Please read the passage before the commentary.
Jesus had come back to Nazareth. The people there had heard of the things Jesus had said and done elsewhere and asked why they had not received the same for themselves.
Jesus brought up the ministry of Elijah and Elisha, two famous prophets who had ministered to pagans in their time of need. You can hear the story of Naaman, the army commander of the pagan king of Aram in second Kings, 5:1-15.
The message is clear, that God loves and works with all people, pagans and believers as well. While the ministry of Elijah and Elisha was primarily to the Jewish people of God, the work of these prophets included working with pagan widows and army commanders. So too, the ministry of Jesus included not just his fellow townspeople, by also with pagans and Samaritans living in the places Jesus visited,
So too the work of Jesus in his Church includes more than Christians, more than the members of our country or political party. So also does God’s work include more than any one individual. I should not feel hurt if God should single out other people for his benefits and gifts. Jesus came to save all people, not just those of Nazareth, or those of Palestine, or those of two thousand years ago, or those of Europe or those of the Americas, or any other group that considers itself unique or special: Jesus has come for all, including ourselves.
Jesus has come to our Nazareth. Do we welcome him and acclaim him for all he has done elsewhere and hold him in high regard for all the good he has done everywhere?
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