Meditations

Meditations

”He came to His [childhood] hometown, His disciples with Him, and He began to teach in the synagogue… and as they listened, the people said… ‘Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t His sisters here with us?’ So they were offended by Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet has little honor in His hometown.’ And He was amazed at their unbelief.” (Mark 6:1-6)

Luke gives us a more detailed account of this sermon to the Nazareth congregation. (Luke 4:16-30) “Luke wrote that after reading from the scroll of Isaiah prophesying about the coming Messiah, Jesus sat down and announced that ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ (vs.21) He then went on to teach them that God’s salvation was not just for the Jews but for the Gentiles as well, and it was this final lesson that enraged the crowd. (Luke 4:29) We don’t know for certain whether this was the same sermon that Mark is writing about, but if Mark’s version is in fact a later event, his point remains that there are two ways to amaze our Lord: either with our unbelief or by our belief. (Luke 7:9) And if indeed Mark is describing a second visit to Nazareth, it would seem that the town’s spiritual condition has degenerated from anger to a state of indifference. And that is even more amazing!” (Warren Wiersbe)

“The people of Nazareth were ‘offended at Him,’ which literally means ‘they stumbled over Him.’ Pretty close to what Simeon had predicted at His presentation in the temple: ‘Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel.’ (Luke 2:34) Or 750 years earlier by Isaiah: ‘He will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel… and many shall stumble upon it.’ (Isa 8:14-15) God takes unbelief seriously and so should we. Truly, the blindness of an unbeliever is as sad as a songless bird in a cage.” (Wiersbe, NT Commentary) But for those who can see and hear, how can we keep from singing? (Psalm 33:1-5 and 40:1-5)

David

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