That Offends Me!

Luke 4
21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Last week, we touched on the theme of temptation and Luke 4.
This week, we have the second half of the story of Jesus sermon in his hometown.
It seems a story of Jesus provoking people, and the people overreacting to what they do not want to hear.
It might make sense to write him off, to no longer let him read at worship. No longer attend his rallies, quit going to his class. But take him bungee jumping with no bungee? Folks are a bit on edge.
And yet, when a people are oppressed, attacked, made to feel vulnerable and in danger. . .
I think of the reaction, post 9/11, to anyone who said something like “you know, it is terrible what those terrorists did, but maybe we should ask why they hate us so, and wonder if there is anything we should do to change in our own selves.”
Don’t go there!
I’m not sure what to do with Jesus who is so offensive. It is my sense, that a Lutheran hermeneutic leads us to explore how Jesus offends me and all who hear him. (not just Lutheran of course. . . )
It seems, in looking at a few commentators, that the temptation is to put ourselves in Jesus’ place here.
“See, a prophet is not without honor, no wonder the people in my congregation will not see everything my way. No wonder they don’t - become liberal democrats - read the cross the way I do - embrace my vision / leadership / righteousness.”
What offense does Jesus bring to the table here, an offense with which it might be good for me to be offended?