He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled” (Luke 4:21).
Nazareth’s name held a promise
Nazareth was a small village during the time of Jesus, with a population most likely of no more than three to four hundred people. The word “Nazareth’’ comes from the Hebrew word netzer, which is the word for a shoot of an olive tree.
These shoots are easy to spot. They grow on the roots of olive trees, and I’m told you can cut one off, plant it, and a tree will grow. The word netzer came to be associated with the coming Messiah because Isaiah 11:1-2 declares that “…a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse…”.
The Messiah would come like a shoot from the linage of King David. The people who founded the city were so hopeful for the coming of the Messiah that they named their city after him. This was “Netzer-town” or “shoot-town,” the city named after the Messiah! Some prophets had even foretold that the Messiah would come from Nazareth (Matthew 2:23). This was a village longing and looking for the Messiah.
Jesus returns home with a bold message
After the healing miracle in Cana, Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth. On the Sabbath, in the synagogue, he was asked to read a portion of Scripture. He opened the scroll to Isaiah 61, which describes the work of the Messiah. He began to read, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18).
A moment of awe, a heart of unbelief
Every eye was fixed on him. You could probably hear a pin drop. He finished the passage and sat down to teach, saying, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled” (Luke 4:21). I’m sure the people were not completely clear as to what he was saying, although they marveled at his words.
From amazement to offense
Anyone who ever heard Jesus teach was captivated by him, even when he was a young boy in the temple (Luke 2:47). When he taught in the synagogues, they were astounded at his teaching (Luke 4:32; Matthew 7:28-29). Even in his hometown, they were “…amazed by the gracious words that came from his mouth” (Luke 4:22).
But others were not impressed. They began to grumble, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22). In essence, they were saying, “He can’t be the Messiah, he’s from around here. We know him. We know his family.”
A warning that cut to the heart
Jesus could see unbelief raising up its ugly head, right in the synagogue where he had grown up learning the Scriptures. And seeing this, Jesus responded firmly.
He said, “Some of you will say, ‘do what you did in Capernaum right here in your hometown.’” After all, if the Messiah was going to reveal himself, he would do it in the town that bore his name! Jesus went on to give two illustrations of how God worked miraculously in the lives of gentiles who trusted him by faith, and not among Jewish people who had no faith.
Unbelief has consequences
In effect, Jesus was saying, “If you harbor unbelief, you will be passed over and gentiles will receive your Messiah!” His words were like a punch in the gut, and they responded with hostility. Enraged, they seized him, dragging him outside of town to throw him over a precipice and kill him.
However, it was not Jesus’ time to die, and he escaped the angry crowd. One movie on the life of Jesus depicts him looking at the people he grew up with, people he had known from childhood, and saying with authority, “We are not doing this today.”
A tragic contrast between faith and pride
The unbelief in Nazareth stands in stark contrast to the faith of the nobleman in Cana. One was prideful, and the other was humble. One was selfreliant, and the other was desperate. One rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and the other acknowledged him as the Messiah. One refused Jesus’ words, while the other trusted his words. One wanted to kill him, while the other worshiped him. What a contrast!
Nazareth then and now
Today, Nazareth is a bustling city of over 77,000 people. It is known as the “Arab capital of Israel” and is 70% Muslim. Only a few Christians remain there, and they face persecution. Nazareth still rejects Jesus. It’s tragic because they were too close to see Jesus for who he was, and now they’re too far away.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our books, His Way Still Works.
