The Authority

Hello everyone. 

Let's continue to look at Luke 4. In verses 31 tp 37, Jesus has been rejected in Nazareth, and moves on to Capernaum, where he teaches in the synagogue on the Sabbath, just as he always does. The people are astonished by his teaching, because his message carried such authority.Ἐξουσίᾳ (exousia) is the words used to describe Jesus words.  He came to them with an authority that amazed and astonished them. 

Does this mean the normal synagogue teacher and leaders did not speak with authority? I doubt it. People in positions of authority usually speak with some kind of authority even when they are wrong.  I suspect that Jesus had such a commanding presence about him that his authority was even greater than what the people usually saw, and the differences between Jesus and the scribes of the synagogues were vast.  

In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by an evil spirit. The Greek text says - Πνεῦμα δαιμονίου ἀκαθάρτου (pneuma diamoniou akathartou)  A literal translation would be ‘a spirit of an unclean demon.’ Which seems somewhat redundant.  The man was possessed by a spirit, that was a demon, who was unclean. Maybe this was a particularly bad spirit. In my own translation, I simply went with ‘evil spirit.’

The demon began screaming out to Jesus.  ‘What do you want from us? Have you come to destroy us?’ I assume that the demon had control of the man and was using the man’s voice to call out.  

The demon identified Jesus.  He gave his testimony.  We have had several testimonies about Jesus.  Gabriel, Simeon, John the Baptist, even God himself.  Here is another testimony about who Jesus is.  This time the testimony is rejected.  Jesus tells the demon Φιμώθητι (Phimowthati)- This is a 2nd person singular passive imperative of the Greek verb φιμοω (phimo-ow). BDAG offers two definitions for this word.  1. To muzzle. 2. To be silent. Is it possiblethat  Jesus commanded this demon to ‘muzzle it?’ In my own translation, I used the phrase ‘stop talking.’ 

The demon is obedient to Jesus. However, he does throw the man down. In Mark’s version of this story, he shakes the man violently as well. Luke records, though, that he does obey and leaves the man unharmed. 

The crowd is amazed by what they just witnessed. They ask amongst themselves “Τίς ὁ λόγος οὗτος” (Tis ho logos outos) Logos can be translated as ‘word’ or ;matter.”In the context ‘matter’ makes more sense.  “What matter is this?”   I have translated it more akin to the idea that they were communicating, “How is this possible?’ They were asking how it was possible that Jesus had the power and the authority to do this. His Ἐξουσίᾳ (exousia) or authority has come up again in this passage.  Jesus has spoken with authority and now he has used that authority to cast out a demon.

Jesus has recently triumphed over the best that Satan could throw at him in the wilderness.  Remember that Satan had offered him authority.  But here, one of Satan’s minions has no choice but to obey Jesus. Jesus had all the authority, and Satan could only offer only hollow promises. 

This is an amazing story and must have blown the eyewitnesses away, so verse 37 records the news of Jesus' power and authority spread rapidly.  (I wonder if any of this news got back to Nazareth.) 

Jesus tells us in Matthew 28 that he has been given all authority.  In Luke 4, we have seen him use that authority to teach and to help others. And we submit to one who has all authority. 

Tom 

Proclaim the Year of the Lord's Favor, Part 2

Hello everyone.  I will continue to look at Jesus visit to his hometown as recorded in Luke 4.  In the previous post we saw how Jesus quoted from Isaiah 61, and how he edited the passage to talk about the year of the Lord's favor, but stopped before declaring the day of God's vengeance.  Jesus' message was a message of mercy, rather than a message of punishment.  Today, we will look that the response of his audience. 

In verse 22 it indicates that they were initially amazed by his words.  Ἐθαύμαζον (ethaumazov) means ‘they marveled.’  Jesus had amazed them, but this story goes south in a hurry.  Then they ask, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”  What was the purpose of this question?  They had just marveled at the graciousness of his words.  Are they proud of their hometown boy?  Or are they wondering out loud how someone of such simple origins could make such bold claims? (Claiming to be the fulfillment of Isaiah 61.)  

It also appears that the crowd was looking for some kind of sign that what Jesus was saying was true, that he was indeed ushering some new age.  He might be addressing this thought when he says, “Undoubtedly, you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ We have heard about what you have done in Capernaum. Do it here, in your hometown too.” (verse23, my own translation.) Jesus has apparently already performed some miracles in Capernaum and his hometown crowd wants to see some signs too.  His work in Capernaum has not gone unnoticed by his hometown crowd. Is there a bit of jealousy present that Capernaum has been allowed to see things from Jesus that they have not? 

Ultimately, Capernaum, not Nazareth, becomes the center of Jesus’ early ministry.  The lack of faith exhibited in Nazareth makes it the wrong place for Jesus to have his ministry. Jesus remarks that no prophet is accepted in his hometown.  The Old Testament shows this to be true.  The prophets of old and their messages were similarly rejected. 

Jesus is establishing himself as a prophet here in his hometown and in his rebuke he now makes reference to two Old Testament prophets, Elijah and Elisha.  He makes some comparisons that the people of Nazareth do not like. Jesus seems to go out of the way here to mention stories of Gentiles who reap the benefit of God’s mmiracles, when the Jews did not.  He uses two of the great Old Testament prophets to share these stories.  

First Elijah and widow from Zarephath.  Jesus points out that there were a lot of widows in Israel, but God sends Elijah to this Gentile widow and she receives the help and blessing of the Lord when the Israelite widows do not. 1 Kings 17. Then, in 2 Kings 5, Naaman the Syrian is healed of leprosy by Elisha.  Jesus points out that there were Israelites with leprosy, but only Naaman was healed. Naaman was not only a Gentile, but a leper, making him doubly unclean to a healthy Israelite. And the absence of God working in Israel is emphasized.

This stokes the crowd into flames.  They become so angry, it's like their heads explode.  They want to kill Jesus now, and make an attempt to do so. I have thoughts about this episode, and their anger. Why so angry? First, did Jesus say anything that was incorrect?  No, he did not. Second, did Jesus say anything that isn’t obvious from a thorough reading of the Scriptures? No, he did not. 

So what Jesus said was true, and obvious from the Scriptures, why were they so angry?  Perhaps, because they knew what they believed and were not interested in some uncomfortable truth.  If Kenneth Bailey is correct about their Jewish nationalism, then these truths went against everything they believed, and their whole Jewish nationalististic mindset. (Bailey, 152.) According to Darell Bock, Jesus’ implication was clear enough to the crowd. Outsiders (Gentiles, lepers) might end up being blessed, while insiders are left out. (Bock, 419).

The crowd is riled up and makes an attempt to take Jesus to the edge of a cliff and throw him off. In the end Jesus walks through the crowd unharmed.  It is not clear whether this was a miraculous escape or not.  Either way, Jesus leaves Nazareth and goes on his way then to Capernaum. Bock points out that the people are unable to bring death to Jesus.  That he does willingly, choosing to offer himself up on our behalf. (Bock, 420)

We are given a choice here.  The Spirit of the Lord is upon him, will we accept Jesus' offer?   Will we receive the good news? Will we allow Jesus to set us free?  Restore our sight?  Will we accept the year of the Lord’s favor?  Or will we reject him?  Jesus was either who he said he was, the fulfillment of Isa. 61, the Anointed One, or he was an imposter.  The crowd in his hometown did not like his message, so they chose to regard him as an imposter. 

            Darrell Bock, Luke, Volume 1 - 1:1-9:50, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1994. 

               Kenneth Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, Downers Grove, Illinois, IVP, 2008. 

Proclaim the Year of the Lord's Favor

Hello everyone.

In my last post, I mentioned that I am now teaching an extra class, and that has kept me pretty busy.  Also, my son get engaged last weekend, and that has kept me busy as well.  But as of yesterday, I am on spring break, so I hope to get my writing caught up with my study this week.  We have completed a look at Jesus in the wilderness, and now the narrative of Luke follows Jesus to his hometown of Nazareth.  Luke 4:14-30 tells of his visit to the synagogue there. 

Having been led by the Spirit into the wilderness, now, according to Luke, Jesus returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.  News about Jesus, who is able to perform miraculous signs and wonders, spreads rapidly, and soon the whole region is talking about him.  

We know that Jesus had a three pronged ministry of preaching, teaching and healing.  At this point, Jesus’ ministry appears to be focused on teaching.  He is going to different synagogues in Galilee and teaching people.  He appears to be very popular, and everyone is praising him. For the word used here δοξαζόμενος (doxazomenos) praise may not be strong enough, the word actually means ‘glorified.’  People were really excited about Jesus’ teaching. 

Now, in his hometown, Jesus does what he had been doing everywhere else he has gone, he goes to the synagogue to teach. In fact, Luke says in 4:16 that it was Jesus' custom to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Darrell Bock makes the point that Jesus was a pious Jew, who attended the synagogue regularly, but his piety was different from the piety of the Jewish leadership. (Bock, 402-403)

Most likely, in the synagogue, when a scripture was read, it was read in Hebrew, then translated into the local dialect of Aramaic. Someone would stand, read the Scripture and discuss.  It could be a fixed reading or selected for the occasion.  In Luke 4, Jesus stands, indicating that he will speak on a passage. He is handed the scroll of Isaiash and he finds the passage he wants to discuss. Isaiah 61. We have already seen Jesus led by the Spirit into the wilderness and then leading him into Galilee.  Interestingly the passage he chooses to start his ministry begins, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”  We again see the Spirit's movement and guidance.  

According to Kenneth Bailey, the town of Nazareth was a Jewish enclave within a “Galilee of the Gentiles” (see Matthew 4:15.)  Bailey’s point is that this Jewish community living in a region that is heavily Gentile likely led the community to be heavy on Jewish nationalism. (Bailey, 152.)

Bailey posits that the passage Jesus is going to read and discuss was probably one of their favorites because, while it talks about the Lord’s compassion, it also talks about His vengeance on their enemies.  In Isa. 61:2 prophecies "the year of the Lord’s favor" but also "the day of vengeance of our God.” The idea here is that God is making things right, including a heavy dose of wiping out their enemies and setting them up victoriously. 

Jesus does something interesting here.  He reads from the passage in Isaiah 61, but edits it as he reads.  He shares the parts about proclaiming good news, setting the captive free, but then stops short, and does not share the part about God having His day of vengeance. 

The passage that Jesus reads has five things that He would do. Because the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, and had anointed Him, so that He would:

• Preach the good news to the poor. 
• Proclaim deliverance for the captives.
• Restore sight to the blind.
• Release those living in oppression.
• Declare the year of the Lord’s favor.

His audience liked this passage, because they believed that the year of the Lord's favor would be to their benefit, and that His vengeance would then be carried out on their enemies.  Isaiah 61 continues with talk of the ancient ruins being rebuilt, with strangers and foreigners doing the work, while they reap the benefits and enjoy the wealth of other nations.  So try to imagine Jesus reading one of the congregation's favorite passages, and stopping abruptly just before he gets to the "good stuff," of revenge on their enemies.  They had been happy and agreeing with everything their hometown boy was saying, until suddenly, crickets.  Their reaction to what Jesus is saying will soon take a sharp turn for the worst. 

Jesus offered his crowd these things: Good news, freedom, sight and more freedom. Then offered the Lord's favor.  He did not declare the Lord's vengeance.  I think this was good news for them (although they didn't see it that way.)  It is also good news for us.  Jesus offers us good news, freedom, sight and more freedom.  He would much rather give us the Lord's favor than the Lord's vengeance. The Lord's impulse is toward mercy rather than punishment. Also, good news for us. 

Jesus has read the passage and then sits down to teach them. Everyone present fixes their attention on him. Luke uses the word Ἀτενίζοντες (atenizontes) - Bock states that this word depicts intense focused emotion. (Bock, 412.) So, everyone is staring at Jesus with an intense emotion. 

Then, Jesus then declares to them that the passage that he had just read to them was being fulfilled right now in their presence.  You would think that they would be happy.  They were witnessing history. By the end of the story they were not very happy. Jesus may have been fulfilling the scripture, but he was not doing the way that they believed he was supposed to.  

There is more to this story, that we will examine next time. 

Tom 

    Darrell Bock, Luke, Volume 1 - 1:1-9:50, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1994. 

    Kenneth Bailey, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes, Downers Grove, Illinois, IVP Academic, 2008. 

Journey into Wilderness, Part 4

Hello everyone,

It has been a little while since I wrote part 3.  During the last week something happened at work, and I am now teaching an extra class and a new subject, AP US History, and so I have spent most of my time, prepping for this new subject.  However, I think I am starting to get my legs under me for this new schedule. 

Any way, this post will close out the story of Jesus in the wilderness.  Here we go: Satan’s third temptation, (which is listed second in Matthew), is to take Jesus to the top of the temple in Jerusalem.  According to Darrell Bock, at one place on the Royal Porch, which looms over a cliff, the fall would have been about 450 feet. (Bock, 379)  (While it is not clear exactly where on the temple they were, but certainly if this was the spot, a fall from that spot would kill someone without divine intervention.)  What is Satan trying to do here?  He is trying to get Jesus to prove he is the son of God by throwing himself down from great height.  

Jesus has used Scripture with each of the temptations that the devil has thrown at him so far. Now, Satan uses Scripture to make his case, quoting from Psalm 91. The implication is clear.  If you are God’s son, then you have nothing to worry about.  God will protect you.  If you are not, then you will die.  

Of course, Jesus doesn’t have to prove anything to Satan, and refuses to be party to this. (Ironically, later on, with the Cross, God does not protect Jesus.) Robert Stein says, “The temptation appears to have been to tempt God by putting Him to the test by forcing Him to fulfill His promise of protection. True worship does not seek to dictate to God how he must fulfill His covenantal promises.” (Stein, 148)

Jesus responds from Deuteronomy a third time.  This time Deut. 6:16, ‘Do not put the Lord, your God to the test.” Deuteronomy 6 is making reference to Exodus 17, where the Israelites complained about the lack of water.  Moses responds to their complaint, asking "why do you put the Lord to the test?" (Ex. 17:2) Any way, Jesus is not willing to put God to the test.  We shouldn’t either.  God is not obligated to adhere to our test.  (God did agree to Gideon's test in Judges 6, but how do you know that He has agreed to yours?) 

Bock says this in regard to this temptation.  The devil’s offer is effectively saying, “I do not think you will take care of me as Son, so to be sure I am going to place you in a situation where you must take care of me now and on my terms.” (Bock, 381) Demanding miraculous protection in a situation where it is not needed is neither faith nor loyalty. Jesus passes every test given him.  He trusts his Father for provide and protect him, even it seems like He is not. What is the lesson for us? What God wants is for us to trust Him for our provision and protection, every day.  

This section closes with Luke telling us that the devil had completed his temptation and then leaves Jesus for another time. The devil wasn't finished, but he had thrown some heavy stuff at Jesus, and Jesus had not blinked. 

Tom 

     Darrell Bock, Luke, Volume 1 - 1:1-9:50, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1994. 

     Robert Stein, Luke, Nashville, Tennessee, B&H Publishing Group, 1992.