- Luke 4:24-30
It helps to situate this event in Luke's Gospel. After telling the story of the birth of Jesus, Luke "fast forwards" to his adulthood and tells of Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River.
Jesus now begins his public life. Luke says, "He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all."
After a while, Jesus returns home for a visit to Nazareth. He had been away for months, and the hometown people are glad to see him. They had heard stories about his preaching and his miracles, so they invite him to do the teaching at their next synagogue service.
Jesus selected a passage from Isaiah, which said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me ..." When he had finished, he sat down and said: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
As he went on, and referred to himself as a prophet, some people began to get angry. "Who does he think he is? He's Joseph's son, one of us. We watched him grow up and learn a laborer's trade, and now he thinks he's some big deal - as though he were the Messiah! Well, if he thinks he's too good for us he can go to those other towns where they're all excited about him ..."
Sometimes the people closest to you have trouble accepting you when you're trying to be the person God made you to be.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw