14 entries for this category: | Observation |
Great commentary. The fact of the proclamation of the year of Jubilee is often forgotten or glossed over. This is one of my favourite passages from scripture. It's like a treasure, where when you start to clear off the dust and grime, you begin to see the depth, beauty and value of what Jesus said at the synagogue, as well as its revolutionary nature (but not in the political sense that many expected). There are a couple of other things to add. In referring to Is 61:1-2, Jesus omits the clause about 'the day of vengeance'. Since his hearers were expecting him to fulfil a revolutionary messianic role, this omission is significant. It's not the message the hearers want - they want to see vengeance on their enemies, the Romans overthrown, their independent power restored. Furthermore, whilst Is 61 was often read as being about favour to Israel, there is nothing in Jesus' reading of it to indicate that it is purely for Israel - he is starting to break down the barriers between Jew and Gentile - and continues to do so later when he refers to the Widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian. The passage is utterly profound, Jesus is proclaiming a new time, a new reign, a new Kingdom - so often we miss the depth of what he says because we don't know the Jewish culture, history and expectations of his day, but when we start to get under it, even just a little it's utterly mind-blowing! By: Will Bissett Category: Jesus Rejected at Nazareth |
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| No prophet is recognized in his own country. |
But the spirit of the Lord is upon him.because He has anointed him; Â The spirit of the Lord Yahweh has been given to me, for Yahweh has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor. to bind up hearts that are broken: to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison; to proclaim a year of favour from Yahweh, a day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all those who mourn and to give them for ashes a garland; for mourning robe the oil gladness, for despondency, praise They are to be called `terebinths of integrity`. planted by Yahweh to glorify him. Isaiah 61:1-3 He wanted to demonstrated God`love. This is Jubilee of Jesus. By: Takao Ogawa Category: Jesus Rejected at Nazareth |
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| Jubilee |
God says:
Count off seven Sabbaths of years. Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the Day of Atonement consecrate the fiftieth
year and proclaim liberty throughout the land , to all its inhabitants. It shall be a year
of Jubilee. ''Leviticus 25:8-10''
Jubilee was a very rare word. It was the Hebrew word for a ram's horn. The Jews were instructed to fashion a trumpet out of the horn
of a wild ram, and this was to be so sacred that it was to be played only once every fifty years. Then there would be Jubilee. During
Jubilee, three things would happen.
First, all debts were canceled. Anyone who had been living under bondage of debt would be freed. This expressed God's heart for the
poor. ...
In the Jubilee Year, God says there will be a fresh start for those who are poor¨for those who are likely to be sitting on the sidelines.
In case anybody missed the intent, or might try to circumvent it, or think it was just a matter of mechanics, God goes on:
Do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your poor brother. Rather be open-handed and freely lend him whatever he
needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought. The year for canceling debts is near so that you show ill will toward
your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart. Then, because of this, your God will bless you. ''Deuteronomy
15:7-10''
In the Jubilee Year, debt is forgiven.
The second thing that happens in the Jubilee Year is all prisoners are released. Now, in our day, this doesn't sound like good news,
because we think of people who are in prison for really bad things, and we're not sure we would want them all to be released. In the
Old Testament days, about the only thing they locked you up for was debt. For almost anything else, they would stone you. If you
talked back to your mom and dad, they'd get the stones out. Jubilee Year meant the prisoners were going to go free.
Third, in the Jubilee Year, all the land was supposed to go back to its original owner. Now in the ancient day, far more than in our day
when economics are much more complex, wealth was tied to land. If you were in a family where your dad or your grandfather had
become sick, or done something wrong, or made a mistake, or been the victim of injustice and your family lost its ability to own land,
that was it. You were out of luck. Jubilee meant hope for the poor.
You might wonder, what was the rationale for all of this? This is what God says:
The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine, and you are but aliens and tenants. ''Leviticus 25:23''
...
There is only one problem with the Jubilee Year. They never actually observed it. The best we can tell, it was never actually observed.
...
You know, God hasn't given up on this Jubilee idea yet. It's a good idea. It's God's idea. We can't pull it off ourselves, but it
is going to happen. It's going to happen when Messiah comes. When Messiah comes, He will proclaim the Jubilee, and He
will make it stick.
For instance, the Prophet Isaiah wrote that the Messiah would say:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me , ''That's Messianic language. The Messiah is simply ?The
Anointed One.?'' , to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the captive and release for the
prisoners to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. ''Isaiah 61:1-2a''
That's Jubilee!
When Messiah comes, then Jubilee is coming!
And they waited. Year after year, decade after decade, century after century ,they waited.
Finally, this rabbi named Jesus comes. He's going to give His very first sermon. He goes back to His hometown and enters the
synagogue. The people are all gathered; they've known Him since He was a little kid. He takes the scroll, turns to these words in
Isaiah 61, and then He reads them to the people:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor , to proclaim the year
of the Lord's favor. ''Luke 4:18''
Then He rolls up the scrolls. The Scripture says that all eyes are fixed on Him. Then He sets them aside. He sits down, because that's
what rabbis did. He says:
Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. ''Luke 4:21''
What He's saying is:
Jubilee is finally here, and I'm it. It's arrived on this planet, first of all in Me , in My body.
And it's come in some unexpected ways. Not only is it here for Israel. He makes it real clear that it's also here for their enemies, the
Gentiles. By: John Ortberg Category: Jesus Rejected at Nazareth (1) Comments |
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