Fierce Conflict Arose And All He Did Was Read A Passage of Scripture!
Why is it that some people so very angry when you refer to the Bible? When I used to speak with a leading educationalists, a close friend, who was in a top job, he would become furious and rage at me becoming hot under the collar if the topic of Creation arose. Someone else taught me that I not challenging my friend's science, but his sin. What a lesson and what a profound insight. I could then understand better what was going on in my friend's mind and heart.
This happened to Jesus Christ at the start of His ministry in Nazareth and fierce conflict arose following the reading of a Scripture passage. It is quite astonishing.
We are dealing with deep psychological issues here, which psychology alone cannot answer and resolve.
In the New Testament at Luke Chapter 4 and verse 17, Jesus Christ is present at worship in the synagogue at Nazareth. It was his custom and habit to be there with all the others. He is given the scroll to read the lesson. Jesus stands up to read - to contribute - to participate in a real, relevant and meaningful way, and he turns to Isaiah Chapter 61. Jesus knows his way around the Old Testament. After reading the passage he comments briefly, basically saying, "This refers to ME!"
He has come to minister to the bruised and battered - to the broken and sore - to those who are heavy and hurting - to release - to set free - and to deliver. He has been anointed vertically to minister horizontally. That is normally God's pattern.
The reaction is astonishing. Who does HE think HE is? Many are furious and all HE did was read the lesson.
Jesus goes on to comment and becomes quite controversial. What I am telling you is true. In the days of Elijah there were many widows, and there was a severe famine - 1 Kings 17. God did not send His servant to minister to all the needs of all the poor - but to one poor widow - in the region of Sidon.
Now, Sidon was not in the land of Israel, and the thought that the Jewish Messiah might minister to people who were not Jews was outrageous.
On Jesus goes. There were many lepers and only Naaman was cleansed- II Kings Chapter 5. Jesus knew his Old Testament in detail, and, He quotes it with authority.
They hustled Christ outside to the place of execution. Jesus life is threatened already. He had only read the lesson and made a few comments, and fierce conflict arose. God the Father knew that it was not yet time for Jesus to die.
Jesus has three years of work to do - preaching - teaching - training men. He quietly slips away - unhurt - unharmed. He does not seek to defend himself. Jesus does not argue. He is not sore about what happened.
Having been rejected in Nazareth, Jesus adopts Capernaum as His home or base.
His melting words had not melted many hearts. There was a clash - an explosion between light and darkness.
The Word of God will make a man glad or mad - faith or fury. These are very basic fundamental lessons, which we need to learn early on. Some of us take 4 or 5 years or even longer to learn these lessons and that can be a sore experience. Many of us have been through all this and we know how true and painful such an experience can be - but the tremendous truth is - that pain and hurt can be healed.
Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com