The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-24
THE sUNDAY-sCHoOL LESSON.
Feb. %, 1900; Luke iv, 16-30-Jesus
Rejected mt Nazareth.

Rejected mt Nazareth.
The synagogue in Nazareth was a plain. small.
rectangular structure. its only effort at embel-
lishment being in the form OF Greek portico
with the conventional Hebrew twisted foliage
for ornament. Here stand the two alms-boxes-
that the right for the poor of the congrega-
ton, that the left for the pilgrim Jew. The
interior vies with the exterior in plainness
plain as pipestem certainly applies here.
Common wooden benches seat the congregation
In recess in the wall Is chest exactly
proportioned after the ark OF the covenant, only
not overlaid with gold and destitute Of cherubim
1t faces toward Jerusalem. and contains the
scrolls Of the law and prophets. In front is the
readers desk. and in front OF IL the elevated
stalls. the chief Seats for which there
often an unseemly scramble The
gregation gathers. The angel. or president of the
synagogue. is in his place. with yelled face The
rulers mount to the chief seats. They are on
dress parade, with their blue ribbons and white
phylacteries. Strange sight this, an audience OF
men! Where are the women? Talk about sep
arate sittings! The women not only sit apart
but entirely out OF view. In gallery behind
the lattice sit the matrons and maids Of Israel
" Service begins. The minister steps into
the pulpit. The audience arises. They burst
out in the recitation of the shema. Deut. vi. AS.
etc) The minister, with yelled face and hands
spread toward heaven. chants a prayer. He
opens the ark. takes out the roll OF the law
finds the passage appointed TO be read, calls a
layman from the congregation. and has him
read it, The scroll of the law is then returned
and that of the prophet brought out. It was Just
at this juncture. in Nazareth, that the minister.
CHANGING the audience, and noticing the
benignant countenance OF stranger. calls him
to the pulpit and puts the roll of the prophet
Isaiah in his hands. Jesus found the place
where IL Is written: THE Spirit Of the Lord is
upon me-" That audience could not have
hoar,
that morning. The fame OF Jesus had reached
the city where he had been brought up. His
baptism by John Baptist, his cleansing of the
temple-news OF these matters must have been
brought by returning pilgrims. They had
tainly heard of the miracles in Capernaum, If
not at Cana too Jesus did his best 10
propritate his auditors. He might have selected
paragraph setting forth his regal character.
But instead. he chose one which pictured him
as a lowiy messenger of helpfulness, and he
carefully stopped short OF the sentence which
declared his judicial Office. He had purposely
delayed his coming in order that the fame OF
what he did and said in other places might
reach Nazareth, and overcome IL possible, the
contempt which was bred by familiarity.
He almost succeeded There was a sweet per-
suasiveness in voice and manner. There was a
veritable impersonation OF humilty--a seIf-ob-
liviousness that was captivating to the last de-
gree The fate of Nazareth trembled in the bal
gesture. according to the free manner of the
synagogue. as well to the demonstrative Gus
tom OF Orientals generally, they indicated their
admiration OF both speaker and word spoken.
But as the sermon proceeded the reaction
set in. Jesus was perfectly aware that 1t was
coming. He knew what in man. He knew
he was to be rejected. before he set foot in
Nazareth; but love and sympathy for his towns
men constrained him not to pass them by. Those
VINO moment before were wondering at the
graciousness OF his words, vociferat-
ing about his low birth and humble profession,
and resentng his mild claim to the Messiahship.
They were saying TO him: IF you are really the
promised one, why don't you work a miracle on
yourself to begin with? Convert your poverty
into wealth. your weakness into strength, and
we will believe your Then their local
pride. their village jealousy, began to assert it
SELF as they cried why did you not favor your
own city with your miracles, instead of Caper-
naum?" Jesus half Apologies for his fell
low-townsmen as he says: II only meeting
the prophets fate. My townsfolks are not doing
worse than Israel in general" But it was his
next word which proved a veritahle firebrand In
their hearts. 1t the suggestion that as
/ Elijah and Elisha passed over the unworthy de-
scendants OF Abraham and conferred their gra-
cious benefits upon gentles so he. who was their
prototype, must do likewise WHAT the in
alienabe rights of the elect people go to gentle
dogs?" The synagogue is in an uproar. The
pendulum of feeling has swung from the point
of admiration to the opposite extreme of vim
dictive hatred. Service closed in a most
uncommon and unseemly manner that day. There
was closing hymn. in which the soprano and
alto came pouring through the lattice from the
choir invisible, TO blend sweetly with the tenor
and basso There no blessing or benediction,
as was wont, pronounced by priest or invoked by
ayman. The synagogue had judicial pre-
negatives AS Renan says; Each little
independent republic, each could pronounce SEN
tence for penal ofense." This is exactly what
the synagogue OF Nazareth did. 1t excommuni-
Gated Jesus on the spot. 1t cast him out judi
cially. 1t proceeded to put him to death in a
legal manner; casting down from precipice
being a lawful substitute for stoning
Jesus did not elude his enraged neighbors by
either striking them with blindness making
himself invisible to them. Luke expressly says
He passed through the midst OF them They
saw him as he passed. but We're poweriess to
| detain him. They instnctively opened an aisle