LUKE 4:21-30
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
HEBREWS 13:12-14
Hebrews 13Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
REJECTED AT HOME
There is something about who we are that causes us to fear being left out. No one wants to be the one whom the whole group turns against. Every group of people tends to close in on itself, to define itself against outsiders. And groups tend to expel individuals who are considered to fall short of group standards.
The people of Israel were called by God to be separate from others. God was calling a people to himself, so that they would learn his ways, not the ways of the world. Not only the Ten Commandments, but 613 laws, were given to the people of Israel. Keeping all of those laws would define who they were.
In the Old Testament, the “scapegoat” was an actual goat. The High Priest had to pray over the goat, to lay the sins of the people on its head, and then send it out into the desert. (Leviticus 16) Even today, someone who is rejected is called a “scapegoat”.
When we see Jesus back at home, we need to know that he is on mission from the Father, and this mission is to gather in all people. Jesus came to earth to call outsiders back in. Jesus is creating a new world where no one is left out. How do his home town people feel about Jesus?
The problem is that the people think that they know who Jesus is – they think he is “the son of Joseph”. But Jesus is the Son of God, and he proceeds to let them know that they, and all of Israel, will no longer be God’s only people. He reminds them that God helped outsiders in Old Testament times. And he tells them that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place”.
It’s hard to understand the murderous fury which filled the people, maybe even a demonic anger. They literally want to kill him – Jesus has become the scapegoat. Jesus escapes, but this episode foreshadows how Jesus would be crucified for all of our sins. We have all rejected Jesus. How amazing that Jesus opens the doors to all. Whenever you have felt left out, or even like a scapegoat, Jesus stands with you. All Christians are called to stand with the outsiders, so that no one stands alone.