This coming Sunday is the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time. ²⁰ Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. ²¹ He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

With the reading complete, Jesus takes the posture (sitting) of the teacher – as he was expected to do. All eyes are upon him, his reputation preceding, his choice of scripture provocative – the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. Then simply and powerfully Jesus tells them that this great promise of God given in Isaiah, this promise of the long awaited Messiah has been fulfilled.

It amounted to a declaration by Him that the words that He had read to them had finally come to fulfillment—in His own person. By this He really announced that He was the One anointed by God with the Spirit to proclaim the glad tidings to the poor. God had sent and empowered Him to fulfill all those signs promised through the prophet. And now Jesus stands among them proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Jesus is announcing the Messianic age—the period ushered in by His appearance, in which God will grant His salvation to His people.

And the people respond to this great news …. Well, that is for next week.

Image credit: Eleventh century fresco of the Exorcism at the Synagogue in Capernaum | Wiki Commons | PS-US