A CUSTOM OF JESUS -- Monday:
"So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read." (Luke 4:16)
Jesus was "brought up" in Nazareth. Of itself, that was a marvelous thing. When but a small child, Joseph and Mary came there with Him in fulfillment of the Scripture (Matt 2:22-23). Throughout His ministry, He was known as "Jesus of Nazareth" (Mk 1:24; Lk 4:34; 18:37; Acts 2:22).
This city was not the ideal place for upbringing – at least not from a human point of view. When Philip told Nathanael, "We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth," he replied, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:45-46). He certainly saw no virtue in the city, and thought it unlikely that the Messiah could come from there.
However, it was here, in Nazareth, that Jesus "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Lk 2:51-52). Isaiah prophesied the Savior would "grow up before Him (God) as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground" (Isa 53:2). But who would have chosen Nazareth as a place for the culturing of the Messiah of the world?
By the time Jesus entered in His ministry, certain customs characterized Him. Two broad areas are described as increasing in favor with God and man – noble traits, indeed. This is nothing less than a fulfillment of the greatest commandment, and the second, which is like unto it. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt 22:37-38).
Our text, however, unveils something else about our Lord. It was His "custom," or manner, to be in the synagogue on the Sabbath day. The NIV reads, "and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom." The less-than-ideal nature of the city did not deter Him from developing this custom. Too, even though things were not always ideal in the synagogue, He was still found there on the Sabbath day. In fact, a considerable amount of Christ's teaching was "in their synagogues" (Lk 4:15; 13:10; Mk 1:21; John 6:6).
Those with a penchant against buildings might be interested to know the synagogue was an innovation of men. It is thought to have come into being after the Babylonian captivity. During that epochal captivity, it is clear that godly Jews continued to assembly together even though they were cut off from the Temple (Ezek 14:1; 20:1). After returning to their promised land, synagogues eventually became popular. Much of Jesus' ministry centered around them. Jesus delivered a man from an unclean spirit in a synagogue (Mk 1:23-25). He healed a man with a withered hand there (Mk 3:1-5). The announcement of His mission was first made in a synagogue (Lk 4:16-20). Jesus healed a woman suffering from a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, in a synagogue (Lk 13:10-13). Many people had reason to be thankful it was Jesus' manner to be in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
A synagogue was a building – a structure erected for gathering in the name of the Lord (Lk 7:5). Believers in Christ may not have synagogues in the sense of our text, but they do meet together. It is good to raise our children, and develop our own spirits, so it is also our "custom," or manner to be in such places at appointed times of gathering.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for the example of Your good Son. Grant me grace to be noted for where I am on the day given to You.