In Luke 4, after His temptation, ‘Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit’. V15 He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised Him(all good so far). V16 and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue as was His custom(Jesus was to be found there on Sabbath).
In the last part of Luke 4, we see the word ‘synagogue(s)’ used seven times(seven is completion or perfection) and Jesus met there with the Jews every Sabbath. His primary ministry in the Galilee was to the Jews(even though it was known as Galilee of the Gentiles). Derek Prince said that God had to prepare a people to receive the Messiah, a receptacle for His coming. Jesus could never have gone into the Hindu or Buddhist temples, or a mosque to preach, He would have been totally rejected. So the Jews as a people were formed to receive Messiah and His Ministry was firstly to the Jews.
V17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him(we don’t know if He asked for that scroll or it was just given to Him) and He opened it and read from Is. 61 in our bibles. A seven hundred year old prophecy and this man stood up before them all and said effectively, It’s Me, ‘Today this prophecy is fulfilled in your hearing’.
V22 Initially they spoke well of Him but couldn’t get out of their heads that He was just a local guy, ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ they asked. He says He’s the one in Isaiah’s prophecy but we know him(actually not Joseph’s son). They were waiting for the Messiah, anointed one, and Jesus was clearly anointed(V14 He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit) but they couldn’t make the leap of faith and believe Him.
Then He told them that, ‘no prophet is accepted in His home town(He knew their hearts)’. They became mad with Him and wanted to throw Him down a cliff, still there outside Nazareth today. He walked right through the crowd away from them. ‘His own could not receive Him’.
There was a BIG DISCONNECT between the religious establishment of the day and reality of the Man sent by Heaven. Jesus did not call the leaders of the Jews together and have a strategy meeting with them, He didn’t involve them at all. He declared the Mandate of Heaven to earth. I’m reminded of the man Joshua met before the battle of Jericho, Israel’s inheritance. Are you for us or for them? Joshua 5:14, Neither, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have come.
Jesus is the head, Jesus is the commander and it’s our job to follow and obey, not to question. A good friend says, I have no opinion on that.
God bless you.