Luke 4:14-21 (NRSV)
Read Luke 4:14-21 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. Verse 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. Verse 16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, Verse 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: Verse 18"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, Verse 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Verse 20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Verse 21Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Devotion
When Jesus read the passage from Isaiah to his hometown folk in Nazareth, Jesus was stating his purpose. In other words, when Jesus concluded by saying, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,” he was announcing his mission statement: “Beginning today, in this moment, this is why I have come, this is my purpose and my ministry’s focus. I have come to bring good news, proclaim release, heal the blind and free the oppressed.”
In Greek, the tense of Jesus’ declaration isn’t the once and done of a singular past tense. Instead, it’s the perfect tense of a completed or fulfilled event. The perfect tense is like Jesus saying, “Today this Scripture is now fulfilled, and its import will continue to be effective in your present and future lives.”
How does that happen? As our purpose aligns with God’s, we are privileged to be used as a part of God’s desire for healing and restoration in this world now.
Prayer
O God, work through us today and every day so that glimpses of your hopes for your world become known and visible through us. Amen.
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