Photo: © Lightstock.com

At the start of his ministry Jesus announced his God-given mission from the pulpit of the synagogue in his home town of Nazareth, quoting a prophecy by the prophet Isaiah centuries earlier.

Jesus Announces His Mission   LUKE 4:16-21

Right at the start of his ministry, Jesus outlined the purpose of his mission in the synagogue in his home town of Nazareth. He was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah open at chapter sixty-one and announced he had come to -

• PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS that Your God reigns, not satan
• HEAL THE SICK 
• SET CAPTIVES FREE

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."

And Jesus finished by saying "Today this prophecy is fulfilled in your hearing."   LUKE 4:16-21

The Problem: The Jews Failed To Recognise Jesus As The Messiah

The problem was that very few Jews recognised Jesus as God's promised Messiah. In the Gospel of JOHN 1:10-14 we read the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to those who believed in him and welcomed him, he gave the right to become children of God.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowds hailed him with the words of PSALM 118:26:

"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! (Hebrew Hoshia-na=Save us now, LORD!)" MATTHEW 21:9 

They looked on him as the Conquering King, prophesied by Zechariah, who would deliver them from their Roman oppressors and bring in God's eternal rule in Jerusalem. But just five days later they were shouting "Crucify him! Crucify him!" when the Roman governor Pontius Pilate asked them if they wanted him to release Jesus the Messiah  MATTHEW 27:22-23.

Peter's Appeal To The Jewish Leaders

In ACTS 3:17-26 the apostle Peter appeals to the Jewish leaders to repent of their ignorance and unbelief and to recognise that Jesus was/is the Messiah promised as long ago as Moses. They were furious and had Peter and John thrown into prison. But more and more of the Jews were putting their trust in Jesus as Yeshua Ha Mashiah and so they had no alternative but to let Peter and John go.