osed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and
sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on
him. 21 And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture
been fulfilled in your ears. 22 And all bare him witness, and
wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth:
and they said, Is not this Joseph's son? 23 And he said unto them,
Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal
thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here
in thine own country. 24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No
prophet is acceptable in his own country. 25 But of a truth I say
unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah,
when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there
came a great famine over all the land; 26 and unto none of them
was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, unto
a woman that was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel
in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed,
but only Naaman the Syrian. 28 And they were all filled with wrath
in the synagogue, as they heard these things; 29 and they rose up,
and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of
the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him
down headlong. 30 But he passing through the midst of them went
his way.

After his baptism and temptation Jesus remained for a time in Jerusalem
and in Judea and then returned to Galilee where he began that ministry to
which Luke devotes the next six chapters of his Gospel. Of this ministry
he mentions three features: First, it was wrought in the power of the Holy
Spirit; secondly, its fame extended through the entire country; and
thirdly, its essence consisted in the most arresting and impressive public
teaching.

The first recorded sermon of Jesus was preached in the synagogue at
Nazareth, the town in which he had spent his youth and early manhood. Luke
places this sermon at the very opening of his record of the public
ministry of Jesus, probably because he regarded it as containing the
program of that ministry, or as forming the proclamation of the saving
work of our Lord.

It was a Sabbath Day. The place of worship was crowded with the relatives
and friends and townsmen of Jesus. All were eager to hear one whom they
knew so well, and who had attained so sudde