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Insight From the Two Books of KingsThe Watchtower—1985 | May 1
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ON ONE occasion when Jesus was speaking in his hometown of Nazareth, he said something that provoked a surprisingly strong reaction. The inhabitants of Nazareth seemingly were wondering why he had not performed as many miracles there as he had in other towns. In telling them why, Jesus used two Scriptural examples. Here is what he said:
“Truly I tell you that no prophet is accepted in his home territory. For instance, I tell you in truth, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, so that a great famine fell upon all the land, yet Elijah was sent to none of those women, but only to Zarephath in the land of Sidon to a widow. Also, there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, but Naaman the man of Syria.” (Luke 4:24-27) At these words, those listening became filled with anger and tried to kill Jesus. Why did they respond so violently?
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Insight From the Two Books of KingsThe Watchtower—1985 | May 1
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An Unfavorable Comparison
First of all, why were the inhabitants of Nazareth so upset when Jesus referred to two miracles performed more than 900 years earlier by Elijah and Elisha? Well, Jesus was clearly comparing the Nazarenes with the Israelites of the northern kingdom of Israel during the days of Elijah and Elisha, and according to the two books of Kings, Israel was not in a good spiritual condition at that time. The Israelites had gone right over to Baal worship and were persecuting the prophets of Jehovah. Elijah was actually fleeing from his own countrymen when a widow in Zarephath, in a foreign country, took him in and fed him. That was when he performed the miracle Jesus referred to. (1 Kings 17:17-24) Israel was still riddled with Baal worship when Elisha healed the Syrian army chief Naaman of his leprosy.—2 Kings 5:8-14.
The inhabitants of Nazareth did not appreciate being compared with the paganized Jews of those days. Was Jesus’ comparison justified? Evidently so. Just as Elijah’s life was in danger in Israel, so Jesus’ life was now in danger. The record tells us: “All those hearing these things in the synagogue became filled with anger; and they rose up and hurried him outside the city, and they led him to the brow of the mountain upon which their city had been built, in order to throw him down headlong.” But Jehovah protected Jesus, as he had earlier protected Elijah.—Luke 4:28-30.
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