Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #18 Heading Home

Have you ever had a family member in trouble and you wanted to help? Jesus’ cousin John (the baptizer) was put in prison by King Herod. When he heard of this, Jesus did not try to “spring John out of jail,” but returned to his home town and boldly proclaimed his ministry as the Messiah. In a place where others thought little of him as a local boy, Jesus declared a great prophecy from Isaiah about who he was, and what he would do!

Let’s recap some of the events we’ve seen where Jesus and his cousin John worked together to accomplish God’s will about the Messiah (who would be like Moses) and the Baptizer (who would be like Elijah). John baptized Jesus in the wilderness of Judea; he declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God while baptizing in the land beyond Jordan; both attended the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread in April, 27 AD; and then John was in Aenon of Decapolis while Jesus was in Judea (John 3:22-24).

John’s Arrest by King Herod

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all describe John’s imprisonment by Herod. But only one of the gospel writers describes how he told the story of Jesus in chronological order.

Luke 1:3:
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus.

This is quite a claim for any writer—to have perfect understanding. Luke was a man of God, filled with the holy spirit. God, Who is Spirit, could give Luke revelation by the gift of holy spirit within him. That’s how he could write exactly what God wanted him to. Peter explains this:

II Peter 1:20,21:
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost [the holy spirit that God gave them].

Let’s look at some of the words Luke used about his gospel. He was a physician and knew the Greek language accurately. The phrase “perfect understanding of all things” comes from the Greek words akribōs, parakoloutheō, and pas. The word akribōs means precise and accurate. The word parakoloutheō means to follow alongside, and the word pas means all things relating to his gospel. Luke wrote accurately as he “followed alongside” [by revelation] what Jesus had done.

The words “from the very first” are one Greek word, anōthen. This literally means “from above.” Luke got revelation from God. The phrase “to write unto thee in order” comes from the Greek words graphō [to write] and kathexēs. Luke, from the very beginning of his gospel, says it is written kathexēs, which in Greek means consecutively, in chronological order.

When it comes to John’s arrest and death, Luke shows the events chronologically. While Luke puts this record in the proper order it occurred, Matthew and Mark “go back” to explain how John was arrested.

Matthew 14:1-3:
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.

Matthew describes Herod talking to his servants long after John was imprisoned and beheaded. He gives a “recap” of these events in the following verses (Matthew 14:4-12). Mark also “looks back” in the context of King Herod thinking that John had been raised from the dead.

Mark 6:14-17:
And king Herod heard of him [Jesus];(for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.

Mark then finishes the story of John’s death (Mark 6:18-29). Neither Matthew nor Mark claimed to write their gospels in chronological order, but Luke did. He shows John being imprisoned before Jesus returns to his hometown in Galilee (although after the events recorded in the gospel of John 1:19-4:54.)

Luke 3:19,20; 4:14,15:
But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

 Jesus Goes Home

After hearing of his dear cousin’s arrest, Jesus returned to his home town, Nazareth.

Matthew 4:12-17 [ESV]:
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 Matthew doesn’t tell much of what happened in Nazareth, although he does quote a prophecy about the Messiah from Isaiah 9:1,2. Similarly, Mark gives little detail of Jesus’ time there.

Mark 1:14,15 [ESV]:
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Luke, however, shows another prophecy from Isaiah being fulfilled. It is one of the greatest declarations of the Messiah’s ministry in the Old Testament scriptures. And Jesus boldly declared it in the synagogue where he grew up.

Luke 4:14-21 [ESV]:
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

The synagogues in Jesus’ time had a “reading schedule” to cover important scriptures. Some Bible scholars believe that this quote from Isaiah 61:1,2 was the daily reading when Jesus went to Nazareth. Look at God’s perfect timing as he worked in His Son to be there on just the right day! Here is what Isaiah had prophesied:

Isaiah 61:1,2 [KJV]:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God….

Notice that Jesus did not finish quoting this prophecy; he did not say “and the day of vengeance of our God.” Jesus Christ is now raised from the dead and at God’s right hand. He will come back someday and bring God’s righteous justice. But that was not part of his earthly ministry that he told them “has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

I remember quoting these scriptures in Australia as we were training some young ministers in the gospel. These words of our savior inspired us to reach out to others and do the works of Jesus Christ. But that was not how those in his home town received such words of life.

Light Exposes Darkness

John 3:20 [KJV]:
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Before the people in Nazareth, Jesus proclaimed his mission as the Messiah, the anointed one: to preach good tidings to the humble, to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom to those held captive by the Devil, and to open the prison doors to those oppressed physically, mentally, and spiritually. Most significantly, he proclaimed God’s acceptable year—the year of Jesus’ ministry when he would carry out God’s plan to redeem mankind.

But those in Nazareth considered Jesus to be “the carpenter’s son…his mother called Mary…his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas” (Matthew 13:55). They only saw him as a local boy, whose family they saw every day. How could he be the one whom Isaiah said “the LORD hath anointed”? They became so angry, that they tried to kill him.

Luke 4:22-30 [ESV]:
And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.

Look at what happened after Jesus declared himself to be God’s true Messiah:

1. They said he was only the son of Joseph, not the Son of God as the Messiah would be [the same attack that Satan had used in the wilderness: “If thou be the Son of God…”].
2. Jesus describes how it was a widow from outside Israel who believed for the Prophet Elijah’s help in a famine. It was a man from outside Israel who believed to be healed of leprosy by the Prophet Elisha. Now these people in Israel were rejecting the greatest prophet of all—God’s only-begotten Son.
3. They were filled with such wrath that they tried to throw Jesus off the cliff near Nazareth, but God helped him escape.

Lessons as We Follow our Lord Jesus Christ

This series continues to show us great life lessons as we follow our Lord in his ministry. Here are a few take aways from this part of the trail.

• All the gospels were inspired by God and given to men who had His holy spirit. Luke wrote about Jesus’ life in chronological order.
• Even when we hear of negative attacks on those we love, we should do what our Father wants us to do. That would definitely include prayer and support for our loved ones where we can.
• We should read God’s Word (like Jesus did) and believe who we are and our mission in life. With “Christ in” us (Colossians 1:27), we can do the works of Jesus Christ and minister to others.
• Even when we meet unbelief and evil attacks, we can trust our Father to “make a way to escape” (I Corinthians 10:13). See the blog “Escape Artists,” for more details.

Let’s follow our Lord and Savior and make known to all the deliverance and wholeness available through Christ.

NEXT:  Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #19 The King and The Kingdom

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