One In Jesus

(Luk 4:16-21 ESV)  16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.  17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,  19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.  21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

We’ve considered this passage before. Jesus announces the “good news” or gospel, not by speaking of substitutionary atonement or even faith in Jesus as Messiah. Jesus, rather, speaks of Isaiah: “good news to the poor”; “liberty to the captives”; “recovering of sight to the blind”; “liberty [for] those who are oppressed.” And he declares these things “fulfilled.”

At last, Jesus says, God has answered the prayers of the people for the Kingdom, for the Messiah, and for the outpouring of the Spirit!  That much they understood. But what does Isaiah really mean? Continue reading →

The temptations

In each of the three synoptic Gospels, Jesus’ ministry begins with a series of temptations. Commentators approach these from various perspectives, and it’s likely that no one perspective is the uniquely right one. I’m sure the authors intended to accomplish many things with the story. (Remember: “story” does not mean fiction. There are true stories, which are the  very best kind.)

But we have to figure that Luke is using the story to set the stage for what is to come next. Already, he’s introduced several important themes into his Gospel.

The Gospel is, of course, an edited work. Luke did not tell everything that happened. Rather, he chose to tell some things and not others to make the book of readable length while covering the material he considered of the utmost importance. What makes this story so important that it introduces the ministry of Jesus? Continue reading →

When I was young, my home church didn’t talk much about John the Baptist. In fact, we kids found it scandalous that he was, quite plainly, a “Baptist.” It sounded like “John the Presbyterian” to our ears! And some preachers therefore insisted on calling him “John the Baptizer.”

But John’s role was to prepare us for Jesus — which seems to still be a right and proper thing.

(Luk 3:7-14 ESV)  7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.  9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”  10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”  11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”  12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”  13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”  14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Notice that John said some truly astonishing things. Continue reading →