Always Consequences

Psalm 27: 6 - 14

Luke 4: 31 – 35

March 16, 2025

Today’s second lesson is an example of two important Bible interpretation principles. First, we believers need to allow Scripture to speak to us out of its own context. That is to say that rarely can we lift a particular text out of its background and then begin to grasp its full power. Context matters – and when we read passages as though they are isolated from the words around them, we run the significant risk of misinterpreting a passage, or at least not appreciating its full truth.

Second - and this is going to be true primarily of the Gospels – second, Gospel stories often are repeated in the four Gospels. With each Gospel account being written for a different audience, at a different time, and for a different purpose we can’t help but get different nuances from the same event.

Multiple recordings of the same story weave for us a mosaic of meaning. As I often tell the saints in our Tuesday morning study, the best interpreter of Scripture….. is Scripture.

Both of these interpretive points will become evident as we think together about our story from Luke. Let’s play with it a little bit.

Jesus has left Nazareth – his hometown – and traveled to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee, a town that will become the headquarters of his ministry in Galilee. We remember that Nazareth was hardly a prosperous village – remember what was said of the town where Jesus was raised? “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” It was small; a few extended families gathered around the freshwater springs located there. It existed, mainly as a home for craftsmen who worked in nearby Sepphoris – an important Roman town.

But for our purposes today, the events that have just occurred in Nazareth serve as the backdrop, or the context for our lesson. You see, just prior to our text, Jesus has been run out of his hometown. To say “run out” is putting it mildly. They wanted to kill him.

Jesus has dared to question the privileged relationship of Israel and God; has dared to suggest that God has been active outside God’s covenant people. Jesus, teaching in the synagogue there, initially created some warm and fuzzy emotions as the synagogue worshippers listened to one of their own – now grown up. But those warm and fuzzy emotions quickly turn hot and murderous as Jesus begins to teach.

The text tells us that the worshippers rose up, drove him out of the synagogue and town, and were ready to throw Jesus off a cliff. From there, Jesus moves to Capernaum and begins to teach in the synagogue located there, and not just on one Sabbath day, but on multiple Sabbath days. The Greek word for Sabbath in verse 31 is actually plural.

Teaching in Nazareth, at one Sabbath worship, nearly gets Jesus killed. Now, that same Jesus is teaching on multiple sabbath dates in the synagogue located there. The context of our story moves us to ask, “Why? What’s different? Why worthy of being killed in one teaching event and yet worthy of being asked for multiple events in another?” You see? Context matters.

Verse 32 of Luke, and Mark 1: 1 – 28 (Mark’s retelling of the same story), highlights the difference. The worshippers of Nazareth listened to Jesus as one of their own who had become powerful and influential. Those warm and fuzzy emotions were not enough to keep them in their seats to listen as Jesus taught.

But Luke tells us that those worshipping in Capernaum, listening to the teaching of Jesus were astonished at the power and conviction of his teachings. He spoke, he handled the word of God, as one who had authority.

You see, in Israel, it was the Scribes who interpreted Torah for the people. It was the Scribes who were entrusted with the authority to settle differences of interpretive opinion. Scribes quoted other Scribes. Scribes determined who and what was authoritative from training and familiarity with the breadth of interpretation. Scribes knew the work of other Scribes.

But Mark 1: 22 tells us that Jesus taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. Jesus taught as an author, not an interpreter. The Scribes taught by quoting other Scribes. Jesus is teaching as an author, as one with authority, and his listeners in Capernaum are astonished – astonished to the degree that they ask him to teach on multiple Sabbath occasions.

Let me give you a few examples. Pastor John Miller is helpful here. “When Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, ‘You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder.’ So the rabbis were quoting from the Decalogue, from one of the Ten Commandments. But then, in his own authority, Jesus goes on. ‘But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment’ (Matthew 5:21-22).” Jesus gives his expansion of the text with the same authority as the original author – God.

You see, our attitudes have consequences. Our attitudes can predetermine our receptivity even to the word of God. Our attitudes, our emotions, our needs, wants and desires can color our receptivity to the teachings of Jesus.

We come on Sunday mornings for a variety of reasons. Some of us come because that is what we have always done. Sunday mornings mean church. Always has, always will. Some come as the result of the request of another. Our spouse has asked us to come. Our children have voiced a desire to come to church. Some of us come out of a sense of obligation. Some of us come as an expression of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit has called us, perhaps. The Holy Spirit has a word for us, maybe. We come for a variety of reasons – some strong and some weak – and the good news, the great news, the news that can transform our lives is that the One who teaches with authority – Jesus - meets us, transforms us, and can even astonish us.

Jesus teaches with authority and our lives are changed. No matter what may be afflicting us; no matter how precarious our life situation may be; no matter how deep the darkness may seem around us; no matter how high or how low our momentary daily lives may be Jesus teaches with authority and that teaching makes all the difference.

The demons of pride, self-centeredness, and ego are cast out. The demons of addictions – no matter the form – in time, are cast out. The demons of power, strength, and manipulation are cast down. The demons of comfort, self-satisfaction, and the desire to maintain the status quo are challenged.

We proclaim a Jesus of authority and power. We proclaim a Jesus of sacrifice, obedience, and submission – a Jesus who was willing to put aside his Godly prerogatives for the benefit of God’s beloved people. We celebrate a Jesus who is merciful, kind, and patient – willing to journey alongside us as we live out and work out this pilgrimage of faith. We proclaim the Jesus who came, lived, and taught with power so that we might live in the same. Amen.