Household: Jesus' Mission Statement

How did Jesus perceive his mission? The gospel of Luke tells in sequence of Jesus being baptized, going into the wilderness to be tested, and then reading from the scrolls during worship at Nazareth. Scholars believe the event at Nazareth actually happened later in Jesus' ministry. So why does Luke locate it at the beginning? Because it is in this story that we see Jesus proclaiming his mission. Here is the passage:

Luke 4:16-21

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (NRSV)

This passage is notable for two connections it makes with Old Testament eschatology (i.e., theology about the ultimate destiny of humankind). First, the idea of “the year of the Lord’s favor,” is a euphemism for the jubilee described in Leviticus 25. The jubilee was an event that was to happen every fifty years. Everyone returned to ancestral land and all terms of indentured servitude expired. It was part of the covenant provisions instituted by God. It symbolized a time of peace and restoration. This passage read by Jesus points back to a time before the diaspora, and before the monarchy, when all God’s people lived as households in stewardship of the resources entrusted to them. It was about the restoration of the Household of God begun in Abraham.

Second, the Luke passage directly referenced Isaiah 61:1-2 (which in turn referenced Leviticus 25.) It is from the heart of the restoration chapters in Isaiah 59-66, where the themes of gathering the people, overthrowing the enemies, restoration, and judgment are the focus. Jesus said “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” These were the works that would be done by the coming messiah. Jesus was claiming he was the messiah and that the promise was about to be fulfilled!

It is interesting to note what Jesus is not quoted as saying in his reading of the scrolls. Jesus’ reading stopped mid-sentence in Isaiah 61:2:

Isa 61:1-2

1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God; … NRSV

Jesus' mission was to restore the House of Israel but for many the House of Israel was now commingled with nation and monarchy, ruling with power, and exercising God’s judgment on others. From the start, Jesus seems to hint that he has a different vision of the House of Israel.

Series Index

Comments

[will spotts]

Michael - the reading of this passage as a 'mission statement' of Jesus raises a couple of difficulties for me. Its role as claiming a messianic mission does seem clear - and does seem to have been understood by its hearers, but there are several such passages in the Gospels - some of which emphasize quite different things.

For example, John asserts that Jesus came into the world that the world, through him, might be saved. John also has Jesus telling Pilate he came into the world for this cause: to bear witness to the truth. He has Jesus saying he has come "so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind"; "that they might have life and have it more abundantly"; and so that "no one who believes in him should stay in darkness." Luke presents Jesus as saying he came to seek and to save what was lost. In Gethsemane Jesus is portrayed as saying he came for this very reason. Paul says Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Matthew presents Jesus saying he has come to fulfill the law; and he has come not to bring peace, but a sword.

[Michael W. Kruse]

Hi Will. I have several more posts coming about Jesus and I think they will flesh things out more.

I would suggest that this passage in Luke metaphorically states the ultimate aim of Jesus ministry. He will reconcile people with God, people with each other, and people with creation (i.e. restoring them as productive stewards over resources entrusted to them.) Salvation of individuals is essential but I think it is penultimate to the telos, of God. We aren't just saved from sin. We are saved to someone for a mission. Our mission is to bear witness of the New Creation that is coming (in word and deed)and to invite others into that New Creation. The New Creation is God's telos not our individual salvation.

Revealing the truth, granting more abundant life, saving individuals, are all part of the process bringing in the New Creation. I'm aware that some may distort this passage in Luke toward some predetermined idea of 21st Century social justice. But I'm also aware of the Evnagelical tendency to make personal salvation the ultimate goal of Jesus ministry. I think this passage, taken in context, gives Jesus mission in the world and other passages expand on specific works he is doing in the world to bring about his eschatological vision.

[kerryn]

Hey Michael
i have been behind in my reading of your household code entries. just caught up.
keep em coming - very interesting background stuff to help us better understand the scriptures.
is this going to be a book? should be...!
with thanks
kerryn

[Michael W. Kruse]

"is this going to be a book?"

Well, it didn't start out to be. I'm just trying to organize lots I've ideas I've had about this stuff. Trying to explain what I'm thinking to others is the single best way I have found to learn and clarify for myself.