he said,  Verily  I say  No  prophet  accepted  in  his own  country.  [25] But  I tell  of  a truth,  many  widows  in  Israel  in  the days  of Elias,  when  the heaven  was shut up  three  years  and  six  months,  when  great  famine  was  throughout  all  the land;  [26] But  unto  none  of them  Elias  sent,  unto  Sarepta,  unto  a woman  that was a widow.  [27] And  many  lepers  in  Israel  in the time  of Eliseus  the prophet;  and  none  of them  was cleansed,  Naaman  the Syrian.  [28] And  all they  in  the synagogue,  when they heard  were filled  with wrath,  [29] And  rose up,  and thrust  him  out of  the city,  and  led  him  unto  the brow  of the hill  whereon  their  city  was built,  him  down headlong.  [30] But  he  passing  through  the midst  of them  went his way, 

What does Luke 4:16-30 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

In contrast to most people, the inhabitants of Jesus" hometown did not praise Him. When Jesus began to speak of God extending salvation to the Gentiles, a particular interest of Luke"s, the Jews there opposed Him violently. Perhaps Luke meant this incident to represent a classic case of rejection in which Nazareth symbolizes all Israel. [1] If Song of Solomon , this is another instance of metonymy. He may also have intended that it become a paradigm of the church"s ministry as well as Jesus" ministry. [2]
Many students of the Synoptics take this pericope as parallel to Matthew 13:53-58 and Mark 6:1-6. However, the differences between Luke"s account and that of Matthew and Mark seem to indicate two separate incidents. Luke"s incident probably occurred early in Jesus" Galilean ministry whereas the one that Matthew and Mark recorded happened later.