This text is lodged in the middle of a larger story going on in Luke 4. One of the themes of the story is temptation and the word of God. Prior to our text, in Luke 4: 1-13, Jesus is in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan and defending himself with the word. This use of the word saves him from Satan's attack.Luke 4:14-21
4:14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.
4:15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
4:16 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,
4:17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
4:18 "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,
4:19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
4:20 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.
4:21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Following this week's text we see Jesus among his hometown neighbors. He predicts the temptations they will throw his way (doing miracles in Nazareth like he did in Capernaum, seemingly to impress the crowd). He counters these predicted temptations and the complications of being in his hometown with the word-- scripture quotes showing God's interest in Gentiles. This use of the word upsets his neighbors; they almost kill him.
In this week's text Jesus' activity with the word is more "pious." He's in the synagogue reading from scripture. He makes some comments. Things become fishy when he implies a connection between that text and his identity-- that he may be the anointed one, bringing good new to the poor, etc.
Jesus and the word-- what can we say about this theme? It is a tool of God to fight evil-- both its outright attacks and more subtle corrupting effects. But It becomes a Person, filled with the Spirit and delivering good news-- embodying good news, doing good news.
Anything more we can say about temptation?
That's what I have at this point. . .
3 comments:
I'm preaching on the second lessons this Epiphany, just for a change of pace. Trying to shake the old noggin up a little bit. When I looked at what I had done with the Gospel text in the past I noticed that I used the old Quo Vadis legend of Jesus going back into Rome to be crucified again, and meeting Peter on the road as he was leaving town. The idea being, this "agenda" of Jesus shows what direction he is going - to those who are without sight, poor, etc. etc. I also worked on the idea that the Gospel comes to different people differently i.e. sight to the blind, release to the captive, because the Gospel is not simply for people in general but for people in particular, which is where Jesus is going.
In his reflection on the Quo Vadis legend, of Peter fleeing the city of Rome as it burns, Peter sees the Lord and asks "quo vadis domine?" "Where are you going Lord?" And Jesus answer: "Into Rome to be crucified again." Peter turned and followed him. . .
DJ Hall says
“What informs this legend. . . is a remarkable sense of the world-orientation of this faith. It is not the SUFFERING of [Peter] that is held up here as the goal we should all emulate, but the indelible connectedness of this faith with responsibility in and for the city of earth - civitas terrena - God’s world. The risen Christ, in his eternal reign as in his historical sojourn, is always going toward this world, the world's rejection not withstanding, and discipleship, when it is authentically so, is always a matter of being taken up into this world-directedness, despite one’s own preference for security and peace.” pg 54
World directedness of discipleship might well be a most interesting way to go with this text.
I guess I could be more specific in my reference than just pg 54. . .
Or, is it just good enough that you know that this quote is from page 54 of some book?
For those of you demanding a greater level of accuracy
The Cross in Our Context
Jesus and the Suffering World
Douglas John Hall
Augsburg Fortress 2003
a great book I might add
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