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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Kitto Evening Bible Devotions: August 25
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Mat_4:13-16; Luk_4:16-30
The next Sabbath afforded the opportunity they desired.
As had been his custom, Jesus went to the synagogue on that day, and “stood up to read.” It may seem strange to some that, seeing He was not a priest or Levite, He should be allowed, not only to read the Scriptures, but to expound them in the synagogue. It must be understood, that to every synagogue there was attached an officer, whose business it was to provide for the orderly services of the synagogue. He offered up the public prayers, and exhorted, when there was no one else to perform these services. It was not considered any part of his duty to read the Scriptures appointed for the day; but the members of his synagogue being generally well known to him, he called out, for this purpose, such as he knew to be qualified for the task, or such as, by some sign or movement, expressed their desire or willingness to read. No one could, however, in any case, discharge this office until the ruler of the synagogue had signified his consent. As Jesus was a member of this synagogue, we must suppose either that he was called upon or presented himself to read, as He had no doubt often done before in the same place. We suppose the former to have been the case, as it was usual to lay this honor upon one who had been any considerable time absent, as it served to reintroduce him to the congregation with which he had been wont to worship. The readings for the day were divided into seven sections, each of which was read by a different person, so that there were seven readers to be provided. The proper, but not indispensable arrangement, was considered to be, that the first section should be read by a priest, the second by a Levite, and the other five by any competent Israelites, but preferably by members of the synagogue; and there was generally much readiness to hear those, whether strangers or members, who set up for religious teachers, or leaders of sects, in order that the people might have an opportunity of estimating their claims and judging their pretensions.
Thus we see that, on various grounds, it was perfectly natural that Jesus should stand up to read in the synagogue of Nazareth; and it will also be seen that the passage He read, strikingly appropriate as it was, was not chosen by himself, but was that portion of the Scripture-reading of the day, which in due course fell to him.
It was the custom to read the Scripture standing; it was improper even to lean. The only exception was, when the readings were from the book of Esther, when the reader was at liberty to sit if he thought proper. Hence it was that our Savior “stood up to read.”
There was then delivered to him by the Chazan, or “minister,” or servant of the synagogue—who had charge of the sacred books, and whose function, among others, it was to take them from the chest, hand them to the reader, and receive them back again—the roll containing the book of Isaiah, in which the prophetical reading for the day was to be found. The passage which it devolved on Him to read was short, being merely one long verse of Isaiah, Note: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound”—Isa_61:1. in which the prophet sets forth the offices of the Messiah. Having read it, Jesus sat down, instead of returning to the spot He had left; and this was a sign that He intended to make some remarks on what He had read, for it was the custom of those who exhorted to sit down; and when Jesus did so, the eyes of every one there were fixed eagerly upon Him to hear what He would say. He began by telling them that the Scripture He had read, was that day fulfilled; and we may gather from this, that He proceeded to declare that the long-predicted year of the prophetic jubilee was come, and that He claimed to be the one sent to open the blind eyes, and to offer liberty to the captives of sin and Satan. His words made an impression; but it was only upon the surface, for the audience were unconscious of their spiritual bondage, and felt no longings for deliverance.
Their astonishment that one, whom they had known from childhood, should speak with so much authority and power, soon gave way to doubts; and the congregation, who, as is still the bad custom of the Jews, indulged in strange conversational freedom at their religious meetings, began to nod to one another and say, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary the brother of James, and Judas, and Simon? Are not his sisters also here with us?” Questions which virtually ask, how it was possible that such a man could speak in this tone, and do those deeds which rumor ascribed to Him. Incapable of appreciating, as the Samaritans had done, the value of the heavenly gifts which Jesus offered, they required (whether avowedly or not) that He should execute such miracles as He was reported to have done in other places, before they could recognize his claims.
Now, one of the fundamental principles on which Christ acted, forbade Him to accept any challenge of this sort, which He received more than once. He would do nothing for those who insisted on seeing in order to believe; but He could do much for them—He could let them see convincing sights, who did not make seeing the condition of their belief. Jesus knew very well all that they thought, and all they whispered to each other; and, accurately measuring their state of feeling, He was well aware that, while they remained in that state, nothing he could do would convincingly satisfy them. He therefore spoke to their thoughts and murmurs, defining the real nature of their demand, and refusing to comply with it. He showed, by various examples, that the grace of God acted freely, and gave it to be understood that miracles were not to be extorted from Him, to satisfy unreasonable demands, or to meet ungrounded misbelief.
On thus learning that their curiosity after miracles was not to be satisfied, and that no special favors were to be bestowed upon them, the congregation became exasperated to madness; and they rushed out of the synagogue, hurrying Jesus along with them, intending to thrust Him over one of the high cliffs of the hill, on which the city stood. But his hour was not yet come, and by the way He escaped from their hands—whether by miracle or by the exercise of natural providence, aided by the presence of his disciples, is not recorded.
Thus our Lord verified his own proverb; which He had used before with reference to Galilee in general, and which He had cited in the synagogue with reference to Nazareth in particular—“A prophet hath no honor (or is not accepted) in his own country,” and, as he added on another occasion, “among his own kindred” and acquaintances. This is indeed, as stated, a matter of general experience—as wide as life; and parallel expressions have been abundantly cited from pagan writers, and may be found among the choice sayings of every country. In all ages, distinguished men have been least esteemed by those who have been witnesses of their entire history, in which the human has been necessarily more conspicuously visible than the mental or the spiritual. Jesus also, in regard to his human nature, had developed himself according to the general laws of man’s life; and it thus became difficult for his townsmen to recognize his Divine highness in his human lowness.