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NASB | Luke 4:28 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 4:28 As they heard these things [about God's grace to these two Gentiles], the people in the synagogue were filled with a great rage; |
Bible Question:
JC, I am grateful for your response because it seems you have done some deep thinking. It was difficult to respond to the idea that people hated Jesus because he condemned them. It does say that God had not sent him into the world to condemn the world, and he had a way of saying, “Neither do I condemn you”. I thought, “Perhaps there is more than one answer” and you have offered others. Please stay with me, and think. You seem to separate David from the Lord Jesus as being a different situation. Think with me that David was a prophet and his words were actually inspired by the Holy Spirit. Because of that he often spoke the very words that Jesus would speak. He did say, “O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from you” (Psalm 65:5). But was that the reason he had difficulty with the people? It would have been a credit to them if they had hated him because of his sin. But I am afraid that it does not seem to be their reason. Indeed, we may find that it is his righteousness that they resented. Why is David talking about sin here? Please consider that he might be talking about possible sins, that were apparent only to God (Psalm 139:24), secret faults (Psalm 19:12). David would say that he hated sin, and even that he hated sinners. They must have had other reasons for hating him (Psalm 39;Psalm 35:19). In Psalm 101:3 he expresses hatred for “the work of them that turn aside”. In Psalm 119:104 he hates “every false way”. In Psalm 139:21,22 he hates them. “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies”. Back in Psalm 69:6, it is those who are waiting on God who are having a hard time. It is those who side with God who are hated and in danger of being confounded. Psalm 69:7-9 “Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children. Psalm 69:9 “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me”. You will recall similar words being attached to the Lord in John 2 as he cleansed the Temple, and in Romans 15 as he is set forth as an example of devotion to the father’s pleasure. It was the same for David (1 Samuel 13:14). But it was very insightful of you to point out the difference between the response of the common people and that of the religious leaders. In Mark 12:37 “The common people heard him gladly”. In Matthew 21:46, the multitude took him for a prophet. In Matthew 21:11, the multitude said, “This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee”. In Matthew 21:9 , the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest”. It seems strange sometimes that those same people would turn and say “Crucify him!” but we have to consider the role of the religious leaders. In Matthew 21:15, when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David”; they were sore displeased. It was they who would stir the people to shout against him. In Matthew 27:20, the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. So why did the religious leaders hate him? We might consider that in greater detail. |
Bible Answer: Because he called sin sin. Why does the world hate Jesus today? Because he calls sin sin. The world simply does not want to hear that. EdB |