The people of Nazareth knew Jesus as one of Joseph and Mary's family, a young man of the village, a friend, a carpenter. They were amazed at his wisdom in the synagogue when he read the scripture from Isaiah. "This text is being fulfilled today even while you are listening," he said. Was this the man they knew? Where had his wisdom come from? How could it be that this carpenter was interpreting scripture for them?
There was no doubt in Jesus' mind who he was. Yes - as a human being he had an identity in the world: he had a mother and father, brothers and sisters, he had friends, he went to the synagogue, he was a carpenter - but he himself knew who he truly was, he knew his God-self as the son of man. And his sense of empowerment came from this deep inner knowing. So sure of his role as God's messenger, knowing himself as he did , knowing his true nature, was he really likely to have fallen into the very human creation of not being a prophet in his own country?
When I read this scripture, it seems to me that he created the situation; indeed he appears to have set himself up: comparing himself to Elijah's and Elisha's experiences with the Isrealites, he brought everyone's attention to the parallels, the similarities, with himself thus goading the people of Nazareth into hustling him out of town and trying to kill him.
"but he passed straight through the crown and walked
away"
Jesus was a wise and clever teacher indeed. He set up a situation to demonstrate that we can rise above what people think of us. He came to show us our God-selves; and when we are strong and secure in our connection to God and who we are, made in his image, all-powerful, here to serve, here to use our unique gifts. When we are strong in this, we will do God's work on Earth and spread the word, and people will see the Truth of who we are, not just our Earthly, human persona.
