Nazareth Synagogue
A prophet is without honor in his hometown, just as Elijah and Elisha learned in the books of First and Second Kings.
Luke 4:16-30
16He came to Nazareth where he grew up, and entered the synagogue on the day of the sabbath, just as he was accustomed, and stood up to read.
17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. Joshua opened the scroll and found the place where it is written:
18 FA The spirit of the Master is on me. Because of this I am anointed to 1|6 proclaim thoughts to the poor and I am sent to 2|6 heal broken hearts and to 3|6 proclaim release to the captives and 4|6 sight to the blind and to 5|6 restore the depressed with forgiveness
19and to 6|6 preach the acceptable year of the Master. Q Isaiah 61:1
Luke 4:16-1920He rolled up the scroll and gave it to the minister and went and sat down. The eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21He began to say to them, Today this writing is fulfilled in your ears.
Luke 4:20-2122All testified about him and were amazed by the words of grace which came out of his mouth. They said, Is this man not the son of Joseph?
Luke 4:2223Joshua said to them, You will probably tell me this proverb, Physician heal yourself, and, All that we heard you did in Capernaum also do here in your own city.
Luke 4:2324He said, FA Truly I say to you no prophet is acceptable in his own city.
FA 25For truly I say to you there were many widows in Israel in the days of the prophet Elijah when the skies were closed for 3 years and 6 months and there was a great famine throughout the land.
26Yet Elijah was not sent to 1 of them, but to Zarepath of Sidon to a widow woman. H 1 Kings 17:9
27There were many lepers in Israel in the days of the prophet Elisha. Yet not 1 of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Aramean. H 2 Kings 5:1
Luke 4:24-2728When those who were in the synagogue heard these things they were all filled with anger.
29They rose up and took him outside the city and brought him to the ridge of the mountain on which their city was built that they might throw him down from the cliff,
30but he passed through the middle of them and went away. Luke 4:28-30 (Luke 4:16-30 BRB)
Count
3+6+1+1 = 11 = Second Kings
Second Kings
The stories about Elijah and Elisha that Jesus refers to are written in the books of First Kings and Second Kings. The numbers Jesus gives add to the book of Second Kings, which is as close to both stories as one can possibly be when quoting whole book numbers.
This passage is interesting because Jesus is citing these stories both directly, by name, and by the math given in the passage.
Elijah Visits the Widow
8The word of the Master came to him saying,
9Arise, go to Zarepath Sidon and live there. I have commanded a widow there to feed you. H Luke 4:25-26
10He arose and went to Zarepath. When he came to the gate of the city a widow woman was there piling up sticks. He called to her and said, Bring me a little water in a vessel that I may drink.
11As she was going to fetch it he called to her and said, Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.
1 Kings 17:10-1112She said, As the Master your god lives I have nothing but a handful of flour in a pot and a little oil in a cruse. I am gathering 2 sticks that I may go in and bake it for me and my son that we may eat it and die.
1 Kings 17:1213Elijah said to her, Do not fear. Go and do as you have said, but 1st make a little cake and bring it to me. Afterward make for yourself and your son.
14For the Master the god of Israel says, The pot of flour will not be spent and the cruse of oil will not diminish until the day the Master will give rain on the face of the land.
1 Kings 17:13-1415She went and did according to the saying of Elijah and she and he and her house ate many days.
16The pot of flour was not spent nor did the cruse of oil diminish according to the word of the Master which he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:15-16 (1 Kings 17:8-16 BRB)
Elisha Heals the Leper
1Naaman general of the army of the king of Adam was a great man FE before his master and honorable, because by him the Master had given deliverance to Adam. The valiant man Naaman was a leper. H Luke 4:27 A 1 Corinthians 9:7
2 Kings 5:12The Adamites had gone out raiding and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little girl and she waited on the wife of Naaman.
3She said to her mistress, My master would be blessed if he would go to the prophet FE who is in Samaria, for he would immediately cure him of his leprosy. A 2 Corinthians 6:6
2 Kings 5:2-34They went in and told her master saying, Such and such said the girl who is from the land of Israel.
FE 5The king of Adam said to him, Come, go, I will send a letter to the king of Israel. He departed and took with him 10 talents of silver and 6,000 of gold and 10 changes of garments.
FE 6He brought the letter to the king of Israel and this was written in it, In the hour when this letter reaches you I have sent to you Naaman my servant that you may heal him of his leprosy.
2 Kings 5:4-67When the king of Israel had read the letter he tore his clothes and said, Am I god, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends me a man to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore consider and see how he is seeking to pick a quarrel with me.
2 Kings 5:78When Elisha the prophet of god had heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes he sent to the king saying, Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me now and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10Elisha sent to him by a messenger, Go and wash in the Jordan 7 times and your flesh will come again to you and you will be clean.
2 Kings 5:8-1011Naaman was angry and went away and said, I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Master his god and wave his hand over the place and I would be healed from the leprosy.
12Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? I will go and wash in them and be clean. 2 Kings 5:11-12He turned and went away in a rage.
13His servants came near and said to him, Our master, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing you would have done it, but he has told you to do a small thing. Go and wash and be clean.
2 Kings 5:12-1314He listened to their voice and he did so and went on and washed 7 times in the Jordan according to the word of the prophet of god and his flesh came again like the flesh of a little boy and he was clean.
2 Kings 5:1415He returned to the prophet of god, he and all his company, and came and stood before him and said to him, Now I know that there is no god in all the land but in Israel. Now take this blessing from your servant.
2 Kings 5:15FE 16Elisha said, As the Master lives before whom I stand I will not receive any. He urged him to take it, but he refused.
2 Kings 5:1617Naaman said, Will there not then be given to your servant 2 mules' burden of land? From now on your servant will offer neither burnt offerings nor sacrifices to any other god but the Master.
18In this matter may the Master forgive your servant, when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to bow there. I am the king's aide and I also bow in the house of Rimmon. When I bow in the house of Rimmon the Master pardon your servant in this matter.
2 Kings 5:17-1819He said to him, Go in peace. 2 Kings 5:19 FE He departed from him a little way.
20Gehazi the disciple of Elisha the prophet of god said, My master has spared Naaman the Adamite in not accepting from him what he brought, but as the Master lives I will run after him and take something from him.
2 Kings 5:19-2021Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him he alighted from his chariot to meet him and said to him, Is all well?
2 Kings 5:2122He said, All is well. My master has sent me saying, There have just now come to me from the mount of Ephraim 2 men of the children of the prophets. Give them a talent of silver and 2 changes of garments.
2 Kings 5:2223Naaman said, I am willing. Take 2 talents. He urged him and bound 2 talents of silver in 2 pieces of cloth with 2 changes of garments and he gave them to 2 of his servants and they carried them before him.
24They came to a secret place and he took them from their hand and put them in the house and he sent the men away and they departed.
25He went in and stood before his master. 2 Kings 5:23-25Elisha said to him, Where have you been Gehazi? 2 Kings 5:25aHe said, Your servant went nowhere.
2 Kings 5:25b26He said to him, My heart told me when the man alighted from his chariot to meet you. Is it a time to gain silver and to gain garments and oliveyards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male servants and female servants?
27Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your seed forever. He went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. 2 Kings 5:26-27 (2 Kings 5:1-27 BRB)