Jesus’s return home goes exactly as he expects. Which is to say, the people’s reactionary response is quite predictable.
For Sunday
The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Reading
From Luke 4:21-30
“He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’”
Reflection
Jesus visits the synagogue in his hometown and is greeted with a warm welcome. He reads from the scroll of Isaiah and proclaims that “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” and all are amazed. They start wondering why he speaks with such authority. If we’ve ever seen a kid return home a mature adult, we know what that is like.
So how do we get from this moment to their attempt to throw Jesus off a cliff?
Well, he says that they’re going to want him to make magic happen for them and he might not.
But how is such an idea worth killing over?
I don’t think the Scripture answers that for us. It simply points out that they tried. But I think we can confidently connect some of the dots.
This story depends on Jesus understanding the assumptions of the people.
- That they will associate him with his family.
- They will ask him to do what he has done for others.
- And it won’t work.
- So they will treat him like their ancestors treated prophets (try to kill him).
And then it proves him right.
At the heart of this story we don’t find logic.
We find passion and fear. Because the people are motivated to gain what others have. And they assume they have an in with Jesus.
This is why I’m drawn to the first statement Jesus makes, which is so familiar to us: that they will say to him: “Doctor, cure yourself!” It doesn’t logically connect with what Jesus is dealing with unless we realize that he is revealing their defensiveness. He is about to name the sin behind their actions and starts by essentially saying: you are going to whatabout me and assume I am guilty of your sin.
This is a familiar tactic to anyone who has talked about hard things with others. This deflection of pseudo-rational rhetoric appeals to an unbalanced logic under the guise of balance. Because Jesus isn’t the one judging them or trying to kill them. But they will twist it to justify their own anger and attempted murder.
This is how all manner of people justify doing things we claim we despise. We simply claim the other guy started it. And we get to finish it.