“Local boy makes good!” Here’s the Bible text Jesus read on his visit to his home town of Nazareth after his popularity began soaring.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. [Luke 4]
Wow. He emphasizes the lower classes (“the poor”),
incarceration – detention (“freedom for the prisoners”), health care (“sight for the blind”), and economic and political evils (“release the oppressed”).
Why do so many Christians take offense today at those who talk about such things? We SHOULD be concerned about those things.
This is the first teaching from the mouth of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel, and it is preceded by the songs of Mary and Zechariah and by the teaching of John the Baptist, all of which hit strongly on similar themes.
It IS Biblical to be concerned about such things!
Unfortunately a lot of Christians today are more comfortable getting their theology from Rush and Rove. “My brothers, these things ought not so to be.” “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, but do not do what I say?”
(See also
• A Beautiful Vision for Our Day from Isaiah 58
• Am I An Enemy of the Churches?
• “The Moral Priorities of Jesus”.
Visits: 62
