He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read 17 and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: 18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” 20 Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 21 He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” 23 He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” 24 And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. 25 Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. 26 It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. 29 They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
Jesus returned to Nazareth, the town where he had grown up, and on the Sabbath, he went to the synagogue, as was his custom (v. 16). Synagogues were local centers of Jewish life, where people gathered for prayer, reading of Scripture, and teaching of the Law. Standing to read, Jesus was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah (v. 17). In this moment, he prepared to reveal something extraordinary: the purpose of his life and ministry.
Unlike synagogues, the Temple in Jerusalem was the central place of Jewish worship, built to offer sacrifices to God and to serve as the dwelling place of His presence among Israel. Established by King Solomon around the 10th century BCE and rebuilt after the Babylonian exile (c. 516 BCE), the Temple focused on sacrifice, while synagogues focused on learning, prayer, and spiritual formation. Synagogues became especially important during the exile, when many Jews were far from Jerusalem but still wanted to maintain worship and study of God’s Word. The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD and was never rebuilt, so today, synagogues remain the primary place of Jewish worship.
Jesus unrolled the scroll and read words that described the work of the Messiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (vv. 18-19). These words spoke of God’s plan to bring healing, freedom, and hope to those in need. To be “anointed” means to be chosen and empowered by God for a special mission. Jesus was showing that this mission would bring justice, mercy, and restoration.
After reading, he rolled up the scroll, handed it back, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue looked at him intently (v.20). Then he made a bold statement: “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing” (v.21). Jesus declared that what Isaiah had written was now coming true through him. He was not just talking about future events; he was saying that God’s work of salvation had begun in Him.
At first, the people were amazed at his words and praised him (v. 22). They recognized him as Joseph’s son and wondered how someone they knew could speak with such authority. Yet soon, their amazement turned to doubt and even anger. Jesus anticipated their skepticism: he reminded them of a well-known traditional saying within Jewish culture, “No prophet is accepted in his own native place” (vv. 23-24). People often resist the truth when it comes from someone familiar because it challenges their assumptions and comfort.
Jesus then gave two examples from Israel’s history to illustrate God’s wider plan. During the time of Elijah, God sent the prophet to a widow in Zarephath, in Sidon—not to the many widows in Israel (vv.25-26). During Elisha’s time, Naaman the Syrian, a foreigner, was the one healed of leprosy, while no Israelite lepers received the miracle (v.27). For Jesus’ audience, these examples would have been shocking: they expected God’s favor to remain exclusively with Israel, so showing mercy to Gentiles would have seemed like an insult. Jesus was showing that God’s work often surprises us, reaching beyond the boundaries we expect. His mission was not only for Israel but for all who are open to God’s grace.
Hearing this, the people in the synagogue were filled with fury (v.28). They tried to drive Jesus out and even intended to kill him (vv. 29-30). Yet he passed through the crowd unharmed, continuing on the path God chose for him. This moment reminds us that following God’s plan can meet resistance, even from those closest to us, but God’s purpose cannot be stopped.
In this passage, Jesus invites each of us to see his mission clearly: he comes to heal, free, and restore. He challenges our expectations, asks us to trust in God’s plan, and calls us to open our hearts to a love that surpasses borders and prejudices.
Lord Jesus, help us to recognize your presence and your work in our lives. Give us eyes to see, hearts to believe, and courage to follow your mission, even when it challenges our comfort or understanding. Amen.
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Sources and References:
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011).
- A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, ed. Orchard et al. (1953).
- The Paulist Biblical Commentary, ed. Chiu et al. (2018).
- The Navarre Bible: Luke, Faculty of the University of Navarre (2008).
- St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Luke (c. 347-407).
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