Page 61 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

remained in Sychar for two more days, teaching the Samaritan people about the Kingdom of God.
When He left, the people told the woman, “we have heard for ourselves, and we KNOW that this is
indeed the Savior of the world (John 4:42).

This trip north from Judea to Galilee marked a shift in the location center for Jesus’ ministry for the next
few months. Jesus knew that if He stayed in Judea, the religious leaders would seek to kill him, and He
had not yet fulfilled His entire ministry at this point. Galilee would be a safer place in which to preach
the Kingdom of God.

Jesus’ Ministry in His hometown, Nazareth (Luke 4:13-22; Matthew 13:54-59 and Mark 6:1-6)

Jesus arrived in Nazareth about a year after he had left for Judea to be with John. His only trip home
was a short trip to Cana. Jesus went to the synagogue and was very familiar with it as he probably
received his education there when growing up.

The word “synagogue” comes from a Greek word meaning “meeting place “or “congregation”. By the
time of Jesus, the Jews had established synagogues in most cities and villages where they lived. The
oldest synagogue excavated so far in Judea dates from about 100 AD. It was located near the city gates,
a traditional place for public business.

The people in the synagogue knew
who Jesus was as well as who his
family was. Jesus was immediately
recognized by the rabbi of the
synagogue and was asked to
participate in the service. Jesus
picked up a scroll and read from
Isaiah 61, which told of the coming
Messiah and what He would declare
to the people.

There was a very important rule in
the synagogue which regulated the
reading of Scripture. It was required
that the person readying a passage of
Scripture read the entire passage
without interruption. Isaiah 61 is
eleven verses in length. Therefore,
Jesus was required to read all eleven verses. But He only read the first two verses, rolled up the scroll,
and set it down. Luke records that the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Jesus in
shock. He had broken the rule. Then He said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”. He was
declaring Himself to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of a coming Messiah. Immediately those
hearing Him rejected Him by saying, “Are you not Joseph’s son?” Jesus preached a short sermon,
condemning them for this unbelief. When they heard His message, they were filled with wrath and took
Him to a hill outside the town called Mt. Precipice to throw him down the cliff. Pictured above is a view
from Mt. Precipice.

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