Day 17 | This Joseph’s Son
October 18, 2015 - WEEK THREE
James Tissot, Jesus Unrolls the Book in the Synagogue, Brooklyn Museum, [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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DAILY READING
Matthew 4:12-17
Luke 4:14-30
Isaiah 61
CONSIDER AS YOU READ
- Have you felt it easier to teach strangers than members of your family? Why is that so?
- Do you at times fail to see value and potential in others because of what you know about their past?
- Have you ever been critical or unaccepting of prophets because of their personal faults?
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
Standing before the people, Jesus read from Isaiah one of the greatest of the sayings of that Messianic prophet. Probably he read in Hebrew—such was the practice—and then translated or “targumed” the passage into Aramaic. The targums were the oral translations or paraphrases of the written Hebrew….
Then he sat down—as the custom was—to deliver the discourse. All eyes were upon him, and he began by saying unto them: This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears….
That is to say: “I have read from Isaiah; I have set forth the meaning of his words; I have taught the doctrine. Now I testify that these words—and therefore all Messianic prophecies—are fulfilled in me; they apply to me; I am the one of whom the prophets spoke; I am he; I am the Messiah.”
Where such a witness is born, there are only two possible responses. One is complete acceptance, the other complete rejection.… Jesus taught and testified, and as the full meaning of his gracious words sank into their hearts, his Nazarene friends made their choice. This Jesus they knew and had known from his infancy and youth. How can he be the Son of God? How can he be the Messiah? Their voice—to their eternal sorrow—was one of rejection….
The word fell on stony ground and found no soil in which to grow, and the seeds died without sprouting. It was a sad, dark day for Nazareth (Bruce R. McConkie, Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1979, 2:20–24).
ADDITIONAL MEDIA
Jesus Declares He Is the Messiah
FOR YOUNGER DISCIPLES
QUESTIONS FOR YOUNGER DISCIPLES
- Why were the people in Nazareth angry?
- Why did they not believe in Jesus?