Sunday 4C19 3 February 2019 BIBLICAL RESOURCES Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19; Ps 71 (70); 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13; Luke 4:21-30 No prophet is accepted in the Thought for the day Probably all of us have experience of prophet’s hometown “small town Ireland” (or wherever). The limited set of expectations limits Luke 4:21 Then he began to say to correct one to ask. what we can see and recognise in oth- them, “Today this scripture has been ers. It may even be that we are both fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke In the same vein, Jesus has not yet been victims and perpetrators! Familiarity well of him and were amazed at the to Capernaum in this Gospel, so the does not always breed esteem. This is gracious words that came from his observation in v. 24 seems out of se- even true in the faith: we can be so mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s quence, revealing an awareness that the “familiar” with it all that any sense of son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless synagogue story actually belongs later in energy or newness has long since dis- you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doc- the Gospel narrative. sipated. And yet, we should allow our- tor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do selves to be surprised by the God of As the second part of the great tableau, surprises: “See, I am making all things here also in your hometown the things this scene takes us into the ministry of that we have heard you did at Caper- new.” (Revelation 21:5) This newness Jesus, the opening to the Gentiles and of the Gospel is more radical than naum.’” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell the reaction of (most of) the Jewish peo- you, no prophet is accepted in the mere novelty: it is a new creation in ple to this. Eventually, the religious au- Christ. New wine, new wineskins! prophet’s hometown. 25 But the truth thorities, not the people, will move deci- is, there were many widows in Israel in sively against Jesus. Prayer the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and KIND OF WRITING God of the new, help us shake off the there was a severe famine over all the shackles of familiarity and come once land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of The full scene, running from 4:14 to more with open hearts and lives to them except to a widow at Zarephath in 4:30, is a Lucan symbolic tableau, which hear again your prophet Jesus. Amen. Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers gives, in the manner of an overture, the in Israel in the time of the prophet El- themes and even the plot of the whole feed you.” So he set out and went to isha, and none of them was cleansed Gospel of Luke, including the negative Zarephath. When he came to the gate except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When reaction to the Gospel of inclusion and of the town, a widow was there gather- they heard this, all in the synagogue the eventual death and resurrection of ing sticks; he called to her and said, were filled with rage. 29 They got up, the Messiah. It illustrates the tremen- “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so drove him out of the town, and led him dous skill of Luke as an author and, in- that I may drink.” As she was going to to the brow of the hill on which their deed, his freedom as a historian. bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring town was built, so that they might hurl me a morsel of bread in your hand.” But OLD TESTAMENT BACKGROUND him off the cliff. 30 But he passed she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I through the midst of them and went on (i) Prophets should be tested: “If have nothing baked, only a handful of his way. prophets or those who divine by dreams meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so INITIAL OBSERVATIONS appear among you and promise you omens or portents, and the omens or the that I may go home and prepare it for This scene continues the foundational portents declared by them take place, myself and my son, that we may eat it, portrait of Jesus as a prophet (see last and they say, “Let us follow other and die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be week’s notes for the explanation of the gods” (whom you have not known) “and afraid; go and do as you have said; but tableau). The repetition of v. 21 serves to let us serve them” you must not heed the first make me a little cake of it and bring join this reading with the Gospel used words of those prophets or those who it to me, and afterwards make something last week. What is genuinely puzzling in divine by dreams; for the Lord your God for yourself and your son. For thus says the reading is the sudden, apparently is testing you, to know whether you in- the LORD the God of Israel: The jar of unprovoked attack constructed on the deed love the Lord your God with all meal will not be emptied and the jug of basis of the possibly negative “Is not this your heart and soul.” (Deuteronomy oil will not fail until the day that the Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22). Of course, in 13:1-3) LORD sends rain on the earth.” She other contexts (see below) this is indeed went and did as Elijah said, so that she negative. Perhaps the question assumes a (ii) Elijah and the widow of Zarephath as well as he and her household ate for negative value on account of the Infancy many days. The jar of meal was not Then the word of the LORD came to emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, narrative in Luke 1-2, from which the him, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, reader, at least, knows that this question according to the word of the LORD that which belongs to Sidon, and live there; he spoke by Elijah. (1Kings 17:8–16) regarding the origins of Jesus is not the for I have commanded a widow there to www.tarsus.ie !1 Sunday 4C19 3 February 2019 (iii) The story of Elisha and Namaan commonwealth of Israel, and strangers threatens the pre-eminence and econo- the Syrian: 2 Kings 5:1-14 (too long to to the covenants of promise, having no my of Artemis / Diana: “When they quote). hope and without God in the world. But heard this, they were enraged and now in Christ Jesus you who once were shouted, “Great is Artemis of the Eph- NEW TESTAMENT FOREGROUND far off have been brought near by the esians!”” (Acts 19:28) blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in (i) Here is the basic historical version of the Verse 29 This verse anticipates the end scene in Nazareth: his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing of Jesus’ ministry, when people will in- Jesus left that place and came to his deed take him out of the town to exe- hometown, and his disciples followed wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its com- cute him. Cf. Then they dragged Stephen out him. On the sabbath he began to teach of the city and began to stone him; and the in the synagogue, and many who heard mandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new human- witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young him were astounded. They said, “Where man named Saul. (Acts 7:58) did this man get all this? What is this ity in place of the two, thus making wisdom that has been given to him? peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, Verse 30 The inexplicable, sovereign What deeds of power are being done by escape alludes most likely to the resur- his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the thus putting to death that hostility through it (Eph 2:11–17) rection. Further echoes are (i) the story son of Mary and brother of James and of the elusive Elijah in 1 Kings 18:7-12, Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not BRIEF COMMENTARY who is mysterious taken up by the Spirit his sisters here with us?” And they took of God and (ii) the stories of the escapes offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, Verse 21 This resumes the last line of from prison in Acts 12:6-11 (Peter) and “Prophets are not without honour, ex- last Sunday’s reading. It proclaims Jesus Acts16:25-28 (Paul). cept in their hometown, and among as the fulfilment of the Jewish Scriptures. their own kin, and in their own house.” Luke is always keen to root Jesus in the POINTERS FOR PRAYER And he could do no deed of power mother religion of all Christians. there, except that he laid his hands on a 1. The people of Nazareth could not few sick people and cured them. And he Verse 22 The reaction is positive, with accept that this local boy was one to was amazed at their unbelief.