In the Savior’s Steps
The Synagogue
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
āThe Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lordās favor.ā
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, āToday this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.ā
All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. āIsnāt this Josephās son?ā they asked.
Jesus said to them, āSurely you will quote this proverb to me: āPhysician, heal yourself!ā And you will tell me, āDo here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.āā
āTruly I tell you,ā he continued, āno prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijahās time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansedāonly Naaman the Syrian.ā
All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built. Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
Luke 4:14-32
Do you find yourself questioning authority? How about Godās authority as he speaks to you? Have you ever felt how your heart wants to push back when Godās Word confronts you with something you may not be eager to hear?
After spending some time teaching in synagogues around Galilee, Jesus stepped into the synagogue in Nazareth, his hometown, to proclaim a profound truth: he was the fulfillment of Godās Old Testament promises. He continued to expound, noting that his redemptive work was for everyone, not just the Jewish people. Reading from the scroll of Isaiah, he declared that he was the Messiah, sent to bring good news to the poor, release for the captives, and sight to the blind. At first, the locals marveled, amazed that someone from among them had such authority. But when Jesus expanded on his message, explaining that Godās grace was for Gentiles as well as Jews, the awe of the attendees turned to anger.
The synagogue represented the heart of Jewish tradition, a place where Godās people studied his Word and worshiped together. It was normal for Jesus to be there; this was his custom. But on this day, Jesus used this setting to redefine their expectations and display his authority. Instead of affirming their exclusivity, he challenged their assumptions about who could belong to Godās kingdom. By claiming authority and extending his message beyond cultural boundaries, Jesus was revealing something that their hearts didnāt want to hear: the reach of his mission included everyone, regardless of background.
The synagogue in Nazareth not only marked a pivotal moment in Jesusā ministry; it also foreshadowed the cross. Just as he was rejected by the people of Nazareth, Jesus would ultimately face rejection on an epic scale, suffering and dying for a world that didnāt recognize his authority over all things. Yet, through that rejection, he would fulfill his mission to save all people, Jew and Gentile alike. In the synagogue, Jesus declared Godās truth, no matter how it was received, and his authority to bring salvation beyond the expectations of his audience.
Reflecting on this scene during Lent challenges us to look at our own hearts. Are there ways we resist Godās truth, especially when it pushes us out of our comfort zones or calls us to love those we might consider enemies? Like the people in Nazareth, we can be tempted to limit Godās grace, holding onto ideas about who ādeservesā it. Jesusā words invite us to embrace his sacrificial love, a love that reaches across every culture and nation and invites us to extend that message of salvation to others as he does.
This Lent, let us remember the synagogue as a place where Jesus defined what it means to belong to Godās kingdom. His authority calls us to set aside our limited views and embrace his grace, which reaches across every boundary we might set. The same Savior who spoke with authority in Nazareth calls us to recognize his mission for all people and to share his salvation for us with open hearts, humbled and transformed by his truth.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for declaring that your saving grace knows no boundaries. Move us to acknowledge your authority in our lives and extend your love to others, even when this challenges us. May we follow you wholeheartedly, embracing your salvation for the world. In your name. Amen.
Written by Alycia Cameron
Provided by WELS Women’s Ministry
