Luke 4

20 Everyone in the synagogue was amazed at the way Jesus read these words. The people had heard these words from Isaiah read to them many times before, but they had never heard them read like this! It was as if the prophet Isaiah himself were speaking—no, more than that—the Messiah Himself!

21 After He had finished reading from the book of Isaiah, Jesus said to the people, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. The Messiah has come! The Gospel is being preached, prisoners are being set free, the blind are receiving their sight. The day of the Messiah has dawned.”

22 At first, the people spoke well of Jesus (verse 15). But then someone recognized Him! “Why, He is only the carpenter’s son,” they began to say (see Mark 6:1-3; John 6:42 and comments).

23 Jesus saw that the people of Nazareth, His own home town, were filled with an attitude of unbelief. They couldn’t believe that a carpenter’s son from their own town could be anyone important. Perhaps they were jealous. But mainly, they refused to believe.

Jesus knew their hearts. They wanted Him to perform a miracle before their eyes to prove that He was the Messiah. “Let Him heal someone in His own town,” they said. They had heard that He had done miracles elsewhere; let Him do one in Nazareth.

24 But Jesus knew they wouldn’t believe even if He performed a miracle in their presence. Indeed, He did heal a few people. But because of the people’s unbelief, He could do no other great works in Nazareth (see Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:6 and comment).

25-26 Then Jesus said something that angered the people. He reminded them that the prophet Elijah encountered unbelief in Israel during a time of drought; therefore, he went to live with a Gentile, a widow in Zarephath, north of Israel (1 Kings 17:7-16).

27 In the same way, the Jews did not believe in the prophet Elisha. So he withheld his blessing from Israel, and healed a Gentile with leprosy instead (2 Kings 5:1-15).

Jesus’ meaning was this: if the Jews reject Him as they did Elijah and Elisha, He too will reject them and turn to the Gentiles (see Matthew 21:43). Indeed, Christ of ten found more faith among the Gentiles than among the Jews (Matthew 8:8-10).

28-30 The people of Nazareth could stand Jesus’ words no longer. They tried to kill Him by throwing Him of f a clif f located near the edge of the town. But He miraculously escaped from them (John 8:59; 10:39). It was not God’s time for Him to die.

(Mark 1:21-28)

31-37 See Mark 1:21-28 and comment.

(Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-39)

38-44 See Mark 1:29-39 and comment.