5 – Jesus’ Ministry Begins

“Preaching, Power and Controversy,” is the title Sharon Hinge gives to the next section of the gospel in Luke 4:14-44. It sums up exactly what happened in those early days in Galilee. As was the custom, Jesus was invited to read and interpret the Hebrew scriptures in local synagogues wherever he went. Because he spoke with power, enabled by the Holy Spirit, his preaching was enthusiastically received. Not so in his home town of Nazareth.

As Luke told of it, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, but not whether he was asked to read a particular passage or chose it himself (Isaiah 61:1-2). The passage reflects the ancient tradition of celebrating a year of jubilee as mandated by Leviticus 25. The provisions of that law were quite specific: Every fifty years Israel was to declare a “year of liberty” during which four different types of freedom were to be granted. Land was to be left fallow; debts were to be cancelled; indentured servants were to be set free; and land that had been originally granted to one’s ancestors but lost in the interval due to financial hardship were to be returned to the original owners.

The latter provision had to do with God’s sovereignty. The practice was based on the belief that God owned all the land and only God could redistribute ownership. This economic upheaval was intended to yield a once in a lifetime fresh start throughout the land. Similar practices had also been implemented in neighbouring nations, but with more dubious intent: to erase the effects of a previous regime. In some respects practice was used in mediaeval monarchies in Europe. The monarch alone owned the land, and could be used only at the king’s discretion. Modern states still holding large tracts of so-called “crown lands” in my country or national parks, forests, etc. continues this practice.

On the other hand, there is no historical evidence that a jubilee year was ever celebrated in Israel. Instead, the imagery of Isaiah 61 represents the inauguration of God’s reign. It also had a messianic reference. To a people subjugated and oppressed by Rome’s cruel yoke, this would have been a message of comfort and promise, as it had been when first uttered by the prophet during the time of Babylonian Exile (586-539 BCE).

Jesus’ proclamation that this scripture had now been fulfilled brought forth immediate amazement among his audience in Nazareth. What they had been hearing about his ministry elsewhere had now come right there among them. How could this carpenter’s son they h ad known since childhood make such a claim as that?

The mood didn’t last long. As soon as he began to chide them for not believing him, they became very disturbed. They wanted evidence that the promises of the jubilee year were actually being fulfilled, burdened as they were by Rome’s occupying forces and heavy taxation.

Jesus replied by citing two examples from the prophetic tradition that only made things worse. He told them that they, as Jews, had no priority of place, as in the instances of Elijah’s and Elisha’s ministry to foreigners rather than Jews. The Nazareans threatened Jesus with death.

In describing the incident for his Gentile audience in this way, Luke set up the pattern of continuing hostility that would end in the cross and the victory of the resurrection.