Join us for a summary walk through the life of Jesus. Journey toward Resurrection Day with a renewed vision and appreciation for the life of Jesus Christ. Each day you will find a link to the Bible passage for that day and helpful resources for your study.
February 22. Read Luke 4:14-42. Jesus is Rejected.
Before starting His public preaching and healing ministry, Jesus goes alone into the wastelands near Judea. After enduring temptation and starvation, Jesus comes back to Galilee. There He teaches in synagogues, to great acclaim. At least one town does not approve His message: Nazareth, Jesus' childhood hometown. While visiting there, Jesus reads aloud from Isaiah. The prophecy indicates that Messiah will bring rescue, healing, and good news. When Jesus claims to be the fulfillment of this prophecy, His former neighbors react with skepticism. In their eyes, Jesus is nothing more than another Nazarene—He can't possibly be anything special (Luke 4:14–22).
Jesus knows where the Nazarenes' skepticism will lead. Critics who knew about Jesus' miracles often responded to His teaching by demanding a supernatural sign. Such ultimatums are insincere; those who won't accept the proof they've already been given aren't likely to respond to even more (John 2:18; 6:30; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16).
Reflect: What can we glean from Jesus’ response to rejection? In what ways are you tempted to care more about others’ opinions of you than God’s?
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FAQ from our network of sites:
- Why do most Jews reject Jesus as the Messiah?
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- What does Luke 4:14-42 mean? Start reading our commentary here. Click "Next verse" to continue through the passage.
- For Kids: Why did people in the Bible reject Jesus? Do people still reject Jesus?
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