Lectio: Luke 4:14-21
January 22, 2010
14And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.
15And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.
16And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.
17And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”
20And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke 4:14-21
At first reading, the phrase “…in the power of the Spirit,” jumped out at me. What does that mean and what does that even look like?
Reading this passage several more times, I begin to feel the significance in what Jesus found to read from Isaiah. I’ve often thought that the passage Jesus reads from Isaiah, well, it just doesn’t get any simpler than that concerning our mission. If Jesus – as a good rabbi – says to me “follow me” and then wants me to do what He does, this becomes my mission in a nutshell. Proclaim good news to the poor, release and set free the oppressed, proclaim the favour of God. The significance of this mission is that the Reign of God is being entered, not just by the followers who do what Jesus does, but to the marginalized: the poor, the oppressed, the blind. God’s favour is becoming present and revealed to them. Yet to be honest, while I believe this for others, I sometimes have trouble remembering to believe this for myself. I sometimes don’t believe now is the favorable year of the Lord for me. My debts cancelled? My family returned? My oppressors overthrown? And I also struggle that if I can’t bring myself to believe it, how can I proclaim it to others? Of course, therein lies my own struggle of a season with a famine of faith and a feast of doubt.
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” What a spectacular thing to say…and how exciting. As all the eyes were fixed on Him, I can imagine the surge of energy that must have risen from the gathered crowd when Jesus proclaims the fulfillment. And yet, what an unspectacular event. Jesus is the humble person of gracious words here. Humble gracious words…this is what it means to proclaim ‘in the power of the Spirit’…it doesn’t have to be some deep-throated rebel yell (although there is a time and place for that too)…but today I am seeing that this is who He is, incredible power in such deep humility. My God is a humble God…and He calls me to humility with Him.
++Lord, I believe! but in my feast of doubt, help my unbelief. Let me know and experience the power of humility. Let us know You O Lord, and follow You in Your mission here and now. Amen.++
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