Luke 4:14-21 ~ 24 January 2010

Luke 4:14-21

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’

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The events in this week’s reading occur just after Jesus’ temptation by the devil in the wilderness. Now filled with the power of the Spirit he returns to his hometown. In the synagogue, he reads from Isaiah 61:1-2. In context, Isaiah is prophesizing about a time when Jerusalem will be restored to its former glory and justice will prevail. These two verses become a proof text for the messiah. When John the Baptist asks from his jail cell:

"Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied to them: "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (Luke 7:20-22).

Jesus is claiming that he is the messiah some Jews were expecting. Indeed, he even raises the dead, not strictly speaking a requirement for the messiah.

Notice that “release of the captives” is one of the requirements. Who might these captives be in 1st century Judah? Who is holding them captive and why? Who are the oppressed? What or who do they need to be freed from? Who are the blind? If you have been literal in thinking about these questions, try them again with a metaphorical slant.