Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth
"Today this Scripture is fulfilled"
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- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
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The whole story, in shortWhat happens, start to finish. Open it if you want the ending first.
In the synagogue in Nazareth, his hometown, Jesus read from Isaiah: the Spirit of the Lord is on him to bring good news to the poor, freedom for captives, and sight for the blind. He said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." When he reminded them that God's kindness had gone to outsiders in the days of Elijah and Elisha, the crowd tried to throw him off a cliff, but Jesus walked through them and went on his way.
Where it is in the Bible: Luke 4:14-30
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Jesus: The one the Gospels present as the promised Messiah and the Son of God. He has come back to the town where he grew up.
- The people of Nazareth: Jesus's neighbors. They have known him since he was a boy.
Setting
- The synagogue in Nazareth, a small village in the hills of Galilee. Then the edge of a hill outside town.
When
- A Sabbath day, about 2,000 years ago, early in Jesus's work.
Before the Story
Jesus had just been baptized and tempted in the wilderness. The Holy Spirit came down on him at his baptism (3:22). Then the Spirit led him into the wilderness (4:1).
News about Jesus was spreading. He taught in synagogues all over Galilee, and people praised him (4:14-15).
Long ago, Isaiah wrote about someone God would send. God's Spirit would be on him, and he would bring good news to the poor (Isaiah 61:1).
Here's what you know that the people of Nazareth don't: At Jesus's baptism, the voice from heaven said, "You are My beloved Son" (3:22). To his neighbors, he is just Joseph's son.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Home again | 4:14-16 | Jesus comes back to Nazareth |
| 2. The scroll of Isaiah | 4:17-20 | Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah |
| 3. "Today" | 4:21-22 | Jesus says the words are coming true |
| 4. Elijah and Elisha | 4:23-27 | Jesus reminds them of two old stories |
| 5. The edge of the hill | 4:28-30 | The crowd turns against him |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 5Home Again
Jesus went back to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit. News about him spread everywhere.
He taught in the synagogues, and everyone praised him. A synagogue is a place where people met to pray and hear God's word.
Then he came to Nazareth, the town where he grew up.
On the Sabbath, he went to the synagogue, as he always did. He stood up to read.
Scene 2 of 5The Scroll of Isaiah
Someone handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. A scroll is a long roll of paper or leather with writing on it.
Jesus unrolled it and found the place he wanted. He read:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor" (4:18). To anoint means to set someone apart for a special job.
"He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed" (4:18). Captives are prisoners. The oppressed are people who are crushed and treated unfairly.
"To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (4:19).
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. Teachers sat down to teach.
Everyone in the synagogue was staring at him.
Scene 3 of 5"Today"
Jesus began. "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (4:21).
Fulfilled means coming true. Jesus was saying that he is the one Isaiah wrote about.
Everyone spoke well of him. They were amazed at his gracious words.
But they asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" (4:22). They knew him as the boy who grew up down the street.
Scene 4 of 5Elijah and Elisha
Jesus knew what they were thinking. They wanted him to do miracles in his hometown, like the ones they had heard he did in Capernaum.
"Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown" (4:24).
Then he reminded them of two stories from the Scriptures.
In Elijah's time, there was a famine, and many widows in Israel were hungry. But God sent Elijah to a widow in Sidon, outside Israel.
In Elisha's time, there were many people with leprosy in Israel. But the only one healed was Naaman, a man from Syria.
God's kindness had gone to outsiders.
Scene 5 of 5The Edge of the Hill
When the people heard this, they were furious.
They got up and forced Jesus out of town. They took him to the edge of the hill the town was built on. They wanted to throw him off the cliff.
"But Jesus passed through the crowd and went on His way" (4:30).
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me" (4:18) | Jesus is the one God anointed with his Spirit. |
| "Good news to the poor" (4:18) | Jesus came for people who have nothing to offer, the poor, prisoners, the blind, the crushed. |
| "The year of the Lord's favor" (4:19) | A time of God's grace and freedom. |
| "Today this Scripture is fulfilled" (4:21) | God's promise was coming true right in front of them, in Jesus. |
| "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" (4:22) | They couldn't believe someone so ordinary was the one God sent. |
| "No prophet is accepted in his hometown" (4:24) | People often reject someone they think they already know. |
| "Jesus passed through the crowd" (4:30) | It was not yet time for Jesus to die. He went on his way. |
Back Then
Nazareth was small. It was a small village in the hills of Galilee. The Old Testament never mentions it.
Visitors could read in the synagogue. Men could be invited to read from the Scriptures and teach (Easton's Bible Dictionary).
"The year of the Lord's favor" may point to the Year of Jubilee. Every fiftieth year, God's law said, debts were canceled and land was returned (Leviticus 25:10).
Literal Reader Alert
Why did they get so angry? Jesus said God's kindness had gone to outsiders, like a widow from Sidon and a man from Syria. The people of Nazareth wanted Jesus's miracles for themselves.
How did Jesus get away? Luke doesn't explain. He only says Jesus passed through the crowd. It was not yet the time for Jesus to die. That time would come later, in Jerusalem.
Does "good news to the poor" mean only poor people? Jesus brought good news to people who were poor in money. He also came for everyone who knows they need God. Rich and poor alike can be poor in that way.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The people | Amazed | Jesus spoke gracious words (4:22) |
| The people | Doubtful | "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" (4:22) |
| The people | Furious | Jesus said God's kindness went to outsiders (4:28) |
| Jesus | Calm | He passed through the crowd and went on his way (4:30) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Which part of Jesus's reading speaks to you? Tap one.
Good news to the poor
Jesus came for people who have nothing to offer. That includes you.
Freedom for prisoners
Jesus sets people free from what holds them, including sin and shame.
Sight for the blind
Jesus opens eyes, so people can see God's love.
I feel like an outsider
In Jesus's examples, God's kindness went to outsiders. He has not forgotten you.
You Might Have Heard
"God is mainly for people who are already part of the church."
What's true: God gathers his people together in the church.
What the story is mainly about: Jesus said God's kindness has always reached outsiders. He came to bring good news to the poor, the captive, and the blind. No one is too far outside for him.
Where Jesus is: In his hometown synagogue, announcing good news. And walking on through an angry crowd, on his way to bring that good news to others.
Good News
Jesus stood up in his hometown and read God's promise.
"Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (4:21).
Good news for the poor. Freedom for captives. Sight for the blind. The year of the Lord's favor. It came true in Jesus, and it is still true today.
Jesus is the one God sent with good news for the poor, freedom for captives, and sight for the blind. Today is the day of God's favor.
Big Idea
Jesus announced good news to the poor, freedom for captives, and sight for the blind. God's favor came true in him, for insiders and outsiders alike.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
Luther taught that the gospel is good news preached to people who know they are poor before God. People who think they have plenty of their own goodness don't want it. People who know their need receive it with joy.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. In Year C, it reads Luke 4:14-21 on the Third Sunday after the Epiphany and Luke 4:21-30 on the Fourth. Mark tells a shorter version (Mark 6:1-6), read in Year B (Lectionary 14).
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.
How did that feel?
You finished Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth.
Using this at church
Read in church on
- Third Sunday after the Epiphany Year CGospel, Luke 4:14–21
- Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Year CGospel, Luke 4:21–30
For a newsletter or sermon notes
Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth, explained in plain words. Jesus reads Isaiah in his hometown synagogue. Then the crowd turns on him. About 9 minutes. https://freescripture.org/stories/jesus-is-rejected-at-nazareth/
Lines for the next eight Sundays, on Digital Lutheran Church