“So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were FILLED WITH WRATH, and rose up and thrust Him (Jesus) out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might THROW HIM DOWN OVER THE CLIFF. Then PASSING THROUGH the midst of them, He went His way.” (Luke 4:28-30)
This cliff was about 40 feet high and the custom was to throw the person head first to assure a killing landing, this was the result of their being “filled with wrath.” What did Jesus say that made them so wrathful? “The Spirit of the Lord GOD IS UPON ME…” (Isaiah 61:1) Then He said these words, “TODAY this Scripture is FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING.” (Luke 4:21) Jesus was declaring to them HE was the one FULFILLING THIS PROPHECY from Isaiah!
And HE said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, NO PROPHET IS ACCEPTED IN HIS OWN COUNTRY.” (Luke 4:24) So, “Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were ASTONISHED at His teaching, for His word was with authority.” (Luke 4:31-32) Jesus said, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, MAKE YOURSELF GOD.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I SAID, “YOU ARE GODS”‘? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I AM THE SON OF GOD‘? (John 10:32-36) “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, BELIEVE THE WORKS, that you may know and believe that THE FATHER IS IN ME, AND I IN HIM.” Therefore, they sought again to seize Him, but HE ESCAPED OUT OF THEIR HAND.” (John 10:37-39)
Eventually they did seize Jesus and then crucified Him and as Isaiah prophesied, “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…He was wounded for OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, He was bruised for OUR INIQUITIES; The chastisement (mûsâr: discipline) for OUR PEACE was upon Him, And by His stripes WE ARE HEALED.” (Isaiah 53:3-5) This was why the Jewish people did not accept Jesus as their Messiah, the one who was going to be the concurring king for Israel couldn’t suffer and die even though it’s prophesied right here!
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham