Luke chapter 4

vs 12

Being saved by God wasn't the question. Nor was having faith that God can save you. It was putting God to the test that was the sin. Yes, this means what Gideon did was sinful. I am not sure it also means that "throwing the fleece" as is put forward in "the cross and the switchblade" is also sinful (Gideon did it to see if God was real - the C&S guy did it to try and ascertain God's will, so it wasn't a faith issue). Does God use these people? For sure he does. But Jesus is meant to be sinless.

vs 13

There is some deep editorial comment there! It makes it sound as if, rather than Satan seeing he's met his match and fleeing with his tail between his legs, instead he dogged Jesus' steps every day, waiting for an opportunity to accuse. Bastard.

vs 14

What news exactly spread? I mean, if we're going in chronological order, he hasn't done much yet except get baptised and fend off Satan's temptations. Of course, if you read the verse after this first, then it would make more sense.

vs 15

I think it would not be outside the realms of possibility to say that Jesus' fame began with his authoritative teaching around Galilee.

vs 16

Now we zoom in a little, to see what sort of thing Jesus was doing in synagogues. In particular, we're in Nazereth, where he grew up. So first, he stands up to read from the scroll (of his choosing I assume - I don't know if the synagogues worked through the Bible or something).

vs 17

Although this verse makes us wonder if it really was of his choosing. But I mean, all he had to do was ask for the scroll. And so he reads it.

vs 18-19

Did Isaiah write this just so Jesus could use it to announce his coming? I mean, he probably didn't. The whole messianic thing is a very difficult prophetical question. But I mean, for those of us who know what Jesus is about, and what he's going to get up to, this verse just encapsulates it so well. The "because" clause I find simply fascinating. Every translation I have reads it the same - God's Spirit is on Jesus because of the role he has to play. God's Spirit doesn't just sit on people for the sake of it. It is there because he expects them to take a role. Now, Jesus' role is pretty specific and of course unique. But I think the role as it is put in this Isaiah verse is not limited to only Jesus. Anyone with the Spirit can be involved in fulfilling this work. I mean, even proclaiming the year of the Lord's favour is not beyond us. Although sometimes I think the element of justice that is involved in Isaiah is beyond us.

I had an idea the other day. I was reading about the ability to give my electricity provider money so as to offset some carbon emissions my actions were inevitably taking. You might have also heard of Virgin Blue's new green move, where you give them some money and that offsets the carbon produced by your flight. The money goes to charities that are determined to fight global warming or some such.

I have no problem with that. While there is no love lost between me and tree hugging hippies, I can recognise a false dichotomy when I see one, and helping people vs helping the planet is a false dichotomy. But I think that mistake is made on both sides of the equation.

But that takes me off my point. My point is, what do you think it would be like if, every time you bought something which is cheap or even freely available because of human right abuses, slave labour or bad pay and working conditions, you could pay an amount to offset that by paying a "human rights" offset which was valued by some sort of credit scheme. I don't think it will take off. Firstly, I think it's much harder to quantify, which means it's a lot more difficult to work that kind of scheme. Secondly, I think the issue scares us, especially with regards to putting some sort of money value on human life (even though we do it daily). But finally, I think it would cost us too much money, and we wouldn't like that, not the least which because it would show us just how much inequity and injustice there is. I might write to a couple of aid organisations and suggest it.

vs 20

I've heard some people talk about how they would give sermons in synagogues sitting down. I personally think that's counter-intuitive, but hey, who can account for culture?

vs 21

Everyone, but everyone knew that this was a messianic prophetical word. And everyone knew what he meant when he said it too. I mean, they may not have known the intricacies of it, how it was all going to work. But they knew what Jesus was claiming.