Why were the Jews angry at Jesus in (Luke 4:25-27)

[this-gospel]

But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; (Luke 4:25) But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. (Luke 4:26) And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. (Luke 4:27)

 

 

What Jesus meant by this? Please provide Bible verse to back up your answer. Thank you!
 

 

[OneLight]

Here is the conversation in context. Luke 4:16-30
 

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’” Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

You will notice Jesus is speaking of those who knew Him as a child, who did not understand He was the Christ and rejected Him. Jesus used Elias to show them what will happen to those who do not believe.

[Willa]

He is saying that Elijah found safety in Sidon, and Elisha only healed a Syrian, neither of which are in Judah or Israel. They were rejected in their own country as was Jesus. John 1:11 He came unto His own and His own received Him not. See Matthew 23:29-37.

[appy]

Jesus' sermon certainly hit a nerve when it came to nationalistic and provincial bias. They had a lot of hatred for outsiders. Like Jonah, they felt that only they were privileged to receive God's help and blessings and didn't want outsiders receiving any of God's blessings.  What angered them was that Jesus spoke of the gentiles too receiving God's mercy and blessings.

 

 

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If you and I meet, and you forget me. You have lost nothing.  But if you meet Jesus, and you forget him. You have lost everything.

[jtartar]

But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; (Luke 4:25) But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. (Luke 4:26) And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. (Luke 4:27)

 

 

What Jesus meant by this? Please provide Bible verse to back up your answer. Thank you!

Jesus had just read in Isaiah about a prophecy pointing to the Messiah, Luke 4:16-20, then he said that this prophecy is fulfilled. The people then praised Jesus, for his beautiful words, but then he wanted them to understand that they were not putting faith in him, as the Christ, as they should, because these scriptures were a prophecy from Isaiah 61:1,2.

You notice that when Jesus told the Jews that there were many Jews back then, in the time of Zarephath, and Naaman, but Elijah, and Elisha were not sent to any leper in Israel, but to a GENTILE named Naaman. There were many widows in Israel during famine, but Elijah was sent to a GENTILE widow.

The Jews hearing this got extremely angry because the Jews were God's chosen people and they were the descendants of the people Jesus was talking about. This was like blasphemy to them to think Elijah and Elisha went to Gentiles instead of Jews, and Jesus was pointing out that a prophet is not unhonered except in his own home territory. This saying by Jesus made the people so angry that they led him away to throw down off the mountain the city of Jerusalem was built on. It was not time for Jesus to give his life yet, so he just walked away through the midst of them. They really had no power over Jesus.

[bcbsr]

The Jews were extremely prejudice against Gentiles (non-Jews) and the examples Jesus gave involved God being gracious to Gentiles. Consider Paul's experience as well when he visited Jerusalem. 

 

"Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’"The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!" Acts 22:21,22

 

Just mention the word "Gentile" and they go berserk!

 

[disciplehelovestoo]

But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; (Luke 4:25) But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. (Luke 4:26) And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. (Luke 4:27)

 

 

What Jesus meant by this? Please provide Bible verse to back up your answer. Thank you!

 

Luk 4:23 KJV

(23)  And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

 

Jesus knew that most of the people of that day (and this one) would not accept their responsibility to seek and follow God's leading; but rather would expect God to do more than He had already done to help them, as their performance was perfect in their own eyes.

 

Rom 8:14 KJV

(14)  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

 

God sent Elijah to the only widow who was willing to obey God's leading and give a part of her last meal to him; Naaman was the only leper in the time of Elijah that was willing to obey God's leading to seek cleansing from leprosy by dipping in a river.

 

the reason this was so offensive to the Jews Jesus was speaking to is that they were convinced that they could justify themselves before God based on their performance to His laws, rather than by putting faith in his undeserved favor (grace) to them.

 

this is still offensive today to those who would pridefully believe they can keep the whole law by their own strength and understanding, using Jesus to merely make up their shortfall.  it surely made no sense for the widow to share her last meal in the midst of a great famine, but she yielded to God's leading instead of her own understanding.  Naaman surely thought that dipping in a river would not cleanse him, but he yielded to the leading of the Lord instead of his own understanding.

 

 

[Salty]

He is saying that Elijah found safety in Sidon, and Elisha only healed a Syrian, neither of which are in Judah or Israel. They were rejected in their own country as was Jesus. John 1:11 He came unto His own and His own received Him not. See Matthew 23:29-37.

 

On the nail. Those of Sidon and Syria represented the Gentiles. That Scripture also serves as a marker of how He would be rejected by His own in Jerusalem, yet The Gospel would to to the Gentiles and the Gentiles would believe. That is what angered those Jews there in the synagogue, because it showed a future state of spiritual desolation to them because of rejecting Him.

[Willa]

Luke 5:21 says "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God?" 23-24 Jesus replied "which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you' or to say 'Rise us and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins."

The Jews were always angered when Jesus claimed to be the Messiah or to be I AM--Jehovah. These they considered blasphemy because they had hardened hearts. I really don't think it had anything to do with their future spiritual desolation. It revealed their present state. But our God is faithful to His promises to the righteous Jews of their forefathers. All Israel shall be saved and inherit the fulness of their promised land. Romans 11:28-29 But concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. NKJV It is only because of their rejection that we are offered the crumbs from our Master's table. We don't deserve God's mercy either. It is by grace that we are saved. It is we gentiles that crucified our Lord.

[clark thompson]

Jesus was explaining how God cared for those that were not Jewish and explaining why He chose to help them, the Jews that were angry with Christ only thought of themselves they had an issue with pride.