Luke 4:16-21 King James Version
16 Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives . . .
. . . and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[f]
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
[NOTES: Muslims regard Jesus as one of the great prophets who brought divine guidance to humanity before Prophet Muhammad.
Jews traditionally reject Christian theological claims about Jesus. However, “Considering the historical Jesus, some modern Jewish thinkers have come to hold a more positive view of Jesus, arguing that he himself did not abandon Judaism and/or that he benefited non-Jews.” (Wikipedia )]
Jesus was born a Jew and died a Jew, having no clue re his heading up a new religion….
If he existed at all. No mention of him in the historical record of his time. Possibly an amalgam invented by the Romans to give themselves power…?And boy did they!
Was he actually grumpy Paul or magisterial Peter?
Much based on Sumerian myths— virgin birth, guy on a donkey, etc etc
You’re spot on, Chuck
In John 8:44 and following, Jesus cursed all Jews (he wasn’t one himself; he was a mamzer) as “children of the Devil” because they told the truth about his birth (he was “the son of fornication”), and he couldn’t deny it. This provided the grounds for the rape, pillage, and murder of millions, in his name, for the next 2,000 years.
It’s correct,there are numerous anti-Jewish passages in the Christian scriptures, which have produced great evil. There are also genocidal calls against other groups in the Hebrew scriptures too. We hear the latter echoed in talk from some leaders in Israel about “Amalek.”
Well said, timely, pertinent. Thanks. I would add the following as food for thought.
The two most revolutionary words in the entire Bible are the words beginning the Lord’s Prayer, namely: Our Father… If Jesus wanted people to believe he was the only son or the privileged son, he would have said it, namely: “Pray to my father and in my name,” or some such formula. By having everybody pray to “our father,” Jesus sets the truth before us to contemplate not only of human kinship in the entire family of God but also of equal status, none superior and none inferior, within the family of God.
The reason to free the captive is that we acknowledge the fact that no brother or sister — without trial and conviction for crime — should be imprisoned. Micah puts the question: Q. What does the Lord require of us? Here, require means REQUIRE. That is an imperative, not a helpful hint or polite but pointed suggestion.
The correct answer: DO JUSTLY — don’t just ponder it — LOVE MERCY — put positive energy into it rather than abstract philosophy — and WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.
Therein lies the rub, for without humbly walking and talking with God, we might have neither energy nor will nor ability to love mercy and therefore to do justly. From God we gain will and wisdom and energy for Justice and for Mercy, spiritual gifts given to God’s children.. From ourselves and our overactive egos, we are limited to balanced or restrained punishment of only “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and a life for a life.”
From Satan, however, we develop a taste for retribution and revenge, i.e. perhaps our lust is for ten lives of the enemy for one life of the friend or the family member. Terrorism, whether state supported or individually conceived and executed , is not only barbaric but also satanic.
We are bigger and better than this
Together, hand in hand,
Together we will stand
In Love that is bigger than this.
KL