Luke 4: 23-30
23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers[a] in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.
Hey there! Today, let’s dive into Luke 4:23-30. In this passage, Jesus is in his hometown of Nazareth, and he starts teaching in the synagogue. At first, everyone is amazed by his wisdom and the powerful words that come from his mouth. But then, doubt starts to creep in.
Some of the people in the crowd start questioning Jesus. They say, “Hey, isn’t this Joseph’s son? We know him, he grew up here!” They couldn’t believe that someone they knew so well could have such profound wisdom.
But Jesus, being the wise and loving teacher that he is, knows what they’re thinking. He tells them, “You will certainly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'”
Jesus knows that they want to see him perform miracles, just like he did in Capernaum. But he also knows that they don’t fully believe in him. He goes on to say, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
Jesus reminds them of the times when God sent prophets to their own people, but they were rejected. He mentions Elijah and Elisha, who performed miracles for others but not for their own people. This angers the crowd, and they drive Jesus out of the town, wanting to throw him off a cliff.
This passage reminds us that sometimes, familiarity can breed doubt. The people in Nazareth couldn’t see past their own preconceived notions of who Jesus was. They couldn’t accept that someone they knew so well could be the Messiah.
As we journey through Lent, let’s reflect on our own biases and doubts. Are there times when we limit God’s power because we think we know better? Are there people or situations where we struggle to see God’s work because we’re too familiar with them?
Let’s pray that God opens our hearts and minds to see Him at work in unexpected ways. May we embrace the unfamiliar and trust in His wisdom, even when it challenges our preconceptions.
Remember, Lent is a time of reflection and growth. Let’s use this season to deepen our faith and open ourselves to the transformative power of God’s love.
Take a moment to think about how this passage speaks to you personally. How can you apply its lessons to your own life? Let’s pray together and ask God to guide us on this Lenten journey.