p. 14 | SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 13, 1904

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) To what place did Jesus come? What was His custom regarding the Sabbath? Verse 16. Note 1. (2) What book was given to Him? Verse 17. Note 2. (3) What did He read out of the book? Verses 18, 19. Note 3. (4) After reading what did Jesus do with the book? Then what position did He take? How did the people regard Him? Verse 20. Note 4. (5) With what striking words did Jesus begin His discourse? Verse 21. (6) How were His remarks at first received? How did they express surprise at His strange exposition of the Scriptures? Verse 22. Note 5. (7) What proverb did He say they would apply to Him? Verse 23. Note 6. (8) What general statement did He make with regard to prophets? Verse 24. Note 7. (9) What did Jesus say of the miracles of Elijah? Verses 25, 26. (10) What did He say of the time of Elisha? Verse 27. (11) How were the people affected by these allusions to the prophets? Verse 28. (12) What then did they do to Jesus? What was their purpose? Verse 29. Note 8. (13) How did Jesus escape? Verse 30. Note 9.

1. From a child of about three years old to the age of thirty, Jesus had lived in Nazareth. He was a man of good reputation (Luke 2:52), attending well to the duties devolving upon a Jewish young man, both in secular labor and in church duties. Therefore He had taken a leading part in the services of the synagogue. The fact of His standing up to read caused no surprise. He had been away for some time, and no doubt the people were glad to see Him again; for of course He was an entertaining reader, and an instructive speaker.

2. As the books of Scripture were so many separate rolls, Jesus had evidently asked for the book of Isaiah. At any rate, He manifested a familiar acquaintance with the Scriptures.

3. It will be noticed that Jesus stopped reading right in the midst of a sentence. The reason is, He was only calling attention to that part of the prophecy which had then been fulfilled. The "day of vengeance" had not yet come. The remainder of the prophecy of Isa. 61:1-3 will be fulfilled at the second advent of Christ.

4. "Sat down."—It was customary for the leader to stand when reading the Scriptures, but to sit when teaching. So His sitting down was a signal that He was about to talk to the people.

5. Close attention was given to the words which Jesus spake. No doubt the text was an unusual one; it was evidently one which they did not understand (the sequel proved that), and they were curious to hear what He would say about it. The fact of His stopping so abruptly would naturally add to this curiosity. They "wondered."—There was reason for this; for notwithstanding the wisdom with which they had heard Him speak in times past, He had just received an additional baptism of the Spirit, and had gained a signal victory over the adversary of souls, all of which had added much to His wonderful power and wisdom.

6. The "proverb," or "parable."—That part of the proverb, "Physician, heal thyself," would imply that Jesus was just such an one as themselves, needing whatever He would prescribe for them. Capernaum was on a great thoroughfare, and was a noted center of trade. No doubt many great stories went abroad of wonderful things heard and done in that city. Hence the proverb arose as a kind of byword challenge. So Jesus had turned the water into wine at Cana just before coming to Nazareth, which miracle must have been published by His friends and new-found disciples. He knew the people would be applying the proverb to Him, if indeed they were not already doing so in their minds.

7. "No prophet is acceptable in his own country."—This saying had been verified by all the prophets of the past; and it was especially true of the prophet's own generation. But, as a rule, they were honored by people of succeeding generations. But Jesus never accepted challenges to do mighty works merely to show His own power. He would not do this even to gratify the king (Luke 23:8-11). Of Nazareth it is said that "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." Matt. 13:58.

8. In the rejection of Christ, the people of Nazareth showed their disregard of the Spirit of prophecy. They would not accept any fulfilment of prophecy that did not harmonize with their own preconceived ideas of what the prophecy meant. The idea of the Messiah being one born of humble parents, and living as a laboring man in their midst until thirty years old, and then beginning His work in such a humble manner, could not be entertained for a moment. And people of to-day are making just as fatal mistakes regarding His second advent as did the Jews concerning the first advent. And Jesus Himself said it would be so. See Matt. 24:3-5, 24-31.

9. Jesus was always guarded by the angelic host, even as His servants are to-day. His enemies could not put Him to death until His work was done, and the time should come for His offering.