WE come now to this powerful event where Jesus returned to Nazareth where he had lived most of his childhood, and announced clearly and powerfully that he was the promised Messiah, the Christ. The historical account is full of power.

Now the first thing we can learn from this passage is to be found in verse 16. The lesson is in the example of Jesus. He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. We are also told that this was his custom. What example this is. It is so needed today. In this practice Jesus was teaching by example something of what is meant in keeping the Sabbath day holy. We celebrate the day on which Jesus rose from the dead as the Sabbath, so the example given here by Jesus is concerning our practice on Sunday. Sunday was the first day of the week. It is interesting to notice how in our culture today Sunday has come to be thought of as the last day of the week. This example is teaching us that this practice of giving special worship to God on Sunday must not be neglected even when, because of the decline of the truth in the church, worship may seem to have nothing of any worth. The synagogues in the time of Jesus were experiencing great spiritual decline, yet Jesus still went regularly according to his custom to the synagogue even though the worship and teaching had become spiritually dead. Further we learn the great importance of bringing children up in the practice and custom of regular, Sunday by Sunday, worship in church. Lastly we learn that Sunday worship is the first place we must consider for the teaching of the Gospel. Sunday worship has been ordained by God for this purpose.

Let us consider the action of Jesus. After the usual preliminary worship, it was the custom in the synagogue for a visiting Rabbi or teacher to be given an opportunity minister to the people present. Jesus took advantage of this. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. No doubt he asked for this particular scroll because he knew the scripture he needed to read to the people. Then, still standing, Jesus read this passage from chapter 61 of Isaiah. It was the custom for the teacher then to sit down before he taught the people, so we read Jesus sat down, and delivered his sermon. The substance of it is given in verse 21 where we are told that Jesus said “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” No doubt what Jesus said after reading from Isaiah 61 was more than just this statement, but the statement was enough, and it was an exposition of the passage. This is so important! Preaching must always be expounding the Scriptures, whether it is a statement like the statement here which Jesus spoke, or whether it is a longer discourse. The statement Jesus made explains who the passage was talking about. Only by expounding the Word of God will the preacher keep from wandering into the desert of human speculation and wisdom.

We are told in verse 21 that after Jesus had finished reading, the eyes of everyone were upon him. The reading of the Scripture is a powerful means of presenting God's truth to people, and because of this it must not be taken lightly, but must be done with care and understanding. In this case the reading Jesus gave of this passage in Isaiah must have been in the power of the Spirit, and arrested the attention of the people with the thought that Jesus had something very important to tell them. From this many argue that the Reading of the Scripture readings in church must not be by anyone, but by those who know the meaning of the passage, and can read with understanding, and seek through the Spirit to make the passage not only understood, but also to bring the people listening to the message to feel the passage is for them, and one that it is imperative to receive and believe.

Also we see here that Scripture focuses on Jesus and his saving work. Jesus is the prime subject of the Bible. Everything in the Bible, directly and indirectly, is an explanation of Jesus, who he was, why he came into the world, and what he did.

Jesus has told us that this prophecy speaks of him in his ministry, so as we proceed we will seek to understand what this prophecy teaches us about Jesus. In the first place it tells us that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus for his ministry. This was the divine authority which had been given. As we cast our minds back to previous meditations we will remember that this prophecy was fully demonstrated as true. When Jesus was baptised the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. This visual representation was not for the benefit of Jesus but for John the Baptist, and all the others present when Jesus was baptised. They saw this fulfilment of this prophecy. This fullness of the Spirit was reinforced by an audible message from God telling us and those present at the baptism that Jesus was God's Son in whom God was well pleased. Then when Jesus returned from his baptism we read that he was full of the Holy Spirit, and that he was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted. Jesus received this anointing for his ministry and task ahead of him. All that Jesus did and said, therefore, were confirmed as divine utterances by the Spirit dwelling in fullness upon and within him. Like all ministry, Jesus as the Son of man, needed the Spirit for that ministry. So we learn how important it is for all who are called to the ministry of teaching and preaching to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is only by the divine help and operation of the Spirit of God that effective ministry can be achieved.

We must leave our meditation on this prophecy here, and return to it next time.