Last week we talked about what’s in a wall. Reading from Luke’s gospel, Jesus defined his purpose using the words of Isaiah to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives and sight to the blind. Teaching in the synagogue, Jesus outlines his messiahship by reinterpreting and personifying the words of this prophet. With the Spirit of the Lord upon Jesus, something clicked. The crowd realizes something unusual just happened. All eyes are on him and he declares, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Two things to note before I continue, well rewind then continue. First a rabbi stands to read scripture and then sits down to teach. Second carefully listen for how the crowd responds to Jesus. Listen for God’s word to you as this teaching moment continues.
When I say, “Prophet in his hometown” what comes to mind? A prophet is questioned, not wanted, rejected, has no honor. Both Matthew and Mark write, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house (Mt. 13:57, Mk 6:4). This idea that a prophet is not appreciated, even hated in his own town is well established. But did you hear that in Luke? No. Initially they spoke well of him and wondered at his gracious words. They asked about him being Joseph’s son. A natural response. But when we hold these two passages as one scene in the synagogue and we know that Rabbi’s sit to give their teaching, Jesus is explaining, expounding on the Isaiah passage.
One of my favorite theologians, Fred Craddock, wrote, “Luke places the Nazareth visit first because it is first not chronologically but programmatically… This event announces who Jesus is, of what his ministry consists, (and) what his church will be and do…(Feasting on the Word, C1, p.285). So, when Jesus expounds on Isaiah with these three quotes you have to wonder why? Why does he say “Doctor cure yourself,” or say for the crowd, he should be healing like he did in Capernaum. And finally, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.” Jesus said all of this, not the crowd. And this crowd likes Jesus. In contrast, the crowd in Matthew and Mark make these hurtful statements.
First, I want to talk about the fact that both Jesus and Jeremiah are at the very beginning of their calling. Jesus has been baptized and struggled with the devil in the wilderness temptation, but he has not yet called his disciples, and this is his first-time teaching in the synagogue. Jeremiah shares God calling him to be a prophet; how God knew him in the womb and consecrated him. God’s foreknowledge and plan is very comforting and empowering, but Jeremiah still has his doubts. He does not know how to speak, and protests he is only a boy. Can we relate to that? When we set out on a big task, a calling, so often we doubt ourselves to get it done. Starting a new business, taking a new job, embarking on a new challenge. I know I made a deal with God when I felt called to the ministry. God needed to open all the doors because I was afraid, and I needed reassurance. I doubted my calling. Doubts can arise and God’s assurance holds true, “I will be with you… “I will be with you to deliver you!”
Jeremiah never expressed his fear, but God knew and responded with compassion. God addressed Jeremiah’s fears and gave him the words to speak, placing the words in his mouth. God gave Jesus the words to speak when he stood up to declare himself the messiah. Scripture does not say if Jesus was afraid, probably because Jesus had the Spirit of the Lord upon him. That is how God responds to fear, by sending the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to be with us in our challenge, in our calling.
I am so glad Jesus has the Holy Spirit with him, because he is calling out the powers that be, he is almost begging for a fight. In his hometown, in the synagogue, having declared himself the anointed one saying, “Today the scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Then he gives two examples from Elijah and Elisha where outsiders are used to proclaim God’s power. Non-Jewish marginalized outsiders. You remember the story the widow gives all that she has, her last morsel of bread before she was to die. God blesses her; her bread meal and oil do not run out because God blessed her faithfulness. Naaman does as Elisha commands and washes in the river Jordan seven times and is cured! Why does Jesus choose these two stories? These prophets are not sent to faithful Jews to demonstrate God’s presence. No, a lowly, non-believing widow and a foreigner, a Syrian, with leprosy receive these prophets, see God’s power and compassion, and become believers.
The best analogy I can make is with the Academy Awards. I know I am supposed to have a Super Bowl analogy today. I’m sorry. The Motion Picture Academy is a closed group of powerful people who make movies and have a great deal of power in doing so. Power that has been abused as we have all seen with the Me Too movement. The Academy is also a wonderful, creative force in our culture with a power to persuade much like a religion. So just imagine at the awards ceremony, after a colorful red-carpet event, a young new actor stands up and declares herself to be Cecil B DeMille! (The father of the motion picture industry.) Then she goes on to choose two examples from the long illustrious history of the Motion Picture Academy Awards. She does not choose Gone with the Wind, or Titanic. Not even one of the three films that won all five of the top awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay). The three films that captured all five of those Oscars are It Happened One Night (1934) One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) The Silence of the Lambs (1991). No, the two Oscar winners this young up-start highlights are Kathryn Bigelow for best director of The Hurt Locker (2010) and Sidney Poitier for best actor in Lilies of the Fields (1964). She is the first woman to win Best Director and he is the first African American to win Best Actor. How do you think that would play with this room full of directors, producers and actors? They might be angry that these two relative outsiders are the ones recognized compared to all the other people, themselves included, who have accumulated so many awards. So, it was with the people in the synagogue.
“All in the synagogue were filled with rage.” They saw their world changing, they were afraid they would not be the vessels for the unfolding of God’s new narrative. The narrative Jesus so clearly lays out. They were afraid, enraged and wanted to kill Jesus.
They have power and adamantly do not want change.
Hearing Jesus words created fear which led to rage. Not the best part of ourselves, but a true part of humanity.
Yes, a prophet is not welcomed in his hometown. But Jesus is not welcomed because he is changing the status quo. The powerful will not remain in power, God is a God for Jews and Gentiles! Today in your hearing, proclaim release to the captives and let the oppressed go free!
We are starting to see a shift like this in the Motion Picture Academy. Where the white male story tellers are not the only voices being heard. The very fact that Crazy Rich Asians, Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody are in the mix says so much. And that we had our first African American Best Picture few years back for Moonlight. The very fact that the movie was not initially announced as the winner speaks volumes to this struggle.
Changing a culture riles emotions, changing a religion can do the same. But Jesus came to make that change, to end power dominated structures and to lift-up the outsiders so that we can all be bathed in God’s love and light.
We are all broken and in need of freedom. Jesus has come to set us free. May we join in the struggle to make the God’s love a reality. A love that started with the Jews, but it has always reached well beyond to people like the widow and Naaman and us!
Today in your hearing, proclaim release to the captives and let the oppressed go free! Amen.
